Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-01-08

VI NOO0 . tCSp-
mcny concerning rumors Of
"leak' from the White House.
Washington. d. C., jan s-The set
tings were completed To-Day for the
most dramtic session Of the hearings
before the house rules committee in
vestigating sensational charges of a
leak to Wall street on President
Wilson's peace note.
Chief interest in today's develop
meDts centered in the appearance OF
Thomas w. Lawson, author of the
charges Immediately under investiga-
tlon; Secretary OF State Lansing, Jo-
seph p. Tumulty secretary to the
president; Barney Baruch. New York
( banker and broker, brought into the
4 cause as the man who carried ad
( vance information OF the note to Wall
street; Otto II. Kahn, of Kahn Loeb
/ and Company, Charles H. Sabin
IHresident OF the Guaranty Trust Com
pany. OF New York, and Judge William
X. Olcott, of New York, special attor-
ney for Rep. Gardner, of Mass.
Others who will testify are Wash
ington representatives of the Wall
street Journal. financial America and
the Central News Of America, man
ayers OF the Western Union and pos
tai Telegraph Companies also have
been summoned to be on hand with
all dispatches filed with these organi
cations bearing upon the peace docu
ment,
Thomas w. Lawson here with the
declaration that he can supply start
ling information II the committee al
lows him to proceed in his own way
and does not employ Police methods"
Is due TO receive a rough handling.
Many members of the committee are
particularly incensed at Lawson's
reported statement that members of
the senate and house have been Wal
lowing in Wall street graft for forty
years" Committee members are de.
termined to demand names and dates
from the Boston fnancers.
Search for "A. Curtis" whose
name was signed to letter telling
Rep. Wood. of New York conferences
between Barney Baruch and Secre,
tary Tumulty just before the news
"leaked" TO Wall street, has so far
been futile. Allen Curtis, of Boston,
broker, with Wall street connection,
however, is under subpoena and will
appear tomorrow altho with the adj
vance declaration from him that he is
..ot the author of the latter to
Rep. Wood and knows nothing of the
charges it contains. Attorney G.
Carol, odd Assistant Attorney Cen
aral. Underwood special assistant
Frank Hagerman and Solicitor Gener-
al Davis appeared for the government,
Mr.. Tumulty's statement fol-
lows.
q appear before this committee
to resent the unjust ;ntimaton
that gave information to Mr.
M. Baruch in regard to the So
called peace noted sent to the
European belligerents last month
by the secretary OF state. This
intimation was contained in state
ment made to this committee by
Rep. Wood of Indiana, man
whom don't know. To the best
of my knowledge have never
met Mr. Wood Certainly he made
no effort to find out the truth
from me before dragging my name
into this affair
II wish to deny generally and
especially that gave advance
information to Mr.. Baruch or to
anybody else in regard to the
peace note did not know of the
existence of this note or that this
government contemplated the dis
patch of such note until after
printed copies of the note had
been given to representatives Of
the Press by the state depart
ment. was not consulted in the
preparation of the note by presi-
dent or by anybody else. The
conference and Communications
relation to the drafting of the
note and its dispatch were con-
fidential between the president
and the secretary of state. |
knew nothing of them whatever
nor did any other person employ
ed in the executive office.
Il have had no correspondence,
written or telegraph with Mr..
Baruch or anybody representing
him, regarding this matter.
have never talked with him or
anybody representing him or with
one else, publicly or privately,
with regard to this matter.