Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-01-30
NEW YORK BANKER
ASSERTS HE NEVER
PROF|TED BY LEAK
Also Denies He Ever Had Joint
Wall Street Account With
Secretary McAdoo and Mys-
ferrous Senator 70"
(By Associated Press.l

(By Associated Press.)
NEW YORK, Jan 29.-DeniaI Of Az
Of Thomas W. Lawson's charges against
him, particularly his alleged associa-
ton with Secretary McAdoo in Wan
street deals, was made today before tia
leak" Investigating committee by Pliny
Fisk, Of Harvey Fisk & Sons. New York
bankers.
Fisk denied that he had ever been
interested in joint Wall street account
with McAdoo and senator 90" that
he had told Archibald White or anyona
else that he controlled SECRETARY Mo
Adoo, and that had received ADVANCE
information regarding President VII
sons peace nota>
Asked If his firm had over eu5ove<i
any advantages in transactions with the
treasury. department. Fisk replied n,e-a.
lively. He admitted that after suggest
ing to Secretary McAdoo that Offices i'm
a building his firm owned would be sniff
able for the federal reserve bank Ia
had leased the offices to the government.
Fisk was brought into the inquiry by
Thomas w. Lawson declaring that Arch
bald White told him Fisk had boosted
to him that he controlled Secretary NC
summon McAdoo from his bed by tele-
phone Lawson also said he had heard
Fisk was connected with the peace note
leak"
At an executive session Of the com
mittee today 1t was agreed that thu
inquiry now should be directed specific.
ally to the alleged peace note '1eak"
4 want to state positively" said Fisk.
that the meeting described never took
place newer had conversation with
White during which the name of Mr.. Mo-
Adoo entered want to state that NOD
unequtVocal1y.
The banner said that he knew whitd
-only slightly" and had met him cas-
ually probably not more than half a
dozen times He had never. he said, had
business dealings with him, nor did he
belong to the Whites club, rs seemed
to be Indicated IN the Lawson testi-
mony.
-Have you ever purchased or caused
to be purchased IN the last four years
any securities in which Secretary Mo
Adoo was interested?~ Sherman L.
Whfpple, counsel for the investigating.
committee, asked
81 have not. sir Fisk declared with
great emphasis.
CLOSED MADOo'S BUSINESS
As one of the bankers for the Hudson
and Manhattan Terminals, of which Mr.
McAdoo was president, Fisk said ha
came IN contact with McAdoo and Har~
vey Fisk & Sons, of which Fisk is a.
member, also closed UP some Of the sec->
retary's business when he entered the
cabinet, but since that time he has had
virtually no business relations with
him.
Fisk said McAdoo turned over an hi2
securities, largely bank and trust COM
pany stock, to Fisks firm and on them
obtained a loan of $4,000. On jan
uary Is, 1914, Fisk said. all of the se-
curities having been disposed of. tha
debt was Hquidated and surplus was
turned over to McAdoo.
TN the last four yearz Whipple
asked. have you made any requests oE
the secretary"
"I have not Fisk safd TO use q
homely expression, have leaned back
ward in that respect.
Fisk said that he had personal corr
respondence with the secretary but had
preserved none Of it
Mr.. Fisk was questioned as to the
dealings of his firm in the stock mar
ket. They said they were comparative-
ly small, as the major part Of its busf-
ness consisted Of "over-the-counter
transactions in investment securities,
Such stock exchange business as ii did
was transacted through other firms.
for the account of Harvey Fisk & Sons
sometimes for customers
NO SPECIAL PRIVILEGES.
\"'Has your firm" asked whippte. ~ever>
enjoyed advantages in regard to tho
transactions with the treasury departs
ment?"
Never advantages which any. other
Wall street firm might not have re-
ceived," replied Fisk.
rs it fact that the federal reserve
bank occupied building belonging to
your firm "
Yes, during the first year and
half of its existence"
The witness said the negotiations for
the lease of the offices to the bank were
conducted by the agent of the, building.
Did you talk to McAdoo. about the
natter"
81 think 1 did, I told him that our
offices were best adapted to the bank
of any in the street at. that time. L
said 1 would be very glad to have the
federal reserve bank take lease of. our
offices. 1t was just after the outbreak
of the war. Wall street was closed up
and very few offices were available"
Did you ask it as a favor?"
81 didn't ask it as a favor. 1 thought
we had a right. however, to use any
proper influence we could use"
Two other concerns, he conceded,
sought to lease offices to, the bank Mr..
Fisk could not recall the price charged,
but said he would procure the informa-
ton for the committee
Mr.. Whipple placed before the COM
mittee the accounts of the market deal
ings of the Fisk firm during the leak"
period and asked if they contained the
names of any public official. The wit
ness replied in the negative.
TEI4EPHONED TO MADOO.
Fisk said that since the Teak" IN
quiry started Mr.. McAdoo once declined
to converse with him over the telephone
and again, in a Washington hotel, said
publicly that until the investigation was
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