New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-20

were obtained from the Wall Street
grapevine. This source Of information
1t was explained, was the gossip of
brokers as to what was going on in the
Street.
All declared that the copy OF the
cable message from Harjes. the French
Minister of Finance, to Morgan & Co..
which William J. Burns said he found
in Seymour & Seymour's Office on Feb
ruary 3, was a mystery to them. None
had ever seen it, they said, and they
could not explain how IL entered their
Office, if Burns's word was 20 be taken.
The copy of this cable message
reads:
"54NyFebl, 1916. 75OPM.
Morgan and Co. 1G493. 11771.
French government request you send
as soon as possible samples Of bleached
cotton linters offered by Humboldt
Fibre Company and Demopolis Cotton
Mills. French government is inclined
to accept these offers provided quality
suits them. How does above men
toned cotton compare with sample sent
US per your letter Of January IA?
Please cable United States Navy speci-
iications of bleached cotton linters.
"HARJES.
French Minister Finance"
o. b. Phillips was then shown let
ter, bearing what purported to be his
signature, addressed to c. T. FARRELL,
president of the Humboldt Company,
whose factory and Offices are in Hum
boldt, Tenn. lie said he could not
identify the letter. Later De Witt said
he wrote il at Phillipss direction, and
then Phillips recalled having signed
the letter, which reads:
Dear Mr.. FARRELL:
at occurred to me that you would
like to hear the latest from the Grape
vine and beg TO quote from their let
ter, as follows:
1.-THE latest information we have re-
garding cotton linters offered by the
Humboldt Fibre Company is that the
government has requested samples, and
that they are inclined TO accept the
offer provided quality is suitable.
"'They are also asked to cable at
once how the Humboldt samples COM
pare with previous sa-lple sent them,
and a reply to this was sent out last
the purchase. that the samples were Of
better quality than the previous sam
plies submitted
"Yours very truly,
80. b. PHILLIPS"
The next letter shown the people
from Seymour & Seymour's office, and,
like the others, turned over TO District
Attorney Swami by Burns, was the fol-
lowing from the Humboldt Fibre Com
pany to Seymour g. Seymour. 1t was
dated March s, and. in part, said
"This is to confirm the agreement
made with Seymour & Seymour and
associates that we, the Humboldt Fibre
Company, will allow commission of
one-fourth cent (l4c) per pound on the
bleached linters we furnish TO j. r..
Morgan & Co., according to the con-
tract entered into with that company
this date, the amounts covered by the
contract to be 25 metric tons per month
March June inclusive, and $50 metric
tons during July"
Promises Of Commissions.
The rest of the letter amplifed the
conditions Of the contract. Another
note introduced was from FARRELL TO
Frederick Seymour. 1t begins by re-
ferring TO letters regarding the war
order on Seymour & Seymour, station
cry, signed by O. X. Phillips, and asks
for an explanation, saying their deal
ings had been with Seymour & Scy-
mour lie asks for a statement from
him if the settlements on the one
fourth cent commission per pound is
TO go to Phillips instead of Seymour &
Seymour.
The letter, dated March %, 1915,
then went on as follows:
when the negotiations began with
you it was clearly understood that you
were the confidential representatives
Of j. 7. Morgan & Co.. and that that
company did not care to enter into ne
gotiations direct in preliminary way,
but that final negotiations would BE-
direct with them To bear this out
you wired Us on January Is as follows:
Your telegram tenth satisfactory.
Am negotiating with J. p. Morgan g.
Co. thirteen cents, the additional quar-
ter cent going to party for introdur-
tion. Negotiations may continue d.
rect with you
"If you are acting or have acted as
'hc confidential representative Of J. p
Morgan & Co.. we would be glad yoI
would so state 10 us.
when we accepted the order from
J. p. Morgan d Co. for the stock men
toned above $50 metric tons) we gave
an option for the balance OF our years