Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1917-01-16

| to have been connected with the
| leak and also their names, Lawson
/ rose and said he desired to make a
| statement.
'T am going to answer your ques-
tion," he began significantly.
Lawson insisted that he first be
permitted to make statement setting
forth that it was against his wishes
| to give the names in public. Chair
man Henry insisted, however, that
Lawson should answer the questions
put to him and he said he would be
later given an opportunity to make
any statement he desired.
Insisted on Making Statement.
Despite the decision of the chair
man, Lawson insisted on making a
statement and pleaded for an oppor-
tunity first to present his Information
May not have just word?'' he
asked. "I will be short and to the
point It seems to me you owe it to
to me to allow me to state things
which I think are absolutely neces-
sary- I am going to answer your
questions, If forced to, but 1 want to
swer.
Reasons for Not Giving Names.
'T stated before that my reasons for
refusing to give the Information 1 had
lead to the destruction OF evidence
and also that a member of congress
had convinced me that the matter
was serious to the nation and the adj
ministration-
Wanted to Give Names in Confidence.
Lawson expressed willingness to give
all the Names, but appealed to the
committee to take all his answers in
confidence.
Chairman Henry announced that the
witness should answer the questions
publicly. Lawson then stated:
chairman Henry. of YOUR commit
tee, is the congressman who gave me
the news"
Henry Not Disturbed.
Mr.. Henry, without a sign of per-
turbation, proceeded to read the next
question. Asked who told him that
a New York banker, cabinet officer
and senator had joint stock brok-
erage account, Lawson said:
The man who told me that was
Archibald S. White, Boston, of the
firm of White & company
In answering the question as to other
persons who had given him evidence
in substantiation of his various state
ments, Lawson brough. in the names
W. Price" White House correspondent
of the Washington Star. He read a
letter from a Washington woman,
Mrs. Ruth Thomas Visconti, saying in
part:
Letter from Mrs. Ruth r. Visconti.
of the man who was the go-betweer
in the present leak and the amount of
money be of assistance to you, I can
supply the name and the amount he
and give the name of at least
one associate at the White House who
participated in the haul"
The letter went on to offer to make
an appointment which Mr.. Lawson
said he made with Mrs. Visconti. In
the presence of her attorney he said
IA hi he ma Of pria
McAdoo.
Said Mrs. Prics Had Part in the |
LEAK"
Lawson then testified he made an
with Mrs. Visconti, who |
came to his apartment with an attor- |
ney whose name he could not recall |
After a long conference he said Mrs
Visconti told him that Mrs. Price "h1d |
a part in the leak affair between Sec |
retary Tumu1ty and others" No ref |
erence was made either by Lawson or /
the committee to the amount of money |
referred to in Mrs. Viscontfs letter.
n. PIiny Fisk, Banker.
Asked to whom he referred as the |
alleged senator, an alleged banker |
and an alleged member of the cabinet"
Lawson said he understood Secretary |
was the cabinet member; HI. |
Piny Fisk, the banker, and the sena- |
tor was a man whom he had heard of /
only as Senator 60"
This information, Lawson said, came /
to him from one source and was cor
roborated by another. He was not |
asked for the sources of the informa-
ton.
The seventh question, asking to 1
whom Lawson referred by saying /
member of congress had given him /
-hree names of persons reported to
nave been involved in the deal, for |.
he third time brought the reply:
Chairman Henry"
The next question and the two fol-
owing were virtually the same
Had Other information.
Lawson then was asked If he had
my other information in relation to
lis intimations that another high Of
icial'' of the government had informa-
ion regarding the leak and that
elative of a cabinet official also had
leen mentioned. He replied that the
ir1n of c. ID. Barney & company, in
Vail street; Malcolm McAdoo, a
rother of Secretary McAdoo, and
'tewart G. Gibboney. Of the firm OF Ii
IcAdoo & Gibboney, with Offices at
he Grand Central station and at 165
Broadway, were the men to whom he