The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1914-06-16
INQUEST STARTED OVER
NORTH CAROLINA PRO.
MOTION SCHEME
USED CHIEF EXPERT
Members of Congress Appear
Suspicious Of the Use of Sta
tionery and Official Services
(ny Associated press \

>
Washington, June l5.. The way was
opened in the senate today for an in
vestigation OF the senate stationery
and the alleged employment of gov
ernment officials In connection with
the promotion of Mort. Carolina
gold mine.
Senator Overman, one of those men
toned in connection with the mine, in
troduced a resolution calling for such
az inquiry. and It was endorsed by
Senator Chiffon, another senator
whose name figured in the same way.
The resolution was referred without
debate to the committee on contingent
expenses and probably will be reported
for acton within few DAYS. There Is
little doubt that it will be agreed to
without opposition. 80!
The call for an investigation came
as result Of a report published to-
day that there had appeared in the
office OF the New York brokers', letters
boosting the mine of tbs Gold .Hii;
Consolidated Company, written @ n stas.
tionery-stof the senate committee Din
rules; OF which Mr. Oyeiynan Isl ciIatr4
NAM and Of the tonniitte son Census
of which, Mr.s Cl tona ,ai,l -
e The tier on tile tenstis comm toe,
stationery was addressed to Senator
Chiffon and signed by J. c. Williams.
an economic and mining engineer. TIE
other letter was sald 70 &c idsnt;cui:
According to the published report
tho chief expert OF the United States
assay office was sent to investigate the
mine ty Comptroller of the Currency
'.fohn SHELTON Williams several months
ago, when Mr.. Williams was assistant
secretary of the treasury. What pur-
ported TO be reproduction OF the let
ters appeared. carrying the names of
all senator's on the committees, as do
all such letter pads heads.
This disturbed several of the men,-
bers of the committees and Senator
LaFollette prepared resolution iden-
teal with that introduced later by Mr..
Overman. announcing II no one. else
introduced IT he would
senators C:erman and Chiffon boil,
said they were interested in the Gold
Hill Company. but denied any knowl-
edge OF the use of the senate stationery
to boost it. Senator Ovcrman said 4
young woman in his Office had made
copies OF the letter on rules commit
tee paper at the request of Walter
George Newman, said to be promoter
of the mine. and Senator Chiffon said
that Williams, the engineer, came to
his office and got his clerk to make
copies on census committee paper.
This mine is in my county" said
Senator Overman. Before the war, at
one time it was the largest gold pro-
ducer in the United States. An assay
office was established at Charlotte, n.
G.. TO test the gold from It. Some time
ago. Newman. whom l know nothing
about, went down there and unwatered
1t. He said that by cross cutting he
had found vein to have the assay
office reestablished.
Some did ask to have Is reestablish-
ed and Williams sent man to see II
the production down there justified
the re-establishment OF the assay Of
fee. tt-r
In view of what / knew of the mine
and of what Newman reported in
vested $4,000 in the stock. have
done nothing to promote 1t. All that
has been done in my Office was done by
poor womn who worked there tempo
rarily."
Senator Chiffon addressed the SEN
ate as soon as Senator Overman con-
cluded:
II yield second place to no one in
having money, invested In gold Mines"
he said. "All my lite 1 have fostercd
an idea that. / might get out Of the
habit or not having enough to pay my
bills by striking gold mine.
Il felt interested and sent this min
ing engineer. ]. G. williams, down
there. When he returned he told mo
about the mine and later wrote me a
letter. One day Mr.. Williams. came 10
my office and said he wanted that le,-
ter. That Is NIL heard of It. recent
ly | heard some one had, on census
committee paper, a copy Of t.e letter
My clerk told me that Williams hod
come In and asked him to make copies
and the most convenient paper, being
the census committee paper, the copies
were I9adal on It. nm
I want the senate to make a prompt
Investigation and is there issanythins
to censure E,e fcr.I EN- ready to ta.o
my med!cllic'f ~ 81 AZ itt ~