The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-05-12
DUPED BY A DECOY LETTER
A War Department Clerk Dis
missed for a Breach of Trust.
offered to Sell Confidential Informa-
ton in Connection with the Nicely
Cnse for seOO-So Further Action
to BE Taken In the Matter.

Ohereu 10 sell COnhuentini hnformo-
tion in Connection with the Nicely
Cnse for seOO-So Further Action
to BE Taken In the Matter,
For Offering to sell confidential Govern
ment information, William Davis VIII
liams of MinersviIle Schuylkill County.
Pa. formerly secretary Of Representative
Brumr of Pennsylvania and lately con-
| fidential secretary to Colonel Edwards,
Chief of the Insular Division of the War
Department. was summarily dismissed
from the service by Secretary Root yes
| terday.
Attorney General Knox was called up
yesterday over the long-distance tele-
| phone by Judge John d. Lindsay. of New
| York, one of the counsel of Charles r
| W. Nicely, and was informed that a GER
| tain John b. Dickinson of General De-
| livery. Washington, d. c. had in a let
ter offered. for 5000, to sell Neely's coun-
| sci the correspondence between ex-Attor-
| ney General Griggs and Secretary Root
| in the Neely case and to furnish other
| information on the subject which had
passed between the Department of Justice
and the War Department
| Dickinson wrote that he was in pos
| session OF information which might be
very valuable in the Neely case; that he
| would be glad to furnish it for a consid-
| Grafton.
Attorney General Knox thanked Judge
| Lindsay and suggested that he send the
| original copy of the letter which ''Dickin-
son" had written to him and that he
| write Dickinson letter as Dickinson
asked. in care of the general delivery.
saying that he would like to know more
n ha h1d n
| would expect to hear from him again be-
fore making final answer to the PROPOSE
tion. Judge Lindsay did as requested.
In the meantime, Attorney General
Knox called up Chief Wilkie. of the Sc
cret Service Bureau. and told him about
the case. Mr.. Wilkie sent Mr.. Burns. one
of the Bureau operatives. to the Postoffice
Building this morning and at $3.50 short
young man with light hair, wearing a
brown fedora hat and dark suit, stepped
up to the general delivery window and
asked if there were any letters for John
Dickinson. He was handed Judge Lind
says letter and left the window appar-
emily in high spirits.
He did not wait long to tear open the
envelope and look at its contents. Burns
was close behind him and picked up the
portion of the envelope which he had
torn off.
The young man proceeded 10 the War
Department, followed by Burns, and walk
ed into the Insular Bureau, took off his
coat and hat and sat down to go to work.
Operative Burns reported to Chief VIII
kie and the latter. with Solicitor General
Richards. proceeded to Secretary Roots
office. where they told him the facts i'll
the case. Lieutenant Colonel Edwards
was called to the Secretary's office and,
when told what had happened, said he
could hardly believe it. Williams was
sent for and. when shown "Dickinson's"
letter to Judge Lindsay and asked if he
wrote it, denied that he had The letter
was written in a disguised bsckhand.
Accompanied by Chief Wflkte and Opera
tive Burns, Williams went to his home in
the Southeast and delivered to these Off
GERS the papers which he had proposed to
sell. -
Williams was asked to show the letter
which he lfceiv,ad at the postoffice this
morning. lie broke down and cried as he
took it out OF hts pocket. He then ad-
Initted thatilhe had written the letter to
Judge Lindsay. and was summa-ily dis
missed from the service by Secretary
Root He had not committed an actual |
crime for which he could be punished and
as he pleaded for mercy, saying that Il
was his nrst offence. Secretary Root de-
cided that instant dismissal was harsh
enough punishment for him to administer
The correspondence TO which Williams
had access, relating to the Neely case
consisted of copy of letter written
by Judge Lindsay to ex-Attorney General |
Griggs, a copy of a draft of an opinion |
on the Neely case OF twelve pages, by |
Assistant Attorney General Beck. sub
mitted to the Secretary of War, witl |
MI Griggs approval, and also several |
other letters that had passed between |
the Departments of Justice and War on |
the Nicely case
Colonel Edward felt keenly the du- |
plicity of his assistant, as he had been |
very friendly toward the young man. who |
had been with him about year Colonel |
Edwards had recently recommended that |
Williams be given an increase In salary, |
and had favored him in OF her wavs