Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-05-20
Mayors Charge

Earlier in he day, when the contro-
Nersy between Mayor Mitchell and SEN
ator Thompson had reached an acute
stage the mayor accused the senator
of "cumulatlve trcachery" to the Unit
90 States hecausc tho committee chair
man insisted on goi1:. on with the in
quiry after MIR. Mitchell had protested
that to do 50 might involve the fed
eral government in grave international
complications associated by him with
munitions contracts. Thompson as
serted the United STATES .Mas-in. no VA X
involved. He was supported in this by
District Attorney Swan. The mystery
was deepened tonight when United
States Attorney Marshall issued a
statement declaring that ANY publ
cation of the facts in the case at this
time would be most regrettable from
the standpoint of the Administered ton
Of federal justice.
Il have made inquiry into the cir
cumstances concerning the investiga-
the wire of Seymour & Seymour" Mr.
Marshall said. and find that the case
the police department: referred to as
having 70 do with tho federal author-
ties is a case | know about. which has
been of interest for some time to the
federal authorities ard involves ma
tional issues"
No Disclosure Of Pict
Mr. Gods, in his testimony failed
to make any disclosures regarding al.
international plot. He was called after
witnesses had testified that William J.
Burns of the Burns Detective Agency
and his son Sherman had engaged Il
room adjoining the Seymour Offices
and caused the installation of tele-
phonic devices. It already had been
announced by the district attorney tina.
the Burns detectives were engaged by
the firm of J. +. Morgan & Co. from
whose offices had been pilfered official
messages from the french government
relative to munitions supplies
1t was alleged that this information wa
sold to munitions manufacturers to al
low them to make satisfactory bids The
police commissioner did not discuss the
Seymour case. He admitted, however
that the Burns detectives had worked in
cooperation with the police in the case
and that he had given the necessary per
mission to listen in on the telephone
I and devoted most of his time to detail.
ing the methods used by the police in
tapping wires and the necessity for the
practice.
Frank Moss Snecial 70
Thompson committee, admitted after adj
ournment that Burns his son Sherman
and four operatives, one woman. had
been subpoenaed. but had suddenly left
town. Burns Office manager. although
served with a subpoena, ignored the com.
mttees summons. it was stated
Conflicting assertions were made dur
ing the day regarding the firm of Sey-
mour & Seymour, although the committee
absoived the firm from any connection
with the documents taken from the Nor
gan offices.
The district attorney alleged that one
member of the firm. Frederick Seymour
admitted that he together with four 9th,
er men previously reported to have had
only desk room in the Seymour Offices
conducted munition brokerage business
. '7cS iioul. dccoIulIlS 10 MT. SWdll1, admit
ted that he and his colleagues made
money by supplying information concern.
! ing war contracts of the Entente Allies
to muntion manufacturers. A cable mes
sage. alleged to have been removed from
! the Morgan offices. was introduced il
/ evidence and is now in the possession o.
! the district attorney He claims that the
cablegram was found on the desk of one
! of Seymours associates, and that the
document indicates that money was real
lied from the sale of Morgan secrets. Mr.
] Swami also charged that one of the mer
claimed to be a representative of the
| Morgan firm.
Frederick Seymour denied imputation.
against his business and declared he hat
! handled munition contracts for the Nor
gan firm. He was supported in his con
tention by Senator Thompson and Spe
cial Counsel Moss, who declared the Sey
mour enterprise to be legitimate one.