I at once went over, and, as the Attorney-General, Mr.Bonaparte, had not yet arrived from Baltimore, where he had been passing the night, I sent a message asking the Secretary of State, Mr.Root, who was also a lawyer, to join us, which he did.

Before the close of the interview and in the presence of the three gentlemen named, I dictated a note to Mr.Bonaparte, setting forth exactly what Messrs.

Frick and Gary had proposed, and exactly what I had answered--so that there might be no possibility of misunderstanding.
This note was published in a Senate Document while I was still President.

It runs as follows: THE WHITE HOUSE, Washington, November 4, 1907.
My dear Mr.Attorney-General: Judge E.H.Gary and Mr.H.C.Frick, on behalf of the Steel Corporation, have just called upon me.

They state that there is a certain business firm (the name of which I have not been told, but which is of real importance in New York business circles), which will undoubtedly fail this week if help is not given.