New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-02


it was received. and that he could not
DC absolutely sure that II was not IN
the office when the latter was opened
up for business on the morning o.
December 20.
4 National Issue
Don't YOU realize the Importance Of
this telegram to the committee and
the whole country" asked Representa-
tive Campbell.
well, ! know this matter has become
a national issue" he replied.
But don't you know that until to-
dsv there has been nothing Of late
which has taken up so much space in
The newspapers or caused so much dis
cuSsion throughout the country -
"Nes; said / thought 10 had be
cowe a national issue"
Then YOU must know the trcmen-
oouS Importance Of establishing the
exact time when this Connolly message
reached your Office" pursued the Con-
gresham. This message is the leak.
And right here Mr.. Campbell found
an interesting thing. The private wire
leading into the Connolly office, unlike
me overland and Southern wires which
are leased from the Western Union,
belongs 10 the American Telephone
and Telegraph Company. This means
that 10 may be used Interchangeable as
telephone or telegraph wire.
May Have Been Telephoned
"Oh, see" exclaimed the Congress
man. $50 that this very concise and
accurate description Of the Presidents
note may have come over the telephone
the night before"
IL can't tell" said Toomey. but he
added later that to the best Of his
knowledge the wire had never been
used for telsphoning.
Nv ell, isn't 10 fact" asked Mr.
Campbell, that the reason this most
important telegram is not produced
here az the hearing is because 1t bears
on 10 the time when IL was received ~
NO, sir. / wouldn't say so.'
Toomey is the author Of the stock
fash which Hutton & Co. sent 10 all
it's correspondents at 1851 p. m. De-
cember 20. This fash said briefly that
10 had been reported the State De
partmeut was about 20 issue a state
ment promoting the peace prospect
He did this on his own initiative, he
cOntended, as the result of rumors and
ton. he finally ascribed 10 the atmos-
phere.
Nine minutes before however, he had
delivered 70 Mr.. Barrett. one of the
partners. a confidential telegram from
Clement. Curtis & Co.. of Chicago
which contained the report that the
State Department would issue that az,
ternoon statement regarding the
economic condition OF neutrals. 'Toomey
had read this. he said, but he was quite
sure that as 10 was confidential 10 die
not form the basis of his fash. But
he came to TINS decision after much
waTering.
Connolly mas testified that this stock
fash which he, i'm common with al
other Hutton correspondents, received
formed the basis of his message re-
ferred 70 as the leak. To this. gossip
and guesswork. he has ascribed his re.
markable forecast of the peace note
Hence the prime necessity Of estab-
lls1lng the time of the arrival of his
me sage IN the Hutton Offices. # II
antcdated the flash, his contention falls
10 the ground. Becker's testimony is
considered 10 nave q most important
bearing on this point.
Both TOomev and Becker cOntradicted
Connolly in another important particu-
lar. Connolly has sworn that the only
message retailing Washington gossip
and news which he has sent over the
private wire to Hutton g. Co. since its
installation is the leak message
Other messages have been received
from Washington said Toomey, "eyer
since we have had the Washington con-
nectlon on the wire about things about
10 happen
"You didn't know. did you. that Mr..
Connolly has testified that this was
the first message of the kind he ever
sent over this wire ?' asked Mr.. Whip
pie
81 don. know anything about Mr..
Connolly's testimony This in rather
a sul.en manner.
DO you still maintain. then, that the
Office had been receiving messages from
Washington right along pertaining 20
what was happening in Washington ?"
ooh. not about what was happening
.n Washington. Just gossip"
Gossip in Washington ."
"Ies sir"