The Washington times., 1918-10-15
KONTA DENIES ANY
KNOWLEDGE Of OR
CONNECTION WITH
PURCHASE Of TIMES
CONTINUED from First Page.l


ter which I wrote to DIR. Dernburg IN
March, 1915. In the latter part OF
March, 1915, at ended, by invitation,
dinner at the German G ub in New
York Ci.y. Nv not d member of
! that club and have new been q
member. i was seated next to DR..
DIrnburg. During the dinner he COM
planned bitterly alb ut his inability to
place before the American public the
German side of matters connected
with the war. He sta ed that he
\ thought a newspaper ought to be
purchased for such purpose, and he
said that unfortunately there were
no funds at the disposal of the Ger
man officials for that purpose. He
asked me whether, IL funds could be
obtained, 1 would HcI as. broker in
the matter, and tn that end in
view whether l =. Juld procure for
him. some data as to the financial
standing of the various New York
papers. A day or two later 1 wrote
him the report, or letter, which Mr..
Palmer has made public. DR.. Dern-
burg did not acknowledge this letter.
and 1 have never heard from him
since. have never discussed the
proposition with anyone else, and I
have never had any conversation
about the proposition with any
brewers in America
1 have never been a member of the
German alliance. / have not seen,
spoken to or communicated with
Arthur Brisbane for over eight years.
have never met William r. Hearst
in my life. At the time Of the pur-
chase of The Washington Times I
knew nothing whatsoever about the
facts. There was absolutely no con-
-
burg in March, 1915, two years be-
fore the United States entered the
war, and the purchase OF The Wash
ington Times, in June. 1917. several
months after the United States en-
ALEXANDER KoNTA-
Sworn to before me this 14th day
MABEL GoUDcHAUx,
(Seal) Notary Public. N. Y. Co.. 236
N. Y Reg. No. 10O07.
Mr.. SAKE said that Mr.. Konta de-
sired to be heard as soon as he re-
covered. and It was arranged that he
should advise Senator Overman.
chairman, when he was prepared to
appear. It will probably be next
Mr.. SAKE was told by the subcom-
mittee to have Mr.. Kohta bring with
him all documents he had bearing on
German propaganda or relations with
the brewers. Mr.. SAKE said Mr.. Ron-
ia would comply, but there were no
such documents other than the letter
to Dernburg.
No Oral Testimony.
Apart from the statement by Mr..
SAKE, there was no oral testimony to-
day.
A Mitchell Palmer was closeted
with Chairman overman prior to-the
meeting OF the committee. He turned
over a large mass of documents, but
declined to be heard today. prefer
ring to take the stand after Ronta
has testified
Chairman Overman announced that
Major z. Lowrey Humes, of the Judge
advocate generals office, who former
Iy was United States district attorney
at Pittsburgh, had returned to Pitts
burgh to collect papers that would re-
veal some OF the political activities
OF the brewers in Pennsylvania Ma
jor Humes probably will be detailed
by the Secretary of War to be coun-
sci for the committee during the in
vestigation. Attorney General Loo
ney, OF Texas, referred to in the
Jones resolution calling for the in
vestigation as one who could give
documentary evidence In the case,
had been communicated with, Over
man said, and would submit all the
evidence in his possession.