Evening star., 1917-01-16

]
| Fisk & Sons are handling this in con-
| nection with C. d. Barney s. Co, and
that Pliny Fisk Is doing the steering
The story Is that he (Pliny Fisk is
| terrific affair. Do you know anythingr
White said: You asked me just in
| time l talked with Fisk the other
night down at Il , club. I think he
said. He got on this subject and he
wanted to show me how he controlled
McAdoo. and he almost insisted that
go to the telephone with him while
he called McAdoo out of bed and maybe
ask him to come to New York.
II asked him: Didn't you goT and he
said, No."
Understood Fisk Was "Quite jolly"
Further questioning by Representa-
tive Pou led Lawson to say he. under
stood Fisk had been out late that night
and was feeling quite jolly"
white did say" Lawson continued.
OF course. 1 couldn't go to the phone
with friend when he was in his
cups"
LAS a matter of fact" suggested Rep
resentative Pou. Fisk was drunk.
wasn't he?"
No. wouldn't say that. He prob
ably had been to his club late. and had
eaten and smoked a good deal"
suggested Mr.. Pou.
Yes. I guess that's it," said Lawson.
MANY a man has had the same ex-
perience."
Representative Foster questioned
Lawson closely about the letter he
produced yesterday from Mrs. Ruth
Thomason Nisconti. who offered to give
him information about White House
official' in connection with the alleged
leak.
Reason for Using the Letter.
'My only reason for putting in that
letter." Lawson said. was because 1
was asked fiat footedly II I had any
other information than had been re-
ferred to in questions asked me ct the
previous hearings. Being under oath
and having the letter. produced It, ]
had no intention of using it and would
not have used it had I not been asked
that direct question. almost regret
ted that l had the letter with me-
Representative Garrett then asked
about the amounts which Mrs Mis-
CONT told him at his hotel here jan
uary 10 which w. w. Price and Sec
retary Tumulty were reported to have
received. Lawson said, as he recalled
it. Mrs. Visconti said Price had received
$4,000 and Secretary Tumulty much
larger sum.
Representative Patten asked Lawson
IL at his conference with Represen
tive Henry the latter volunteered to
mention the name Of Ambassador Won
Bernstorf?
Yes, he volunteered It," said Lawson.
IT didn't ask him for It."
Representative Henry. referring to
Lawson's conference with Cosgrove.
Ridgway and others to whom he related
the substance of his alleged interview
with the chairman, asked Lawson IL he
III hat % a
confidence
Why He Refused to Give Names.
You refused to give those names and
your Information to this committee and
vet you already had told it to several
newspaper men and Others" said Henry.
Yes, in confidence" Lawson replied.
Because I wanted their advice, and
yesterday I begged your committee to
take it in confidence and then judge
whether it was worth being made pub
lie"
"The chairman did not want any
thing given In secret" rejoined Henry,
"and the House had prepared papers to
cite you for contempt because you
wouldn't give the names you already had
given to several other men"
YES" returned Lawson. Il read in
the papers of the tortureS being pre-
pared for me and of schemes being
concocted to force me to take them
1t was a deliberately thought-out con-
spiracy to discredit me and ! deter
mined. as I declared here. that wasn't
going to be made the goat.
Even then 1 pleaded with the COM
mittee TO take my information In secret
and to see IL 1t was serious. and l ex-
planned that. II you thought 1t was
serious. and should be made public. the
publica ton of 1t throughout the world
would be up to you and not to me-"
Law son related meeting Samuel Inter
myer and Senators O'Gorman and
Owen on train Sunday. January Z.
and how Untermyer had said to him:
You are In close quarters, Lawson.
and must handle yourself carefully
Confers With Untermyer.
Then l told ,Untermyer." Lawson
continued. II would like to get his
opinion and as q result Of q talk with
him i told You here that would go to
Jail before would repeat what you.
Mr.. Chairman. had said to me in our
interview. Then you said I was free
to tell it all. and 1 said that your at
titude was too square and too sporty
"a proposition. and that I didn't think
l would tell anyway. And 1 stuck to
1t to the last ditch"
Henry's declaration that he still be-
lieved his statement correct caused Law
son to inquire If Henry thought the
leak" story was a mirage as Henry
had said in a statement to the news
papers.
''Yes," responded Henry.
'God help the American people and the
nation II they get many more Of these
mira gest' exclaimed Lawson.
Mr.. Patten Reproves Lawson.
Representative Patten attacked Lawson
for bringing In the name Of Price merely
on the letter from Mrs. visconti. who now
cannot be found.
Lawson defended himself by saying
the woman appeared honorable and
made a statement before man he sup
posed was a reputable attorney. He
also said that he had withheld Prices
name as long as he could.
do you imagine" Patten asked
that this woman was actuated by high
motives?"
NO" Lawson said. Il think there
was some great wrong under this
thing"
At that point the hearing adjourned
for luncheon.
FIGHT FOR CLERKS