Evening star., 1917-01-06

/
Mr. Lawson said today that he did
not intend in his testimony to spill
any names," but would give the rules
committee information on which they
could get at the bottom Of the leak.
He added that he had never heard OF
| "a. Curtis"
Never Heard of A. Curtis.
1t was said at the office of E. F. Hut
ton & Company that although the firm
did business for F. A. Connolly Com
pany of Washington it did not keep
track of that firms customers. and 1t
had never heard of the A. Curtis men
ttioned by Representative Wood. 1t was
further stated that there was notnlns
lin the amount of business that the firm
thad transacted for Connolly & Com
lpany during the days when the market
was so unusually active that would
lead to suspicion of the alleged leak.
Denial by Otto n. Kahn.
| Otto H. Kahn of Kuhn. Loeb & Co..
has telegraphed Representative Henry.
chairman of the rules committee, as
follows:
THE statement reported to have been
made before your committee by Repre-
sentative Wood concerning me is with
tout the remotest basis of fact. l had
no kind of advance information. direct
or indirect, in connection with the
Presidents note or the so-called leak
| I have never sold a share of stock short
/ in my life, nor have I advised any one
to do SO either on this or any other oc-
casion. I request to be called before
your committee at once so that may
contradict under oath the calumny to
which Representative Wood mas not
nesitated to give currency, not only
without shadow of justification, but
without the slightest attempt to ascer-
tain the facts.
Baruch Has No Comment.
GEORGETOWN. s. c.. January g.
| Bernard Baruch, mentioned by Repre-
| sentative Wood in Washington as be-
ing one of the chief beneiciaries in the
| alleged leak" Of President Wilson's
peace note, left here yesterday for his
island plantation without making any
comment regarding developments in
| the situation. He sent a statement to
| Chairman Henry of the House rules
| committee. and this. it was said by his
| friends. goes into detail regarding
| expected to return here today to go to
| New York There Is no wire commu-
nication to the island.
| Friends in Georgetown Of Mr.. Baruch
| pressing the belief that he would lex
| onerate himself completely and that
| he would be glad to appear on the
floor Of the House to do SO.
Friday Makes Admission.
| OSHKOSH. Wis. January 6.-S. b.
| Friday stated yesterday that he had
! wired Representative Wood as soon as
he heard of the so-called peace leak
| to the effect that he knew something
| which might have a bearing on the is-
sue. He said that the day prior to the
publication of the Presidents peace
note he had been sought by Mr.. Hart
! ley. his broker, but, being out Of the
city. he could not respond until the
following morning. He declared that
Hartley then read to him a telegram
said TO have come from New York, in
| which Hartley was urged to advise his
patrons to Get OF the long side of the
market. as important news was about
| to emanate from Washington which
| would seriously affect the market"
| There was no definite reference to
peace. Mr.. Friday said, but he believed
the portent of the message was we'll
from New York through Chicago, and
stated that the matter therein was to
be held in strict confidence"
Mr.. Friday declared he understood
at about l pm. the day before the
Presidents peace note was made pub
lie
Modides His First Statement.
Mr.. Friday made the following state
ment yesterday afternoon:
| Il have sent a telegram today to Mr..
Wood modifying my first statement
made by wire last night in response
to an inquiry from him. In the mes
sage I sent last night told him Mr..
Hartley had received a message mark
ed 'confldential.' and which I UNDER
stood him to say had been sent by r..
sake was to the effect that news
iemanating from Washington was ex-
pected. which might seriously affect
the market
sage did not come over the private
| wire OF the company. In making those
statements. was perfectly sincere, and
believed that the telegram 1 saw came
wires Today Mr.. Hartley showed me
what he said was the message In ques-
ton. That message came over the
private wires, and did not bear the sig
mature r.. b. but was general tip
from the east. sent through the firms
Offices"
/ Denial by James F. Hamill.
LAFAYETTE. Ind. January 6-James
F. Hamill. manager of the Lafayette
branch ONCE Of Lamson Bros, Chicago
commission house. denies emphatically
that any advance information concern
ing President Wilson's peace message
to Europe was received at the office
here. He said Representative Woods
charges In Congress were without foun-
dalton. The FIRST he knew of any
'1eak". In connection with the Presi-
dents message and the stock market,
he said. was when he read about It in
the newspapers.
1