Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-03-23
MS LAWYERS MAKE INQUIRY.
Maze Sent to Salt Lake for Copies OF
All Records and Testimony ia the
Investigation.
MATTER ASKED FOR ALL SENT.
Fine Legal Point Raised as to Whether
Stat. of Utah Can be Made De-
feudant 10 the Case.

The severe denunclation OF the
,,,,h worlds fair investigating COM
ro,ttee wired by President d. r. Frin-
o,s 10 Governor Cutler Tuesday, is APP
r.rently not to be final action. In
me- telegram President Francis termed
,As conclusions Of the committee rldlc-
vlous and wholly false and libelous. To-
d,y II develops that President Francis
and other officials Of the worlds fair
have wired to parties In Salt Lake re-
ouestlng all the facts relative to the
committees work, with copies Of the
resolution under which It acted, and OF
the journal Of the house OF represent
atyes showing the acceptance OF the
report. The request indicates that
criminal libel suit is being planned,
and that either the committee members
or the state will be the defendants.
In the alleged libel of the investlgat-
OTIS the national government is involved
equally with President Francis, as to
each certificate of award,or medal given
10 AN exhibitor, the signature OF Thos.
Carter chairman Of the national COM
mttee on awards, must be affixed with
that Of President Francis. II any fraud
bad occurred in the awards. he is con-
ceded to be equally guilty, and the re-
port OF the committee has been for
wsrded 10 him with all other facts con-
rected with It's work.
IN case legal action should follow the
dehunciauon OF President Francis, a
hne legal point is raised. A legal au-
thority Of the city In discussing the
natter today, gave II as his opinion
that had the statements OF the invest
gators been made upon the floor of the
legislature they would be exempt from
action. However, being made In a re-
port Of purported Investigations, he
was not sure as to whether the law pro-
tected them, In case one state should
care to prosecute another for libel, he
considered that Il could do so, although
aprlyate Individual could not bring the
state into court,
WHITAKER TALKS.
Director General s. T. Whitaker has
heretofore refrained from making any
statement In regard to the investiga-
uon, and Its censures upon him, even
allowing such charges as that which
accused him Of selling the concentrator
Ratings TO go unrefuted. Today he
naue statement as to his position
N Whien he admitted that he was sub
.eot 10 eensure for turning In all OF his
records to the commission bookkeeper
shd not retaining evidence to protect
Allhell from such a situation as de-
'eopel. His statement Is as follows.
we ieel that censure is due US who,
vi lhe stand, were unable TO produce
leVorus OF all our transactions and ac-
oouht TOT each Item Of expended money.
snd l would not throw on the response
uully OF accepting such censure. How
ever we felt at the beginning that the
hVesllgatlon was not TO be impartial
anq judicial In character. The com.
ull'tee made certain assertions when IL
Nes appointed which II claimed Il was
solnB 70 prove, and II bent all OF iis
snergles in that direction. They
brought out only testimony tending 10
color and strengthen their position
sha were Inclined to suppress testi-
mohy derogatory to it. We felt that
u,ey We're In the position OF a Judge sit
uhg on his own case.
personally | felt that Il was a one
noea af1alr with the attorney employed
70 strengthen their contention and sub.
Asnuate their position. While II an
wsleu 70 me that should have had an
ssprney' ! did not care to create the
Impression that | felt the necessity of
ueiensei knowing that my actions I'm
So s entire matter had been perfectly
finest ana that every dollar had been
"Vperly accounted for.
tt | felt that the conditions nm
sc Ehlcn the business had been trans.
NY, the rush and the troubles that
nsa with the workmen early in the
ls,V.y OF the exposition and my neg.
mo ~ taxing : receipt FOR every item
syos mater now little, and the name of
lef, "oorer TO whom | paid money
VIII" opportunity In these accounts
hasal' IN me hands OF prejudiced OF
esi ~, uVhlmlttee, assisted by a technl-
"a ine investigating committee knew
w. lllte OF the problems confrontlnp
sIbnmn,ah upon whom rested the respon.
M. or preparing the exhibits erect.
ms,.n NY buildings. and installing Inc
r ~SSerlala ready for the opening dsv tc
Iruer an intelligent and comnrehen.
ov, l..Port. When / reached sail I,aL,
whl,, '@VgO was missing in voucher,
iron ! mad forwarded 10 the secretar,
Yrsa1bsIS{ered envelopes and these wer,
@aually found by the secretary's bool
r,e heI often with the accomnan Wins
receipts missing" n's
subsrANTIATEs TELEGRAM.
fard nsn asked as to his opinion IN rc
sa u 70 award ribbons. M WHAT,
SeWis, ,nat nus testimony before the in
O, psators substantiated the telegra n
cipsnesldtnt Francis and not the cor,
tas OF the investigating commit
tl,o ss alleged A reference 70 ~ ,ns
AWSrd, SHOWS that he stated that IN,
bpt ,S 70 exhibitors were IA coma freo
ter a ust inc ribbons were another rnat
day ~ were sold TO make money To-
tsso ne stated further IN e~niatnin,
thai what these ribbons represented
txhIh,,eeS We're a mere convenience N,
for VINO might wish 10 use then
~ purposes, before IN,