| Show PRIVATE WIRES ES KEPT PUBliSHER IN ClOSE TOUCH Messages Passing Between McLean at Palm Beach and Capital Were D De Destroyed Destroyed De- De Every Night NightFALL NightFALL NightFALL FALL ONCE USED SERVICE REPORT Newspaper Editor Says Say Purpose of Leased Wire Was to Keep Owner in Touch With Affairs Affair WASHINGTON March Mach 1 A A r re re request q quest for a copy of the justice departments department's code was made j the department today by Senator Walsh Dem Montana The purpose is is' is to o determine whether it was this code that wa was used in the t telegrams l grams sent to Palm Beach by Mrs Jessie Mary Duckstein an operative of of the the- department The The- sen senators senator's tora request was r re refused refused re fused his messenger messenger being told that additional authority would be required WASHINGTON March 1 Man Man Managers agers of the West Western rn Union and Postal Telegraph companies at Three Rivers N. N M M. M where Albert B. B Falls Fall's ranch is located were wera subpoenaed today by the oil com corn They w were re asked to produce in Washington copies of all telegrams received there since Jan January ary 1 1 1921 for Fall Harry F. F Sinclair J J. J W. W Zevely Robert Stewart of the Standard Oil company of In Indiana Indiana In In- diana a and d H. H M. M Blackmer of the Midwest Oil company WASHINGTON March rJohn l.-rJohn n nF F F. Major aut author or of f most of the pow famous ls' ls McLean l lc c an telegrams and other of or Edward B. B McLean the Washington Wash Wash- ington n Post were questioned by bythe bs' bs the oil committee ee today In Its sear search h i f for r r further details p pf p the communications that passed between between be be- tw tween en Washington 1 nd th the IcLe Cottage o a at a Palm Curing 8 l De J c and January I John ohn J r Spurgeon managing editor o of the Post was call called d' d Senator D Dem in Montana 1 asked about Installation o of bf the the private wire and he replied I 11 cant can't tC to you wOo who Installed the wire McLean l directed d that it be DESTROYED DE S SIre He Ire said ib t. t h her- did n not t know what went over the wire orI or I whether record were were kept I His duty as chief chie of oil the news deI tie de de department I o of the paper he ex explained ex- ex J did not require him to be responsible for tor such arrangements arrangement Senator Walsh asked for tI the identity o of the man whis who wha Is over you all aU and the witness witness witness' said lit it it was Mr McLean teLean S Senator Adams Adam Dem o of Col Colo Colorado rado asked If It the wire to Palm Beach had any news use use Mr 11 Spurgeon said it had none Spurgeon h had d wired McLean mentioning a loan to A. A AB B. B Dill Dem of Fall and Senator 01 Washington asked about It LOAN WAS NEWS Mr McLean told me o of the loan Mr Spurgeon said and nd I Continued on page 3 S. I THINES Continued from page 1 i. said that i it should anything came out we print i it 1 like other John P F Ii Major news stand stand ienuS identifYing then en took the himself lf as confidential con lie He said he bT had H of ot Mr Mr- McLean wire installed ordered the private The Wire made in the connection hd had d been I I Post e rOom m where the other telegraph I I cate d. d Major facilities were loa 10 lo- a New rew York explained there was I I already installed and Cincinnati wire I Dont hang back and make me question you urged Senator Walsh him Go ce about this ahead and tell us I I sent Major 1 messageS over the wire replied Where here and nd a-nd received them them ar are the c asked copies Pies Walsh TRANSCRIPTS They have Ilave DESTROYED been destroyed They w were They Why Th destroyed rOYed every night They Were sages confidential messages mes- mes between Mr McLeans McLean's con con- I and himself Who did it it itI 1 I did it It I S the I duties as way you handle your confidential man man is it Yes sir I WHITE HOUSE OPERATOR Major said E. E W. W Smithers the White TT House Ilous' wire chief had be been n nto employed to operate the wires wire's Washington end I said lie Ile Ie was was there from II 6 P P. m. m he heI I said until 9 P P. P ma m. m sometimes la later ter i What does do at tho the i white House 7 dont don't know other than to be a telegraph operator Senator Walsh pressed for a reply re- re Puy ply as to what else Smithers did lId at the White House besides run the I telegraph wire and there was an altercation when Major hesitated to reply The senator then asked who suggested the employment of Smithers The witness thought It was W. W O. O Duckstein another of McLeans McLean's men There are no copies copiers of ot messages anywhere now which we went t over I this wire Xo No sir EXPLAINS WIRE NEED What was the purpose of ot this wire To keep Mr McLean IcLean in touch with events here and in Europe Major said McLean never had such a private wire to Palm Beach In previous seasons What seemed to require the wire this year I believe the telegraph company records last year ear will show that it cost more to get to Mr l McLean over commercial wires the that went into his paper than a private wire would cost Well V ell what connection has that tha t Well elI I 1 Imagine that the private wire proved itself quicker and cheaper and and that Mr McLean could converse directly with his confidential I I 1 Major insist insisted d it was the the custom custom cus eus- I tom to wire McLean l an advance digest of ot the news which went into the Post I MENTIONS FALL FALL Did Mr Fall ever send or re reI receive receive re- re messages over o this wire 7 I Chairman Lenroot Inquired In answering that question you ou have to take into consideration the fact that 1000 to words a night went ent over the wire But considering that my best recollection recollection lection is is no I Did you ou ever have any conversation conversation con con- with me after atter that wire wire was Installed the chairman per per- per per-I Yes Did t you read me a a- telegram I to yourself from Mr Fall then 7 I think I 1 did Tho The telegram had been to the effect that Fall was ill and unable to appear I DISCLAIMS INSTRUCTIONS I Who ho told you to destroy these I messages asked Senator Adams Dem Colorado I dont don't know that tat anybody told tod me I 1 IWho Who Vho destroyed them at the theother theother theother other end I r Idid did How did you get at both en ends s 7 I r went down there You were vere fearful tearful that these messages even the Post digest would get out Nothing fearful about It at atall all Did Mr 1 Zevely J. J W. W Z Zevely Zel el counsel for Harry F. F Sinclair send any messages Senator Dill D Dem m. m Washington asked If It by that you mean Mr Zevely sending down a message no Senator Walsh asked exactly what Major 1 meant J MENTIONED ZEVELY I r may have mentioned Mr Zevely ely In some message he re replied replied replied re- re plied that was all Homer mentioned In the 1 Major McLean telegrams was Francis T. T Homer a Baltimore attorney Major explained Homer is retained In connection with the 1 McLean cLean estate The witness asked Senator Walsh to read a statement into the record clearing up this situation that will clear this up wilt be very helpful Senator Walsh said looking over the I statement You never went to bed hed with any private wire messages left lett undestroyed ed did you Senator Adams queried I Xo No sir DENIES MAJOR REPORT Senator Walsh read into the record a letter from Francis T. T Homer which Major handed to him It was waR addressed to McLean and anT In It Homer Denied t that at he had told Major th that thai t a a. private wire would give the publisher easy access to tIle tho White House as Malor l had stated In a telegram to I McLean IcLean I Since I 1 knew nothing of your relations with the present administration administration adminis adminis- I could not have stated this the letter said the connection was bad What Whal I 1 said was that with Wiley manager of ot the Cincinnati Enquirer at your house it would also give him easy access When did Mr Homer say to you such a a. a private wire would give easy and quick access access access' to the White House Senator Walsh asked Did you ou misquote him DOUBTS OWN STATEMENT Mr Ir Homers Homer's Homers letter puts a doubt into my mind as to whether he did say It It Major replied The conversation conversation conversation con con- took place the day I 1 sent the wire Major was excused but cautioned cautioned cautioned cau cau- to remain in attendance C C. C II T. T Cla Claggett ctt of r Ute Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone company took the stand bringing a a. record of messages sent to Palm Beach from Crom Washington The committee then went vent Into executive session l to examine these records |
