Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-11-04
Stated That California Federal
Grand Jury May Pave Way
For Prosecution,
PRESIDENTS STRONG WORDS.
Wants No Mans Station or Influence
To Shield Him From Punishment
If He is Guilty.

York World under date Of Oct 20 says
Perry Heath must be prosecuted with
all the vlgor and resources at the COM
mand Of the government" declared
| President Roosevelt today 10 three
friends who called upon him at different
| times.
The president pounded the table and
| showed his teeth tightly clinched when
| he made this declaration about the
secretary OF the Republican national
| committee, who accepted that position
| three years ago last July at the behest
| OF Senator Hanna, reslgning the office
| OF first assistant postmaster general 10
| do So
| II have delved deep enough into the
| voluminous BristoW report on the
| scandals in the postofllce department.
| the president went on, Ito be convinced
that Heath must have known OF the
rascalities being pra.Iised right under
his nose by the bureau chiefs and other
subordlnates Of his division who have
been indicted
1.-The purging OF the postofilce depart
ment Of the rottenness and corruption
shown TO have existed there viii not DE
complete unless all the evidence avail
able against Heath IL properly present
cd to the grand jury, Just as has been
done In the cases of men who worked
under Heath
BELIEVES HE CAN BE INDICTED
The president frankly intimates that
he does not believe there 10 sufficient
evidence In the Biistow report upon
which to base criminal action against
Heath but he plainly IL OF opinion
that the action he has ordered within
the last few days will result In an in
dictment being found against Senator
Hannas right-hand man.
For four days, at the direct order 0f
the president, Atty, Gen. Knox, aidel
by Charles J. Bonaparte and Holmes
Conrad. the special attorneys selected
by President Roosevelt to assist In the
prosecution OF the postofiice hoodlers,
has been carefully studying the Bris-
tow report il is known that the three
have advised Mr.. Roosevelt that while
the Bristow report is extremely severe
on Heath, still II does not establish any
irregularty on his part that would not
be barred from prosecution by the
statute of limitations.
Messrs. Knox, Conrad and Bonaparte
| now however, are paying particular at
tentlon to "A phase OF the Investigation
conducted by Gen Bristow which does
not occupy large part OF his report,
but which seems TO open a way for the
prosecution of Heath. This pertains ia
the Postal Device company Of san
Francisco which according 10 sworn
statements made by former postottce
officials now under indictment on the
| Pacific coast distributed stock u
Machen. Beavers and other postofce
officials at Washington with the result
that that concern secured valuable con-
tracts with the department
INVESTIGATION UNDER WAY.
A preliminary examination Of one OF
the men indicted is now IN progress In
San Francisco, and the object OF the
government in 80 closely prosecut.lg
that inquiry Is to develop Heath's con-
nection with Maohen and Beavers In
the deal.
III the examination takes the turn
which the prosecuting officers In Wash
ington have reason to believe II VIII an
Indictment against Heath probably Will
be found by federal grand jury al
San Francisco.
Ii is known that the government
would rather bring Heath before the
bar Of Justice In San Francisco than
In Washington, He lived In this city
many years and has here host OF pow
erful friends who undoubtedly would be
influential with the courts here The
failure Of the government TO convict
any of the star route boodlers In the
courts OF Washington 20 years ago Is
remembered.
PREFERS SAN FRANCISCO,
The president does not hesitate to tel
close friends that another reason M
prefers San Francisco is that Tor sew
eral years Heath and Bristow nave
been bitter enemies, and because OF thls
the government case would DC weaken
ed In the courts here.
The president has the utmost conn
dence I'm Bistows fairness. but he re
Allies that the cry OF persecution woulC
be raised by Heath's defenders should
the Brlstow findings be employed a
the basis OF the prosecution In thl
view the president In heartily support
ed by Messrs. Knox, Bonaparte nn'
Conrad.
ENEMIES FOR YEARS.
IL was Bristow who made the as
founding revelations Of corruption Il
the Cuban postal service, as result o
which Senator Hanna's friend, Rath
hone. and Heaths friend from Munice
Nicely. were sentenced 10 prison In Gu
ba. But even before that. Heath ant
: Brstow had ran foul OF each other Il
i the postoillce department, and were i'm
4 placnble enemies.
Z The president also let his friend
: know that IL Is due 10 his determinatlo
4 to have the Heath case probed to tn
. bottom that he has decided not 10 Civ
b on full abstract OF the Dristow re
4 port for several weeks, and perhap
I. months
= THE HEATH CASE.
: He has been advised by Messri
Knox, Bonaparte and Conrad that
= the Brstow report is given out In fu
, before the Heath investigation IL com