Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-16


the documents in the latter part of
last May by Page.
"Are YOU certain about it?" asked
Senator Robinson, Democrat, Arkan-
sas.
Avila testified that he talked to
Human about some expenses of
American Protestant missions going
to Mexico and not about the docu-
ments furnished to the committee.
Watson then was called, hut before
his examination began Avila was di
rccted by Senator Reed not TO go
away.
"We will want you later" the chair
man explained.
Watson said he first heard about
the documents July 8 last from r.. H.
Coblentz, editor Of the New York
American.
Watson said he saw the documents
at the ranch of Mr.. Hearst in Caii;
fornia, where he met Page and Aviia
Made No Inquiry.
at was pretty well convinced at first
blush" he said. that they were gen
uine. | made no special inquiry into
them them.
He told how publication then was
planned with an Opening smash on
the Japanese treaty" and said he IN
vestigated the authenticity of the
papers.
II worked with Page" he explained.
II don't read Spanish. l went over
the background of Mexican affairs
with him.
"One important thing to do, told
Page, was to get evidence TO prove the
documents correct.
II concluded the best short cut was
to plant n man right in the Mexican
Office in New York. City, but Avila did
not get the employment"
Watson declared he knew there was
a tendency among the Mexicans to
mix up foreign names lie wanted
Avila TO get in the Mexican office so
as to confirm the documents.
Didn't X occur to you that that
would be asking Avila to confirm him
self?" Reed asked Watson.
II don't think So"
Confirming Avila.
wasn't it asking a man to get
other documents to prove documents
he himself had produced?" Reed
pressed.
Yes, but I don't see anything wrong
in that if he could get the documents"
Senator Robinson, Democrat, Arkan-
sas, asked if eight out of ten Of the
punctua ton marks in papers We're err
rors. would it make Watson doubt the
genuineness of the papers. He replied
that he had heard so much of the ig-
norance of clerks in Mexico that it
would not have impressed him.
Recalled again, Avila was questioned
closely about his declarations that he
had known Arturo NJ. Elias, Mexican
consul general. in New York and was
asked to describe the consulate office.
He did not recall particulars very well,
hut described the Office and its location
generally.
Mixed Up on Office.
Ayila said the Office was in front of
the elevator and later. a little to the
left" lie added that he was not GER
tain.
Would it surprise you to learn the
office was sharply to the right Of the
elevator" Robinson asked.
NO" Avila answered.
Avila then said Ferdinand Lopez
Portfolio, former secretary to Elias.
but now in Los Angeles, could confirm
whether he was i'm Elias office, from
which he testified yesterday he had
obtained some of the documents. Elias
has denied ever having seen Avila.
Calls Them Forgeries.
Consul General Elias late yesterday
afternoon told the committee that
every. one of those papers was
forged" and to support his. assertion,
he declared that the symbol of his
Office did not appear on any of the
papers purporting to have been ex-
tracted from the consulate files. He
denied that he ever had seen Avila
until yesterday, and also directly
denied one of Avila's statements that
certain papers had been turned over
by a Col. Shandon," formerly con-