he salvage committee was going to lunch
then. We went back again about 3 p. m. The same crowd of bidders present
in the room. There, was some gray-haired gentleman who came in with the
Harris brothers. When I first saw him I thought he was a member of the
salvage committee, on account of his running back and forth into the
room where the salvage committee was in session. I learned from Mr.
Albrecht later on that the gentleman referred to was working for the
Harris brothers. While we were waiting there to be called in he made two
trips into the room where the salvage committee was in session, and came
back each time and went and held a whispered conversation with the
Harris brothers in the hall.

We waited in the room there until 4 o'clock, when Mr. Taylor's private
secretary requested all the bidders to go into Mr. Taylor's office,
where the salvage committee was in session. We all went in there.
President Francis asked the bidders how they wanted the bids handled,
whether opened in their presence or opened in secret session of the
salvage committee. All the bidders present requested that the bids be
opened in their presence, except Mr. Abe Harris, who got up and told
President Francis that he did not want his bid opened in the presence of
the bidders, as he did not want everybody to know what he had bid, and
that if he was the successful bidder we would all know later on what he
had bid, and if he was not the successful bidder he did not want his bid
to be known. Mr. Albrecht got up and stated that he wanted his bid to be
opened in the presence of the bidders, as he wanted everything to be
open and aboveboard. President Francis then held a whispered
conversation with Mr. Taylor and some other gentleman there, and then in
a few minutes turned to the bidders and said, "Gentlemen, we have
decided to open these bids in secret session of the salvage committee."
and requested us to go into the anteroom and wait until called for. We
all went back into the anteroom. In a few minutes President Francis
requested the Harris brothers to come in the room where they were
holding the meeting. They did so, and remained in there about ten or
fifteen minutes. As soon as they came out Mr. Albrecht went in, and when
Mr. Albrecht came out Mr. Krug and myself went in. President Francis
spoke to Mr. Krug and said, "Mr. Krug, you seem to have some very good
letters of recommendation here, and from the letters I judge you have
done considerabl