New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-01
Partner of Boiling Testi-
fes He Simply Deduced
Documents Contents
ORIGINAL MESSAGE
MAY BE UNCOVERED
Bennet, Taking Examina-
tion from Whipple, Forces
Admissions from Witness

=. prophet possessed OF uncanny
power
Mr.. Connolly spent most Of the
.nsrncon on the witness stand at the
l.st inquiry. insisting that gossip and
,,suork had enabled him accurately
:. forecast the Presidents peace note
.h.lf dav before its release for pub
r,s,ion Il was his message from
Washington. sent shortly after noon
=, December 20. which enabled F.. +.
Hutton & Co., the New York brokers
"a warn their connections throughout
,bo country that the President had al
r,.dy sent peace note TO all beliig
,rcrts and ncutrals. Both Mr.. Huttor
and Nr. Connolly admitted this.
And vet the witness could not name
snv one man who had given him the in
formation contained in this message.
Ve had constructed il. he said, after
reading stock fash" which he had
received over his firms private wire
from the Hutton Offices few minutes
earlier. The contents Of the stock
fash. the excited gossip of the thirty
or forty customers who crowded his
office and his own prophetic instinct
Enabled him. he declared, to turn
around and wire the Hutton firm the
fateful news which burst upon the
world the following morning.
Reconstructs Telegram
Mr. Connolly had preserved no copy
Of his telegram, and as it is missing
also from the Hutton files. he was re
quested 70 reconstruct it to the best
Of his recollection. This he did by TAX
inc seven minutes OF concentration
with a pencil and paper. writing slow
ly, -ubbing out, bordering until he
had evolved in black and white the fol-
loving:
Il am informed that the State De-
partment will issue statement to-
night setting forth Americas position
ss a neutral and takes the opportunity
. put before the world her rights as
neutral Not looked on as a peace pro
posal but ss an opportunity TO state
American rights as a neutral to the
world. Looked upon as a movement Of
moment
Mr.. Connolly thought he had sent
this telegram over the private wire TO
+. f. Hutton & Co. at l:l5 or 1880
p. n. December 90 The stock flash"
referred 70 had been dispatched at the
Hutton Offices 20 all the Hutton cor
respondents. including F. A. Connolly
4 Co., in Washington, at 1851 p. m.
This stock fash read:
"All: Reports have il that State De
partment will issue statement to-day
intended TO promote peace prospect
In one reply Connolly called his own
message virtually paraphrase' OF
this stock fash.
Committee Not Satisfied
The Rules Committee is not alto
iether satisfied with the witnesses re-
construction Of his message. After
reading 10. Sherman l.. Whipple, the
committed counsel. asked him II he
had not been reading in the papers on
his way Up from Washington the Hut
ton telegram based upon II and prepa1-
ing his reconstruction accordingly. he
said he had read the papers, but had
not paid any special attention 70 this
telegram. being more impressed with
Nr Hutton's oral testimony and that
Of Bernard NJ Baruch.
lie vas asked then If he had ever
heard o. "telltsle," an instrument at
,schsd 20 a telegraph key which auto
na,ically records the messages sent
and received. He said he had not and
;fet he did rot know whether there
ras orc In mis- oHce or not.
II an informed" said Mr.. Whlppie'
addressing the committee, by part
ier Of Nr. Hutton that that house has
snch an instrument. and ] shall ask
that the product Of this instrument be
produced before the committee to-mor,
row morning. II may save us a iot o.
Examination"
SO IL is very poss bic that the exact
wording or Connolly's telegram may
yst be available for the record.
Bennett Leads Attack
The most drastic examination OF the
witness was conducted By Representa-
tive William s. Bennett, Of New YORK,
ono o. the Jour Republican members
Of the committee. Mr. Bennett was the
means also of wringing some interest
ny admissions from Mr.. Button. who
occupied tho witness stand during the
morning session. In fact, Mr. Bennett.
With the able assistance Of his Repubii-
can colleagues Representative enroot,
ofWiseonsin. and Campbell, OF Kansas
made IL amply evident By the Vigor and
feet Of his questions that Mr.. whip
PIES examination IN each instance had
been almost half-hcarted.
bBt The Democratic members Of the
s.9mnlttec seemed we'll content with
~ Wnipple's accomplishment. Prsc-
tssily none % them had any pertinent
esszlions 20 ask. They appeared will
Y enough 20 let the blanket denials
% leak. made by both witnesses,
,pisad their healing folds over the pain
isi suggestion that the only accurate
sffsnee infOrmat ton Of the Presidents
pace note reached the gpeculating pub
Ne directly from the brokerage firm Of
nich z. ". Boiling. the Presidents
'iolher-ia-Isv. b. partner
Ellis H. Summoned
- only fair 20 say however, that
~ eoinmitte has summoned bach from
Nf'fZis the sick man, g.. A. Ellis, jr,
~ o. The Hutton partners and author
we telegram. based on Connolly's
nssssge, which was sent ~ sd p. m,
..'etmber %. 20 Ill the Hutton connec-
WI A. basis for his examination
. connolly ar. Bennett rcread nim'this
y YOU know Hutton g. Go. 20 be an
- 'slable firm, with an cnyiable rep
Is r Y a NJ