Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-17
Wire Companies Officials
Testify in Probe of
Hearst Reports.
AvILk IS SUBJECTED
TO TYPEWRITING TEST
Witness Who Obtained Documents
Il Recalled by Senate
Committee.

A group NJ telegraph and cable off-
Gals followed each other to the wit
ness stand to-day 10 tell the Senate
committee Investigating the Hearst
Mexican EIush fund documents that
no record could be found of money
transfers ard kilograms which were
purported 10 have passed between
Mexico and the United States.
James H.. Bresnahan, tor the West
ern Union; Thomas Dowd, for the
Postal, and X. j. Hewitt, for the AL
America Cables, were called in the
committees attempt TO determine the
authenticity of the documents whicl
Miguel Avila claimed to have obtained
from Mexico City and the Mexican
consulate in New York for William
Randolph Hearst.
Bresnahan did find messages to
Arturo NJ. Elias, the Mexican consul
general in New York. but the sigma
lures were different from those held
by the committee, and he reiterated
no money was paid on them.
The committee apparently was de.
termined to test the veracity of Avila,
and ne was asked to write on type
writer in the office of Chairman Reed.
The typing was introduced into the
record without comment.
Bresnahan, the first witness, was
asked if he had any record Of the
transmission of money from Mexico
TO Arturo NJ Elias. Mexican consul
general in New York, in the Summer
OF 1926.
Messages Checked.
The files of all kilograms sent and
received prior to December. 1925, have
hoo ho
From December Bresnahan went over
the record of messages held by the
committee.
zone message supposed to have
been sent to Elias we find no record
Of" he stated. Another message
supposed to have been sent Elias by
PAM former Mexican minister of the
treasury We have no record of.
We cannot check on the messages
sent prior to December, 1926"
Going over the committee list of
alleged messages to Elias in March.
1927. Bresnahan said he could find
no record of transfers Of money on
the dates named.
The messages were supposed to have
been from the treasurer general of
Mexico to Elias for the National City
Bank and to j. r. Morgan and the
Chase National Bank to the account
of Elias.
I'VE have a double check on such
messages and could find no record
whatever of these messages.
II want to tell you gentlemen We
find no messages signed by the treas
urer general There were messages
to Elias signed by other persons"
Bresnahan said.
Tells of Messages.
Chairman Reed asked for the names
in the name of the Senate.
Zone was signed by Gonzla and the
other by PM" the witness said.
"You are sure the name was not
spelled .Pani'?" Reed inquired.
mo. it is spelled Pini," Bresnahan
said after closer inspection of the
message.
These messages were dated March
%. &c and q, 1927. the dates on which
Elias was supposed to have received
message from the treasurer general.
The messages were in Spanish and
Bresnahan said he had no translation.
WAS any money paid on account
of Them" asked Senator Robinson Of
Arkansas.
None was paid
Telegram i'm Code.
Reed called attention that one was
in code. but the witness repeated no
money had been paid on account of it.
Bresnahan was called after Miguel
Avila, the man who obtained the docu-
ments which William Randolph Hearst
presented to the committee and which
named four Senators as proposed re-
cipients of Mexican funds, had failed
to answer when called.
1,f ~rrtk
ness said a message held by the com.
mittee as sent to Elias December Is
was not signed by the persons shown
in the committee kilograms. He could
find no record of message supposed
to have been sent Elias on September
IL. this year. signed by Estrada
DO you find any other kilograms
appearing to be within the intent of
the committee subpoena" Reed asked.
mo, sir"
Can you determine whether about
August 4, 1926, a telegram was sent
to Elias transmitting 81 100000 or any
other sum-" Senator Robinson,
Democrat, Arkansas. asked.
No Record of Money Transfer.
Il have no knowledge of that. Such
transmittal would be unusual"
Bresnahan replied.
He said he had not asked New York
employees whether such a message or
messages had been received, but he
had had never heard of 1t.
There is a possibility that there
may be some other record in the
treasurer's CIV. u office in New
York" Bresnahan said.
THAT is why i do not want to COM
NIT myself on that"
Bresnahan said the search in the
Western Union files had been only for
the messages described in the com.
mittee subpoena. The search had ex.
tended to New York and Dallas, Tex.
johnson Queries Witness.
Replying to Senator Johnson, Of Cal.
ifornia, the witness said the ledger &C.
counts of the company would show
whether Elias had a running ac-
count" with the Western Union and
would carry records of charge mes
sages. He could not say whether the
ledgers had been searched.
"If the Western Union received dur.
ing the year 1925 a sum like 81 100000
to be paid to Elias would the perma-
nent records of the company contain
a record?" asked Senator Robinson.
az would say"
$50 far as your files go no such
transfer occufred?"
THAT is correct"
Dowd said his company did not
transmit money from Mexico to the
United States by telegraph.
Avila was recalled and identified
a letter he wrote in Senator Reeds