New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-20
Urges Federal Invest
igation-Spying on
Morgan Denied.
JNDICT BURNS,
SAYS THOMPSON
Desk Rifled, Is Testified
Woods Defends Cut-ln-
Mayor Angry.

i TCSOlNItOW tuN Nfttf |N~r'NNr' ~ I
CONGRESS yesterday by Representa- |
tire Loft. moving that a commttee
be appointed to Investigate the 'rire-
tapping By the police Of this city.
In an crecutire session Of the
Thomson Committee, all connected
nth Seymour & Seymour denied
they bought pttrloinod letters or
cable messages from an empIoye Of
Morgan & Co.
They explained they obtained
Morgan information through the
Wau Street "grapev7ne"-the Street
term for the underground gossip Of
brokers.
Testimony that William J. Burns
rifled at least one desk IN Seymour
e. Sevmour's office igGs given 10
Senator Thompson.
Frank Moss declared that District
attorney SUann had been cognizGnt
Of Burns's iUire-tGpping and eaves-
dropping in the Seymour G. Seymour
Offices.
Senator Thompson said Bur1,s's dc-
tirities had been in Uioldtion OF the
Constitution Of the United States.
The Senator charged Burns and
his operators concerned IN the Sey-
mour case rcith fleeing torn to eS-
cape testifying before the committee.
He said if he 1Cere the District
Attorney he 1OouId bring back Burns
from Cleveland, Ohio, and hare him
indictment on the eUidence ddduced
yesterday.
United States District Attorney
Marshall declared that the Federal
authorities hud been interested an
the Seymour & Seymour case end
that publication of the facts now
,could be not IN the interest Of JUS
tee.
The uar Of words betDeen Senator
Thompson and the Mayor and other
members Of the city administration
continued.
While Senator George Thompson
yesterday was fighting, single
handed, a combined attack from
Mayor Mitchell, District Attorney
Swami, Police Commissioner Woods
and United States District Attorney
Marshall because of his insistence
in continuing the investigation into
the tapping of private phones by
the police, Representative Loft, of
this city, introduced a resolution in
the House calling for a Congress
sional investigation of the wire-tap-
ping here.
at seems I have found one friend
in public life who publicly comes to
my support" said Senator Thomp-
son, when told of Representative
Lofts action. "And be it observed
he is q Democrat, so that none may
cry politics. certainly will wei
come any such investigation and will
turn over all my committee has TO
the Congressional committee, should
Mr.. Lofts resolution go through.
If IT doesn't, III go on with this in
yestgstion, and will not be fright
ened by any cries of wolff
Loft Sees Menace TO L. ;.
Representatives Lofts resolution
cites that telephone overlapping is
a menace to international relations
and the governments secrets. ltI
gives TO the proposed committee
authority TO summon and examine
witnesses and make thorough in
yestigation.
Mayor Mitchell characterized Sena-
tor Thompson's investigation of the
police overlapping as treachery to
the United States.
Senator Thompson replied that
Mayor Mitchell was talking poppy
cock and that there was not, despite
the Mayors declaration 70 the con-
uary, anything national or interna-
Continued on page 2, column .