The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-01-08
WILL HEAR WITNESSES
TO-DAY IN LEAK" CASE
Lansing and Tumulty MAY Appear to
Deny knowledge of Any Leak"
in Connection With Note,
TAPPING TELEPHONE
WIRES is DENIED
Committee Thinks knowledge of
Presidents Note Was Due to Over
jealous Efforts of Wall Street-May
Have Been Good Guess.

Washington, Jan. THE House in
vestigauon OF the peace leak from
Washington to Wall Street will get
down to real business tomorrow with
the appearance OF the principal wit
nesses named in connection with the
leak. Secretary of State Lansing, Sec
rotary to the President Tumuity.
Thomas w. Lawson and Bernard w.
Baruch. the New York broker named
az the chief beneficiary OF the leak
raid on Wall Street. will appear wren
the committee resumes it's hearings.
Numerous other witnesses, including
representatives OF the two Wall Street
ticker services, have been summoned
1t was practically certain tonight
that Secretary Lansing AMI Secretary
Tumulty would appear for the sole
purpose of denying fatty that they
have any knowledge OF any leak"
In connection with the Presidents
peace note. Secretary Tumulty has
already publicly stated that he had
no knowledge of the note itself be-
fore 1t was made public 1t is ex-
pected, however, that Republican
members of the committee will en-.
deavor to ascertain who knew Of tho
Presidents plans before they were
made public. with view to tracing
the leak from the beginning.
Denies Story OF Spies.
Secretary Tumulty today took occa-
sion to deny flatly a published report
that White House secrets had leaked
to the German embassy and otner
places through tapped telephone
wires and through White House en-
ployes. The story was a circumstan
tial account of a group of interna-
tional spies surrounding the President
and gaining confidential information
on all subjects
NO attention will be paid to such
ridiculous rot" said Secretary TumuI-
ty.
Prince Won Hatzfeldt. counsellor of
the German embassy. also fatty de-
MED the story. characterizing 1t as
utterly absurd"
Chairman Henry. of the Rules Com
mittee. said tonight that the commit
tee would make every effort to hasten
the hearings on the Wood resolution
authorizing an investigation by a spe-
cial committee. The committee will
meet at $3.50 tomorrow morning and
will probably hold a night session to-
morrow night. The number OF wit
ture of the testimony to be adduced.
however. make II likely that the COM
mittee will be hearing witnesses dur
ing the greater part of the week. The
question OF recommending that the
House authorize the appointment of a
special committee to make a thorough
probe will then be taken up.
LEAK" May Have Deen Guess.
Various members OF the committed
feel that the testimony 30 far pro-
duced has demonstrated that the
knowledge Of the Presidents peace
note was available to some Wall Street
sources before IL was generally made
public. They are ain in doubt, how
ever. as to whether this was caused
through a Teak" In official circles or
whether 1t was due to over-xealous
effort on the part Of the Wall Street
ticker service, combined w.ah good
guessing" These are the points that
they will seek to clear up in the ex-
animation OF the witnesses already
summoned.
1t Is expected that Charles II. Sabn,
president OF the Guaranty Trust Com
pany. OF New York. and Judge william
NJ. X. Olcott. counsel for Representa- :
tive Gardner. OF Massachusetts,. will
appear before the committee after the
present batch of witnesses has been
disposed Of.