The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-02-09
LEAK SEEKERS
HEAR 8 BROKERS
G. Bowie Chapman Says He
Carried Accounts for House
Members.
CONTINUED from First Page.)

q number of Washington newspaper
men whom he took the liberty of
communicating with by telephone
from time to time regarding rumors,
but that he paid them no money.
He emphatically refused to give the
names Of the newspaper men with
whom he was acquainted, saying he
had consulted none of them on De-
cember 20, and did not want to bring
their nam6s into any investigation.
Called Up Connolly.
Chipm. n said that after hearing the
rumor that a peace note was to be
sent, he communicated with Francis
A Connolly by telephone. Connolly
he testified, verified the rumor, but
refused to give him any Information
over the telephone.
Charles d. Warner. correspondent
for the Christian Science Monitor,
was the last witness examined be-
fore the recess. He said he attended
q conference with Secretary Lansing
and sent a telegram to his paper,
informing the editor that the note
would be given out at 5 o'clock. The
witness testified that he did not dis
cuss Secretary's Lansing's statement
with anybody except LAS fellow news
paper men, who had been at the con-
ference and that he violated no con-
fidence.
Essary Not At Conference.
All three of the newspaper men,
when asked whether or not ]. Fred
Essary attended the conference, re-
piled in the negative. Each of them
said he had not discussed Secretary
Lansing's statement with Essafy.
When the telegram which Essay
says he sent to Hutton & Co., on De
cember 20 was read to the newspaper
men and they were asked whether or
not it was an accurate forecast of the
Presidents note published on De-
cember 81, the witnesses replied that
IT was not.
Chapman, who is the Washington rep
resentative Of Hartman AGO, New
York brokers. was the first witness call
ed today.
Asked If he had any facilities in Wash
ington for ascertaining promptly wheth-
er rUnors in circulation were true, the
witness said:
II you mean by that the employing
OF newspaper men, my answer is, no.
We have not employed anyone for that
purpose since 1914
Not Worth Money.
"At that time We decided that the Cos
alp and opinions we got were never
worth whatSwe paid, so we discontin-
ued paying.
What arrangements have you now?"
he was asked.
Il know a number of newspaper men
here" replied the witness. They are a
very frank set Of fellows, and they al
ways answer my questions concerning
rumors about bills in Congress and other
subjects.
I'VE find we get better results by not
paying for such information. We know
the newspaper men In social and bust
ness way, have entree to their offices
and get Information and gossip that
way"
Chapman said he received an in
curry from ]. L. Livermore, a New
York customer at 1:12 p. m, Deem
Der 20 concerning the Forthcoming
peace note. The witness testified
that he had heard nothing of q note.
and added in his telegram, Have
your"
To his Interrogation the New York
customer replied:
Yes. Understand Government will
issue statement concerning economic
conditions in Europe and dealing
with peace. Comes from Chicago
sources"
Reads His Reply.
Chapman then read his reply to the
second telegram, which was:
Il think there Is nothing to it."
Chapman said that when the rumor
came over the Dow, Jones ticker he
called up on the telephone Francis A.
Connolly and asked the latter II he
had heard of the note.
What did Connolly say?" asked
Attorney Whipple.
Frank said 1t was true that the !
President would issue peace note
that afternoon" replied Chipman.
When 1 asked him for more infor-
nation he said he couldn't talk about
It over the telephone"
This conversation, the witness said, |
took place at 2:30 p. m, December 20. |
Chapman said there was a little |
short selling among his customers on |
December 20 and this was not based |
on the peace note rumor.
He explained the short selling In |
Chicago and the West by saying |
WindyaCity brokers had put out the |
rumor, Washington is selling"
To Brighten Market.
This is a phrase used to brighten |
the market and cause a break in |
prices, he said.
"As a matter Of fact" the witness 1
testified, lit is all nonsense, this |
rumor Of Washington selling. There |
Is not enough business "a Washington |
TO keep two brokerage Offices busy. !
II is very small business, all OF IT" !;
Asked II the circulation Of the |
rumor constituted q bear act," Chip
man replied it constituted nonsense.
When Congressman Campbell read
J. Fred Essary's message to Hutton
& Co. on December 20, Chapman said
he had never seen it Or heard its
contents before.
In reply to a question from Con-
gresham Bennett, the witness said
the selling in Connolly's office on De- /
cember 20 Undoubtedly led to the gen
erai selling all over the country"
Chapman said he did not telephone
10 any newspaper man on December
20.
Asked what newspaper men he
night have called up IL he wanted to
get information, Chapman replied:
Il decline to give the names OF per-
IONS l might have called up. / do not
want TO bring in names that have no
association with this inquiry. / re- :
use to embarrass any OF my friends {
~ mentioning their names simply be-
:ause 1 know them"