The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-05


most of the statements he made we're
based on Information in a letter, to
him from A. Curtis, Wall street
broker He did not have the letter
with him, but said he would produce
it later.
The rules committee, after brief
executive session, announced that sub
poenas had been ordered for the ap-
pearance of Bernard Baruch and A.
Curtis, a Wall street broker mention
ed by Representative Wood in his
testimony. They will probably appear
Monday.
81 am informed, Representative
Wood testified, that Barney Baruch
had information about the note to the
European belligerents, two or three
days before 1t was sent and that on
two or three occasions at about that
time he was In conversation with Mr..
Tumulty at the Biltmore Hotel in
New York
Representative Bennet, of New
York, a member of the committee,
said on the House floor Wednesday
that Baruch was reported in New
York to- have sold short $4,000 shares
Of steel on a rising market shortly be-
fore the note was made public.
At the outset of the hearing, Rep
resentative Campbell of Kansas,
moved to subpoena Secretary Lansing,
Secretary Tumulty, Baruch and
Thomas w. Lawson! He was prevail
ed upon by other members to with
draw his motion but he said he would
make it again later.
Representative Wood objected
strenuously to testifying in public.
What information he had regarding
the so-called leak. he said, was only
hearsay and he feared that a public
statement would interfere with the
work of the committee in obtaining
witnesses.
Representatives Chipperfeld and
Foster, Of Illinois, and Harrison, Of
Mississippi, protested so strongly
against "star chamber" proceedings,
that Representative Garrett. of Ten
nessee, who had moved that the ses-
sions be made executive, withdrew his
motion.
Wood testified that he had been
informed that on Wednesday, Dec.
20, which was prior to publication of
the note, confidential telegram had
been sent by r. c. McKinnon, of
Thompson e McKinnon, brokers, Of
Chicago, to Ralph H. Hartley, man.
ager of their branch of Oshkosh, Wis,
advising him that the President
would have a message of importance
soon and that he should advise
friends and patrons Of his office to
sell short on stocks. S. B. Friday, of
Oshkosh, was named by Wood as his
informant.
Early in the afternoon Of the sai1e
day, Wood said he was informed
Lamson Brothers branch brokerage
office in Lafayette, Ind, also received
information from Chicago that the
President was about to send a peace
note"
Representative Wood requested that
Otto Kahn, of Kuhn, Loeb & Co, N.
Y, will be subpoenaed and interro-
gated regarding what advice, if any,
he had about the note.
A resolution offered by Mr.. Camp
bell to ask the New York Stock Ex-
change to preserve all its books and
papers from Dec. 10 to the present
date and another by Representative
Harrison, of Mississippi, to make the
same request of w. B. Hibbs & Co.,
and any other brokers in Washington
were approved.
II have information Also" Repre-
sentative Wood told the commission,
that an exchange firm here known
a. F. A. Connolly & Co., of which a
Mr.. Boiling "a brother of the Presi-
dents wife, is a member, engaged in
profitable transactions during the re
cent furry. Their dealings on the
stock exchange were made through
Hutton e. ~ of Man, vorLx