New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-31

Among the other witnesses to be
called will be man named Toomey,
the telegraph operator who sent the
message over the wire from the Con-
molly Offices.
The Rules Committee is even con-
sidering summoning back from
Georgia G. A. Ellis, jr., member Of
E. F, Hutton & Co, who has gone
South for his health. Mr.. Ellis il
supposed to be the man who per-
sonally received the message in the
Hutton offices.
In any case, Ellis is the author Of
a telegram, which Mr.. Hutton ident-
fed, sent out by the Hutton firm to
it's forty-five correspondents through
out the country and to it's branch
Offices in Los Angeles and San Fran
cisco, combining rhe information re-
ceived from Connolly with that re-
ceived from Clement, Curtis G. Co.,
its Chicago correspondent. The lat
ter had telegraphed: >
hear that the State Department
will issue statement to-day regarding
economic conditions European war
affecting neutrals intending to pro-
mote peace prospect. What you think
of this and how are you on stocks!
(Signed) CLEMENT.
This telegram was received in New
York at 12:4S p. m, December 20. The
Hutton firm Immediately telegraphed .
reply reading:
Clement: Our Washington wire
gave us similar message to yours.
Others have same information and
we put it out, as il Is more or less
generally known. Your message was
marked confidential and we treated 10
60. HUTTON & CO. 7.
Advance Digest Of Note
The telegram sent by Mr.. Ellis TO all
the Hutton connections at 1884 p. m.
ran as follows:
We are confidentially informed that
a highly important message to All
belligerents and neutrals has been
issued from Washington. Interpreted
not as pressure on belligerents In
behalf o. peace, but as an oppor-
tunity to put American demands on
record to be considered IL there u
<kak 80 ID -
must not be further encroachcd upon.
Full text to be given out tonight and
will II looked upon as a move OF
great moment.
(Signed) G. A. T., Jr.
Among those who received this tele-
gram was r. W. McKinnon, OF Thomp-
son & McKinnon, brokers OF Chicago.
Ellis addressed it "Rod and ALL" Early
in the leak inquiry Representative
Wood, of Indiana, instigator Of the
inquiry, mentioned McKinnon as one
of the first to receive and disseminate
the advance peace note information.
The chief importance of this message
for the purposes Of the leak inquiry
lies, il is considered, not only in its
description OF the note, but in its ref.
erence to it as having already been sent.
This information was contained, Il Is
supposed, in the missing Washington
telegram, since it is almost wholly ab.
sent from the Chicago telegram. More
over, this information Is much richer Ia
detail, apparently, than Secretary Ian.
sings announcement concerning the
note 10 the newspaper men.
Lansing Gave No Digest
The Secretary Of State, IL will be re-
called, announced conhdentially TO
Washington newspaper men at IL
o'clock that morning that at s o'clock
in the afternoon he would have an I'm.
portant communication for them. His
own testimony in Washington on this
point was:
"At II o'clock I interviewed the nex,.
paper correspondents 1t the Depart
ment. and told them that would have
an important communication to give
them at in the afternoon. ] told them
this in confidence. stated to them
that the communication was, as I stat
ed, TO all belligerents. but IL did not
contain proposals for peace or an Offer
Of mediation"
II was the substance of this an.