Show COLONEL HECKR TESTIFIES Denied That He Purchased Ships Through Abner McKinley Washington Dec 9The tasporta ton to SpaIn by the United State of the Spanish prisoners surrendered at Santiago was taken up by the war investigating in-vestigating commit e today and Colonel Col-onel Reeleer who made the contract for the United Slates was recalled to testify on this point He said there had been a combine of New York shipping ship-pIng concerns which would have caused I a outlay of 1400000 while the actual i outlay made was 513000 The lowest bid was from a Philadelphia junk dealer who however had no vIsible mean of executng the contract and admitted his own doubt a to getting sufcient bond Colonel RecIter read a long statement signed by Vila E Ryan detailing the atempteC sale of certain ships to the government Colonel Heckr said he did not know Ryan Several members mem-bers of the commIssion saId they would be glad to summon Ryan If he could be found Asked if he was ever approached ap-proached by Abner McKinley relative to the purchase of ships Colonel Heck er relied Never but once He spoke to me I about a water barge for which there was no use at the time and I so unformed un-formed him I never had any other communication from him either directly direct-ly or indirectly I Asked as to Ryans charges that there was a subordinat in Colonel Heckers ofFice who exercised much influence In-fluence and could be approached Colonel Col-onel Hecker replied that negotiations were conducted directly IUd that no subordinate in the office could have ex I ercsed any influence |