Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-01-30
WALL STREET TO
ESCAPE PROBE
Committee Determined That
Only Matter of Leak Is
to Be Investigated

New York, Jan 29-Congressional
investigators, at the resumption Of the
leak" enquiry today, promised to d.
rect their efforts mainly to the Slleged
leak on President Wilson's peace
note of December 21, despite efforts in
some quarters to broaden the tnvest1'
cation to include stock exchange meth
DDS generally and alleged leaks" on
presidential messages.
With this program in mind the COM
mittee entered into conference with
its counsel, Sherman L. Whipple, short
ly before the hour set for the public
hearings.
Declaration by Representative Ben
net Of New York, republican, last
night that there was leak" forty
eight hours before the presidents mes
sage was released for publication
aroused much speculation as to the
nature Of proof Of his statement He
declined, however to give any details,
but remarked significantly that Mr..
Whipple had even stronger proof of
leak" than he possess i. Later he
said he would bring his evidence to
the attention of the committee.
Just before the hearing opened, Rep
resentative Bennett said that the mys-
terious paper" in hiS possession show
ing that some one had the foresight
to sell 10000 shares of steel on ris-
ing market forty-eight hours before
the peace note was released, was
clearing house record.
Fisk on the Stand.
A sweeping denll Of all Of Thomas
w. Lawson's charges against him, PAL.
ticularly his alleged association with
Secretary McAdoo in Wall street
deals were made today before the
leak" investigating committee by
Pliny Fisk of Harvey Fisk and Sons,
New York bankers.
Among categorical denials made by
Fisk were. that he ever had a joint
Wall street account with McAdoo and
Senator o." that he had told Arch.
ibold White or anyone else that ne
controlled Secretary McAdoc and had
offered to call him out Of bed at any
early morning hour to answer tele-
phone call and that he had received
any advance information - regarding
President Wilson's recent peace note
Fisk said that since the leak en-
qniry started Mr.. McAdoo once de-
cilned to converse with him over
telephone and again, in Washington
hotel said publicly that until the in
vestigation was at an end they would
have no communication with each 9TH
er.
Asked by Representative Campbell
when he last talked with Mr.. McAdoo,
Fisk said 1t was a week ago last Fri.
day.
81 was leaving the New Willard ho-
tel when Mr. McAdoo came in." he
said 81 said Good morning to him
and he passed me. Then he turned
and said to those about him. until this
leak enquiry Is over Mr. Fisk and !
will have no further communication
Fisk said his firm retains In Wash
ington a newspaper man, whose name
he could not recall to keep it in
formed regarding governmental activi.
ties in which it is interested. He
promised to furnish the representa-
tive's name later He denied specifial.
ly however that his firm had received
any communication from its Washing
ton representative between Decem.
Der 10 and December % relative to
the peace note.
81 never" he declared, talked,
dreamed OF or imagined pool for
stock market speculation with Mr..
McAdoo or any other government Of
fetal. Our business is not stock
gambling"
In closing his testimony Fisk made
the voluntary statement that he still
thought Lawson's statement probably
was the result of 'disordered BRAIN
and severely criticized him for drag.
ging the name Of Harvey Fisk and
Sons into the enquiry. Lawson
should be taken at his word" Fisk
said. "and placed behind the bars on
the basis OF perjury when he wanton-
ly handles the name Of a reputable cit
izen. If his statement is the result
of disordered brain, as it appears
to be, perhaps the good Lord will
take care Of it in his own way"
Lawson, it developed today. had
been ordered to remain in touch with
the committee as he may be recalled
at any time.