The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1917-02-08
New Yorker Named by Lawson
TeStifies He Knows Moth
ing of Any Cabinet OFF,
Cer-Senator Deal.
DENIES LAWSOM'S CHARGE
Reserve Bank Rents Offices in
Building Owned by His Firm
After Suggestion to
Cabinet Member.

New York. Jan. S0-Pliny Fisk, a New
York banker named by Thomas w.
Lawson as the banker in the mysterious
cabinet member Observation-Disclosures" in
veStigation, today denied that he had
ever been interested with Secretary Nc
Adoo or a senator in any joint stock
transactions.
After denying that his firm had ever
received from the treasury department
amy advices which any other Wall
street firm might not have received"
Pliny Fisk admitted that the federal
reserve bank had leased offices in a
building owned by his firm after he had
suggested to Secretary McAdoo that the
| offices were the best adapted of any
in the street"
No Securities Bought.
Have you ever purchased or caused
to be purchased in the last four years
any securities in which Secretary Me-
| Aduu was interested?" Sherman n.
| WH3 lie. counsel for the Investigating
committee, asked.
Il have not" Fisk replied with great
emphasis.
AS one cf the bankers for the Hudson
q Manhattan terminals, of which Mr..
McAdoo was president, Fisk said he
came IN contact with McAdoo and Har-
v-y Fisk d Sons, Of which Fisk is d
member, also closed up some of the
sccretary's business when he entered
the cabinet, but since that time he
has had virtually no business relations
with him.
In the last four years." Whipplc
nsked have you made TN requests Of
the secretary"
~ have not" Fisk said. "To use a
homely expression, ] have leaned back
wards IN that respect"
Doesn't Save Letters.
Fisk said that he had personal cor
respondence with the secretary, but
had preserved none of it.
Fisk was brought into the inquiry by
Thomas w. Lawson, declaring at the
hearings in Washington that Archbold
White told him Fisk had boosted TO him
That he controlled Secretary McAdoo
and had offered late one night TO sum-
mon McAdoo from his bed by telephone.
Lawson also said he heard Fisk was
connected with the peace note leak"
Fisk denied that he ever had a con-
VCrSation with White as described in
the Lawson testimony.
Closed Up Business.
The banker said he knew White "only
slightly" Asked if he had anything
to do with closing up McAdoo's bust
ness affairs after he entered the treas
Try, Fisk replied ALTERNATELY. Upon en-
terin% the abine Fisk said, McAdoo
turned over all of his securities largely
bank and trust company stock, to
i ION - lliil dIll vi illtlh ODtdIf1tu II
loan of $4,000. On January IS, 1914.
Fisk said, all of the securities having
been disposed of, the debt was liquid
ated and a surplus was turned overNto
McAdoO.
Firms Building Leased.
Have our firm asked Whipple,"
ever enjoyed advantages in regard to
the transactions with the treasury de-
r1rtment?"
Never advantages which any other
Wall street firm might not have re-
Ceivcd," replied the banker.
u want to ask YOU q question, which
II was decided by the committee, in
executive session to put to you. fs it q
Fact that the federal reserve bank oc-
cnpied y building belonging to your
firm"
Yes. during the first year and a
i!Gif OF its existence"
Thought It Proper.
nid YOU talk to the secretary of the
treasury about the natter" pursued
the attorney.
Il think | did. I told him that our
Offices were best adapted to the bank
or any III the street at that time. ] said
| would be very glad to have the fed
crAl reserve bank take 4 lease of our
Offices. 1t was just after the outbreak
OF The war. Wall street was closed up
am! very few offices were available"
"lCld you ask 1t as n faVor?'
y did not ask it as a favor. I thought
VIC mad a right, however. TO use any
proper Influence VIC could use"
McAdoo Refused to Talk.
Ar. Fisk could not recall the price
cr"rGcd. Mr.. Whipple placed before
re committee the accounts Of the mar
let dealings Of the Fisk firm during
The ".eaii' period and asked if they
Contained the names of any public of
f~'r!otS. The witness replied in the
negative.
fisk said that since the leak" in
1"irN started Mr.. McAdOo once de-
"ltr"d to converse with hin over "A tele-
'tI"l@' and again, in a Washington
MOTEL, said publicly that until the in
E"StiGation was at an end they would
1--WE no communication with each
cthCr.
lie added, however, that recently he
had members Of his firm call Mr.. Nc
Ndoo by telephone and request him to p
,Irlnt an audience to an unnamed man,
who was on his way Ia Serbia in the
interest Of Il relief fund.
Denies Peace Note.
Fisk said his firm retains in Wash
!nEton = newspaper man whose name
ne could not recall, to keep it, informed
regarding governmental activities in
which II is Interested.
lie promised to furnish the represent
t@tiFc'F ranle later. He denied spe-
officially, however, ;nat his firm had
rccflNHd any communication from its
WASHINGTON representative between
December 70 and December 23. relative
tc the peace note.
In response to questions from Repre-
sentative Bcnnet the banker said that
Il w05 his Judgment that the market
prior 10 the publication of the presi-
dent" note WAS in m '~uverbought con-
aition and ready for n violent drop. All
il wanted was an excuse"
Il never" he declared. talked,
dreamed of or imagined n pool for stock
market speculation with Mr.. McAdoo or
any other government official. Our
business is not stock gambling"
The streets Or one English city are