Evening star., 1944-01-18
Letter
Continued From First Pape)

'CUIlllIlueQ FROM flTSL PdRe.)
Mr.. Sparks was campaign manager
for Frank Gannett, Rochester IN.
" publisher, who sought the Re
publican nomination. and Mr.. Briggs
was a publicity writer for Mr..
Gannett.
Reviews Correspondence.
Mr.. Briggs, 55, went to work at
the Interior Department in l94l.
His job there is to review CORE
spondence to be signed by Mr.. Ickes.
Born in Dixon, H., he is a former
neWspaperman who worked on the
Chicago Tribune, the old Chicago
Examiner and the st. Paul Pioneer
Press.
Mr.. Briggs said his 1910 anti
Willkie pamphlet charged that Of
fers were made by representatives
OF Mr.. Willkie to purchase delega-
tlons to the Republican Conven-
ton OF that year. This charge, with
specific reference to the Arizona
delegation, is made by Mr.. Sparks
In his book.
Mr.. Briggs said he did not know
DR.. Lee, who has testified before the
grand jury and is staying at the
Raleigh Hotel. The grand jury is
expected to hear more witnesses in
the Hopkins letter case tomorrow.
DR.. Lee denied receiving the letter.
Demands Investigation.
San9tnr - 1,
hopkins letters peregrinations
through the correspondence which
he read on the Senate floor yes
terday In renewal of his de-
mand that Mr.. WILKES 1910 NOM
nation be investigated.
The gist of the LANCER recital
all promptly denied by Mr.. Ickes
and other principals-was this:
That Mr.. Hopkins wrote to DR..
Lee last fall predicting Mr.. Willkie
would be the Republican choice
again this year and promising good
cooperation from that quarter"
That Mr.. Briggs made a trip to
the Southwest in an attempt to OBJ
tain the letter.
That the letter subsequently was
forwarded here by man identified
by Senator LANCER as Frank Phil
lips, president of the Phillips Petro-
leum Co., Bartlesville, Okla.
! understand" Senator LANCER
told the Senate, that this Mr.,
Frank Phillips of Oklahoma was a
friend of Secretary Ickes, whom it
appears Mr.. Briggs was to get the
letter from"
In New York, Mr.. Phillips said
last night, Il played no part in this
affair. I never knew there was such
letter until I read about it in the
papers.
Il don't know Hopkins, Lee or
any OF the parties mentioned in the
matter. I never met any of them in
my life. However, 1 do know Mr..
Ickes.
Il haven't the least idea what this
Is all about. and I never conversed
with any one about 1t In either
party. will so testify before the
grand jury in Washington"
Mr.. Phillips said he had been
asked to appear before the grand
jury Friday.
1T must be some other Frank
Phillips" he concluded: There are
lots of them, you know"
Informed of Senator Lanpers
comments. DR.. Lee declared:
I don't know Mr.. Phillips, Mr..
Briggs or Mr.. Ickes, and, of course.
never had conference with any
one of them"
Purports to Tell of Trip,
The correspondence purported to
tell OF a trip by Mr.. Briggs to the
Southwest last fall in an ATTEMPT
to obtain the original from DR.. Lee
or from Mr.. Phillips, who, it was
indicated, once had possession of it.
Senator LANCER later told reporters
he obtained the photographs from
Mr.. Sparks.
Later, according to the alleged
letters from Mr.. Briggs to Mr..
Sparks, the original letter arrived.
sent by Mr.. Phillips. Senator LANCER