Evening star., 1924-03-01

"why?"
They were confidential messages
employees and himself"
"Who did it?'
IL did IT.
That's the way you handle your
duties as confidential man is it?"
Yes, sir"
Major said E. w. smithers, tn.
White House wire chief. had beer
employed to operate the wires Wash.
tngton end.
.'He was there from p.m.." Major
said, until pm. sometimes, some
times later"
Asked About Smithers.
What does smithers do at tn,
White House?"
II don't know, other than to bt
telegraph operator"
Senator Walsh pressed for a reply
as to what else Smithers did at tn,
White House besides run the teIe.
graph wire. Then and there was ar
alteration when Major hesitated &C
reply. The senator then asked wht
suggested the employment of Smith
ers. The witness thought it was w
o. Duckstein, another OF Mclean:
men.
There are no copies of message:
anywhere now. which went over thi.
wire?"
mo, sir"
Explains Wires Purpose.
What was the purpose of thi.
ITO keep Mr.. Mclean in touch will
events here and in Europe"
Major said Mclean had never hac
such private wire to Palm Beach IL
previous seasons.
What seemed to require the wire
this year?'
II believe the telegraph compan,
records last year will show that Il
cost more to get to Mr.. Mclean oyeI
commercial wires the news that went
into his paper than a private wir.
would cost"
Well. what connection has that?"
wei, 1 imagine that the private
wire proved itself quicker and cheap.
er, and that Mr.. Mc0e evtsd con.
employees"
Major insisted that it was the Gus.
tom to wire Mclean an advance di.
gest of the news which went into the
Did Mr. Fall ever send or receive
messages over this wire?" Chairman
Lenroot inquired.
I'm answering that question, yo,
have to take into consideration the
fact that 1000 to 10000 words a nigh
went over the wire, but conside rims
that, my best recollection Is NO"
! Did you ever have any converse.
| ton with me after that wire was IL.
sta!led?' the chairman persisted.
j Eyes"
| Didn't you read me telegram t.
yourself from Mr.. Fall then?"
Il think l did"
The telegram had been to the effec-
| that Fall was i'll and unable to appear
Destroyed All Messages.
who told you to destroy thes,
messages?" asked Senator Adams
democrat. Colorado.
II don't know that anybody tole
me-
who destroyed them at the othe,
end?"
| II did"
! How did you get at both ends?'
| II went down there"
| You were fearful that these mes
sages, even the Post digest, woult
get out?"
6s NJ ffzsreI zs1sIv abept % it T. at za1.v s
counsel for Harry F. Sinclair) sent
! any messa ges?" Senator Dill. demo
crat, Washington, asked.
| IF by that you mean Mr.. level,
sending down a message, no."
Senator Walsh asked exactly wha
Major meant.
II may have mentioned Mr.. level,
! in some message" he replied. "Tha
! was all"
Identifies "Homer.n
| Homer" mentioned In the Major
Mclean kilograms. was Francis
4 Dot
! explained. Homer is retained in con
| nection with the Mclean estate. TIL,
| witness asked Senator Walsh to reat
a statement into the record clearing
up this situation"
| "Anything that will clear this vi
will be very helpful" Senator Walsh
! you never went to bed with an,
| private wire messages left unde
stroyed, did you?" Senator Adams
queried.
| mo sir"
Senator Walsh read into the recort
a letter from Francis T. Homer
which Major handed to him. 1t wa!
| addressed to Mclean and In 1t Homer
| denied that he had told Major that
private wire would give the HS,e pub
Usher "easy access to me the Wnit,
| House" as Major had stated In
| telegram to Mclean.
| Since I knew nothing of your re
lations with the present administra
ton, I could not have stated this.
the letter said, "the telephone con
/! nection was bad. What I said wa
that with Wiley (manager of tn
Cincinnati Enquirer) at your house
| would also give him easy access.
| when. did Mr.. Homer say TO yo'
such a private wire would give 'eas.
and quick access to the Whit
House?' Senator Walsh asked. ''Di'
you misquote him?"
| "Mr. Homers letter puts a doub
into my mind as to whether he di'
say it," Major replied. ''The conver
sation took place the day sent tn
! wire."
| Major was excused. but cautione'
to remain in attendance.
| C. T. Clagett of the Chesapeak
and Potomac Telephone Compan
| took the stand, bringing a record o
| messages sent to Palm Beach from
I Washington. The committee the
1 went into executive session to ex
| anime these records.
| What Familiar Car.