The Tucson citizen., 1902-04-08
HOEY'S GRAVE CHARGES.

The Hon. NJ c. McLemore. who has
been intrusted by the government with
the prosecution of William NJ. Hoey.
cannot afford to ignore the charges
that we're made by Hoey in an af1-
daYt during the last session of the
Foderal Court
Mr.. McLemore is a man OF good
character He inherited an honorable
name He holds an important Office
lie is the Attorney OF the United
States for the Eastern district OF
Texas and in the proceedings againsI
Hoey has been designated a special
Assistant Attorney General OF the
United States. In all matters relating
TO the trial of Hoey, he is the guardian
oil the honor OF the United States and
1t Is his sworn duty to see that justice
is fairly administered.
Mr. Hoey in an affidavit, read by one
of his attorneys in court, charged that
the postal service of the United States
had been violated, that his mail had
been tampered with, that the mail of
his attorneys had been scrutinized and
despoiled, anu that messages TO and
from himself and to and from his at
torney's entrusted to the Western
Union Telegraph Company for trans
mission had been subjected to espton-
age All this, it was alleged, was done
by the agents of the government, and
as these agents are acting under the
direction of MIR. McLemore, he must be
held to responsibility for their acts.
We are aware that the spirit of i'm
periallsm pervades the government.
but the people have still confluence
that the integrity of the mails is kept
sacred. Ii the sworn accusations OF
Hoey are true, every agent of Inc gov
ernment connected with his prosecu
tion Is a disgrace to the public serv-
ice. Not only that. but any man, agent
OF the government or otherwise, who
tampered with the united States mail
was gul.ty OF a crime for which he
should be promptly punished. The
Hon. VIM. II. Barnes and Charles
Blenman, Esquire, are very important
and useful citizens. They occupy
large space in the professional and
semi-puDlic life of this community.
Their communications by mail and
telegraph are necessarily important.
1t is alleged that their mails have
been tamperea with. If so, the perpet-
rators OF the gross outrage should be
discovered and punished. The mails
can only be tampered with through the
connivance OF the postmasters or their
clerks, or Lne postal clerks on the
mail trains. The charges made in
force on them. If they are guilty they
should be dismissed from the service
in disgrace and sent to the peniten-
tiary. If they are innocent they are
eLutied to a vindication.
We warn Mr.. Special Assistant At
torney General McLemore that he Will
make a grave mistake il he attempts
to ignore the accusations made in
Hcey's sworn statement The aftidaVlt
was read in court by Charles Blenman,
and that he believed the charges true
we think is reasonably certain or he
would not have read them. If Mr.. Nc
ItmOre fails to cause q thorough in
Ntstigation of the charges the people
will accept his silence or inaction as a
plea of guilty. Can he afford this?
Can the government which he serves
afford ii? The grand jury should make
a thorough investigation and if Mr..
NlcIemore fails to act, United States
Attorney Nave should take the iniu-
ative. If the charges are ignored no
one viii feel that letters and telegraph
messages are sacred.
Either Mr.. McLemore and his as
sociates in the prosecution of Hoey
and the postoffice officials responsible,
should be turned out Of the service i'll
disgrace and indicted for violation of
the postal laws, or Mr.. Hoey should be
indicted for perjury.
Let us have light, and let no guilty
man escape.