Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-01-29
Banker Says Firm Never
Had Account With McAdOO
or "SenatOr O."
CLOSE RELATIONS
ARE ADMITTED
Fisk Admits Firm Handled Some Of
McAdoo's Private Business-Build- :
ing to House Federal Reserve Bank
Rented to Government Thru In
huenee Of Secretary Of Treasury
Fisk Denies Interview.

MAI IOl all OF IhontaS w. Lawson
charges against him. particularly his
alleged association with Secretary Me-
Adoo were made today before the
leak" committee by Pliny Fisk, tho
New York banker,
Among categorical denials made by
Fisk were that he ever had joint
Wall street account with McAdoo and
a Senator o.; that he had told Archi-
bald White. or any one else. that he
controlled Secretary McAdoo. and that
he had received any advance informa-
tion regarding the peace note
Asked if his firm had ever enjoyed
any advantages in transa actions with
the treasury department, Fisk replied
negatively. He admitted suggesting to
Mr.. McAdoo that offices in a building
his firm owned would be suitable for
the federal reserve bank.
Says He LEANED Backwards
Have you ever purchased, or caused
to be purchased, in the last four years
any securities in which Secretary Nc
Adoo was Interested Sherman L..
Whipple, counsel for the committee
asked.
~ have not, sir" Fisk declared
AS one of the bankers for the Hudson
& Manhattan terminals, of which Mr..
McAdoo was president, Fisk said he
came in contact with McAdoo. and
Harvey Fisk also closed up some of the
secretary's business when he entered
the cabinet, but since then has had no
business relations with him.
/ " TN the last four years have you
made any requests of the segretarssas,,.. r. e.
~ have not. To use homely ex-
preston. l have leaned backwards in
that respect
Denies Lawson Story.
Fisk said he had had personal CORE
spondence with the secretary but pre-
served none of it, Fisk was brought
into the investigation by Thomas W.
Lawson, who said 1t was said Fisk had
controlled Secretary McAdoo. Lawson
said he had heard Fisk was connected
with the peace note leak" Fisk de-
MED he ever had conversation with
Archibald White, as described by Law
son.
II want to say, positively that the
meeting described. he said, never
took place. l never had a conversation
with White during which the name of
Mr.. McAdoo entered
The banker said he knew White "onlv
slightly" and had met him not more
than a half dozen times Asked if he
had anything to do with closing up
Mc 1nn'S foir Ni,l-
piled he lad Upon entering the cab
met, Fisk said, McAdoo turned over all
his securities, largely bank and trust
company stock. to Fisks firm and on
them obtained loan of $4,000. On
Jan. 10, 1914, Fisk said, all of the secur-
tiles having been disposed of. the debt
was liqlidated and the surplus was
turned over to McAdoo
Has your firm" asked Whipple,
ever enjoyed advantages in regard to
transactions with the treasury depart
ment?"
Never advantages which any other
Wall street firm might not have re-
ceived."
Il want to ask you a question which
it was decided by the committee to
put to you. Is it fact that the fed.
eral reserve bank occupied building
belonging to your f1rm?"
Yes, during the first year and a half
Of its existence The witness said he
personally had nothing to do with the
negotiations for the lease of the offices
for the bank.
Urged McAdoo to Accept.
did you talk to the secretary OF the
treasury about the matter?" pursued
the attorney.
II think did. I told him that our
offices we're best adapted to the bank
of any in the street at that time. I
said / would be very glad to have the
federal reserve bank take our Offices
1t was just after the outbreak OF the
war. The street was closed up and
very few offices were available
Did you ask it as a favor?"
II did not ask it aa a favor.
thought we had a right, however. TO
use any proper influence we could
use"
Two other firms, he conceded, were
seeking to lease offices to the bank at
the same time Mr.. Fisk could not re-
cali the price Charged but said he
would secure the Information for the
committee.
Returning to the stock market af-
fair Mr.. Whipple placed before the
committee e.ss. ...a..1..t OF the market
dealings OF the Fisk firm during the
.leak' period, and asked IL they con-
tanned the names Of any public Off
cial. The witness replied in the mega
tive.
Secretary Cuts Conversation.
Fisk said THAT since the leak" in
auiry started MIR. McAdoo once de-
clined, to converse with him over a
telephone and again In a. Washington
hotel said publicly that until the In
vestigation was ct an end they would