Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-10-28
Takes Roosevelt Personally to
Task for Accusations Made
Against Him.
TALKS OF SUIT AT LAW
Say Charges of Postal irregularities
Were False and President
Knew 1t.

Washington, Oct. 2S.-By direction
of the president Secretary Loeb today
sent TO James y. Tyner. former assist
ant attorney general for the postoffice
department. a letter in reply to Ty-
ner's latter dated Oct. and made pub
lie last night.
The letter says as the question of
Tyner's guilt on the criminal charge
on which he was tried has been pass
ed upon by a jury. the president ac-
Quiesces in the jury's finding, but the
evidence seems to him overwhelming
that you CTyner) were guilty either of
moral obliQuity in the performance of
duty or of the grossest inefficiency."
Text of Tyner's Letter.
Washington. D. c., Oct. 2S.-James
NJ. Tyner, formerly assistant attorney
general for the postoffice department
who was removed from office by the
president and later tried and acquitted
on the charges in connection with the
alleged postal frauds last night made
public a Letter sent by him TO the pres
ident. Tyner recites the circumstan-
ces of his accusation, Indictment. trial
and acquittal of the various charges
connected with the alleged frauds;
also his letter asking the president
TO withdraw his proclamation of
guilt" Tyner says:
President OVerStepped Duties.
''If your statements had been made
to congress in the course of and as
party of your official duties-though
no such duty could devolve upon
president under the constitution. as
you well know. | should not have ad-
dressed you personally; but as you
went outside your rights and duties as
chief magistrate and in defiance of
every established principle of law, and
even without a hearing or without
evidence. rashly and impetuOusly pro
nounced me guilty of these grave
crimes, and TO these charges lent the
weight of your great office / felt that
you should be given opportunity to
justify yourself or to retract.
Charges Proven False.
your accusations are false and
have been proven false but | have no
further means of establishing these
except by hauling you into the courts
and l have too much respect for the
high office which you occupy to do
this. My object in writing you was to
give you an opportunity to do just
and manly act and 10 vindicate your
self. not me, l do not need your vindi-
cation. | can face my eternal judge
with entire peace of mind
Your effort TO override the verdict
of court and jury by speciOus distinc-
ton between crimes you say you re-
ferred TO in your proclamation and
conspiracy to commit those crimes
might be less contemplate if its un
fairness and its intent were not so
obvious and if you did not know thar
every act referred to in BristOw's re
port was fully before the jury on
charge of corruption bribery and
misconduct in office Had there been
any evidence of wrong doing it would
have been offered and admitted. but
there was none and you know it.
Defied Him to Prove Charges.
In my letter to you of Dec. l. 1908.
protesting against your unwarranted
proclamation | defied you to produce
a scintilla of evidence to support your
accusations and prayed that my life
might be spared TO face these charges;
and now after | have gone to trial
and every act of my private and OIL
cial life has been laid bare and not
a particle of evidence has been pro
duced against me, you seek to shield
yourself by saying that l was not tried
for what you accused me of but for
something else. That this is false the
records show and you know it.
Reudy to stand Trial.
Tyner then expressed willingness
TO stand trial on any charge the pres
ident may bring against him. offering
now to allow any "technicalities" nor
pleas of limitation to be interpOsed to
prevent you from proving your seri-
Gus charges" He asks no favoTs nor
does he want sympathy either from
the president or the jury. COnclud-
ing he says: You preach a square
deal TO every man why not practice
it?"