Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-01-06
Mrs. Morris Forfeits Co..
lateral in Washington.
Was Forcib|y Elected From the
White House Thursday
And Is In State Of Nervous Collapse Over
Realization Of Humiliation.

Washington, Jan. 5.--MrS. Minor
Morris, who yesterday was elected
from the White House after insisting
upon seeing the President, today
is i'll a state of nervous collapse.
In respOnce to inquiries she sent word
by friend that although she kccnly
felt the humiliation to which she had
been subjected, she proposed to allow
the matter to drop. The further in
formation was conveyed that her
husband. DIR. Morris, will reach here
tomorrow from Ohio. a statement
was made today by Assistant Secretary
Il. +. Barnes at the White House, con-
corning the ejcctmcnt of Mrs. Morris
yesterday from the executive offices
The scene enacted during the unfOrtu-
nate proceeding has created much COM
ment, on account of its unusual
charac tcr and the distressing circum-
stances attending it, and it was felt at
the White House that an official state
mcnt of the incident should be made.
The statement follows:
I'm view of the inaccurate state
mcnts appearing III the press concern
ing the case of Mrs. Minor Morris,
Soc. Barnes today made the fol-
lowing statement: Mrs. Norris called
at the executive office yesterday about
1 o'clock and asked to be allowed to
see the President. AT the time See
Loeb was engaged with the President
and Mr.. Barnes saw her. Upon inquiry
as TO the nature OF her business she
stated with considerable reluctance
that her husband had been unjustly
dismissed from branch of the war de-
partmcnt; that she did not propose to
have anything to do with the secretary
of war concerning it; but that She
wanted the President to take it up and
see that justice was done.
She was Informed that the President
could not give personal attention to
such matter and that the decision Of
the secretary of war would be final
She insisted that she must see the
President and when told that that was
cut out Of the question, she asserted i'll
boistcrous manner that she would not
be prevented from seeing him. and that
she would remain where she was for a
month if need be. unless she saw him
sooner. She was allowed to remain for
some moments.
When Mr.. Barnes returned to the re-
ccption room shortly after he found her
pacing eXcitedly up and down the room,
and informed her as quietly as possible
that she could not see the President and
that it would be useless for her remain
ing longer. She replied III Il loud voice
that she would see him and that sh,
would stay there until she did She was
then advised to drop the matter and go
away quietly. This in still louder tones
she refused to do. She was then told that
sh" must either leave the Office Mt once
voluntarily or it would nc necessary to
have her put out of the building.
At this She shrickcd at the top Of her
voice: II will not be put ont ana rush
cd to 4 chair. threw herself into it and
shouted: Don't you have any hands
laid on me. | am going to stay Ecrc IN
til 1 see the President" Mrs Morris
piercing shricks were heard throughout
the building and it became necessary in
tie interest of order to have her re-
moved. She was accordingly taken in
charg" by a police officer who had wit
messed the whole affair.
He asked her to go with him quietly
She refused. and told him that if she
was removed she would have to he drag
god every step of the way. Before ap-
plying force. the officer asked her three
times to leave the office quietly. She
shrcked her refusal to each request and
was then led from the room. She strug-
Glcd violently with two police officers all
the way from the Office building to the
eastern entrance of the White House. As
soon as she was outside Of the Office
building she threw herself on the ground
and it became necessary to carry her.
Tho officers repeatedly asked her to
stand up and walk quietly with them 50
that they would not have to use force.
but she refused to do SO and defied them
in shricks that were heard throughout the
White House. She was finally removed to
police headquarters, where she was
charged with disOrderly conduct. After
her arrest she produced an envelope cd
dressed to the President which she asked
to have delivered to him. This envelope
was found to contain a lengthy poem on
the subject of insomnia, which she said
was her own composition. She stated to
the officers that she had not slept for
seven nights past.
There is no truth whatever in the
statement by many of this mornings pa
pcrs that a negro laid hold of Mrs. Nor
ris and assisted in carrying her. One of
the colored messengers of the office fol-
lowed the policemen and gathered up such
small articles as were dropped in the
woman's struggles. but there was no 9th
e.
ment.
Mrs. Morris was charged in the police
court today with disorderly conduct. In
stead of appearing for trial. however, she
did not answer to her name, and the s.
collateral which was put up for her at the
house of detention was declared forfeited.
rv,,a r1,;tich 1nthnrifiac find what G