Bernard Haruch, of New York, who contributed $50,000 to the last Democratic campaign fund, and whose name has been mentioned in the stories of money made through a "leak," took the stand this afternoon, and denied that he had any advance information whatsoever on the President's peace note, the German peace proposals or Lloyd George's speech. Admitting that he had short many thousands of shares of United States Steel during the period from December 12 to December 1, he said his action was due solely to his belief that this was the proper attitude to take on the market, in view of the general opinion that the way had been opened for negotiations for peace.
His first knowledge of the President's note came to him, Mr. Haruch said. In the newspapers of December 1, he denied absolutely the story that he conferred with Secretary Tumulty, and said he had no knowledge of A. Curtis, whose signature was affixed to the letter on which Representative Wood based most of his assertions before the committee. 