The Washington herald., 1915-02-10
TUMULTY CALLS
WICK 'SORE-HEAD'
Presidents Secretary Heard
in Inquiry Into Minister
Sullivan's S Conduct.
SCORES GOSSIP MONGERS
Refuses. However. to Express Opinion
as TO Fitness Of Envoy to
Santo Domingo.

Tile inquiry into the fitness and serv-
ices Of James NJ. Sullivan, United States
Minister TO SantO Domingo. was
brought to Il close so far as Washing
ION is concerned, yesterday with the
examination OF Joseph r. Tumulty, sec
retary to President Wilson, and James
\. HamilI member Of Congress- for
the Twelfth New Jersey dis, rict Com
missioner Phelan expects TO sail for
Santo Domingo tho latter part OF the
week, and will there take the final
testimony upon which his report will
be based.
Secretary Tumulty. who was called
at the request Of Minister sullivan,
told the commissioner that ne was pre-
pared to produce a complete file Of all
kilograms and correspondence of any
kind that had passed to or from the
White House that had any bearing
on the Dominican controversy. He said
that judgment based on the gossip,
rumOrs, charges, and counter charges
that came from Dominican sources
should not be passed on any man.
Interested in Wick.
Mr. Tumulty said he had known Wal
ter W. Wick intimately, had been inter
estcd in his candidacy for the receiver
generalshlp. and had aided him materi-
ally in securing the appointment. He
had become interested i'm James VI. Sui
livan's candidacy for the post of minis
ter through Representative IammilI.
and had no knowledge that Sullivan was
being backed by William c. Beers. John
6. Grey, and the sO-Called Jarvis and
BanCo NaciOnal interests. When the
first charges were made against Minis
ter Sullivan, he said. it was he who had
instructed General Wick to watch Sulli-
van, and Wick made his reports in ac-
cordance with instructions from the
White House. Mr. Tumulty declined to
express an opinion as to Mr.. Sulliyan's
fitness for a diplomatic position. but he
did say that he loked upon Wick as Il
''surehcad."
Il think I have evidence of that"
he said. and then explained that he
had refused to attend the dinner in
NiCk's honor in December. 1912, be
cause he understood that Wick was a
candidate for the position which he
CTumUlty) now holds, and in seek
ing to advance his own interests had
been attacking him.
SuIIivnn's Debts Discussed.
MIR. Tumulty could not recall that
he had ever said that in procuring
Sullivan's appointment John 6. Grey
had put on over on us" nor did he
believe he had ever said that he was
responsible for Sullivan's being re-
tained in the service. He said it had
been called to his attention that it
was claimed sullivan had not paid
some of his personal debts, hut he
did not remember anything about the
claim of "a poor tailor
Later Counsel Strong placed in the
record a long series Of papers showing
that Solomon Lear. tailor. with a claim
of $50 against Sullivan, had written re-
peatedly to the White House and State
Department in an effort to get assistance
in collecting his bill but success had not
crowned his correspondence. There was
nothing in the papers to show, however.
that the matter had ever received the
personal attention of Mr.. Tumulty or
Secretary Bryan.
Representative Hamills testimony was
confined primarily to his efforts in Sulli-
vans behalf as candidate for the diplO-
matte mission. lie was for Sullivan, he
said. because of personal friendship. and
not because William c. Beer. or John G.
Grey. or any one else was backing him.
Sullivan Was Unpopular.
Mai l. L. Hunts confidential report
on his investigation of the Wick re-
ceivership was placed in evidence. In It
Mai Hunt stated that there was no
question about Sullivan being unpopu-
lar in SantO Domingo, or about relations
between the legation and the customs
being strained. As to Nick's
services Hal. Hunt reported that he had
a distinctly favorable impression of the
At the close of the hearing Counsel
Strong placed a great mass Of documents
in the record, and he will devote the next
day or two to the collection of further
papers in the State Department that bear
on the case.