The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-12-16
HEARST men
QUESTIONED IN
BRIBERY CASE.
Former Correspondent at
Mexico City Tells How
Papers Were Taken.
SECRET AGENT HELPS
Devious Path of Documents
on Way to Publishers
Possession Barred.
R1 United Press

BN United Press
WASHINGTON, Dec. 16.-Hearst
newspapermen were called before
the Senate investigating committee
today to tell how allegedly forged
Mexican State papers were ex-
tracted from files of the Mexican
government and snuggled into the
United States for publication.
George Hinman, former Mexico
City correspondent Of the Universal
Service, testified he knew nothing
OF the genuineness Of the published
papers, but that he had heard in
Mexico City in May that such papers
could be procured.
He was the first witness today
in the committee inquiry into
documents which purport to show a
plan Of President Gales Of Mexico
to bribe four United States SEN
ators.
Hinman said he had nothing to do
with obtaining the published papers.
Told by Secret Agent
His information that such papers
existed came from Miguel Avila,
Hearst secret agent, who did obtain
them for the Hearst papers, accord
ing to his testimony yesterday.
There always is gossip in Mexico
Of payments to Americans" Hinman
said in answer to a question.
Avila was called to testify that he
first heard Of existence Of the papers
in May, 1927. Hinman had said
Avila told him about them two
months previous to then.
Avila explained he talked to Hin
man about papers showing that ex-
penses had been paid by the Mex
lean government for Mexican tour
Of the American Protestant Mission.
Victor Watson, editor of the New
York Mirror, a Hearst paper, then
was summoned to tell how the
papers, having been sumggled into
the United States by John Page,
Hearst newspaper man, were
brought him in New York.
Convinced Of Genuineness
II was pretty we'll convinced at
first blush that they were genu-
ine," said Watson.
Watson said he went to William
Randolph Hearst's California ranch
with Page and Avila for confer
ence about handling the papers.
Il told Page one important thing
to do was to get some other evi-
dence to show authenticity of the
documents" said Watson.
IT thought the best thing to do
was to plant a man in the Mexican
offices in New York to keep us adj
vised as to what was passing
through"
Aville was to be the man planted
in the Mexican consulate Office in
New York, the witness said.
Avila failed to get the place, but
created a very pleasant situation
in the Mexican Office" Watson add
ed.
"By planting Avila In New York,
weren't you, in fact, just getting
Avila to confirm himself?" Chair
man Reed asked.
IT wouldn't think so--if the pa
pers were genuine. It's merely a
matter of opinion," Watson replied.
No Check on Signature
It was brought out also that no
effort was made to get handwriting
experts to check President Gales
signatures, or a Spanish scholar to
test other points concerning gen.
uineness.
"You could get sixteen hand
writing experts to swear one way
and sixteen men to swear another"
Watson said. "The signatures
looked genuine to me, but of course
am not a handwriting expert"
Page was called to submit aff1-
6avits, which he said were not "im-
portant." The afidavits refer only
to the alleged Japanese-Nexica
treaty, he admitted.
The committee then went into
executive session to scrutinize docu-
ments, in consultation with its
especially appointed Spanish expert.
Open hearings were adjourned
until 10:30 a. m. tomorrow.