Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-06
CASE OF MRS. MORRIS
Inquiry Not Yet Ordered by the
President.
EXPECTED TO ACT LATER
DR.. Morris Regrets the Notoriety
Given Matter.
PROBABLY ASK FOR A HEARING
Hopes to Have Review of Action Of
Department in Dismissing Him
From Service
EXPECTED TO ACT LATER
PROBABLY ASK FOR A HEARING

President Roosevelt has done nothing so
far toward having an investigation of tho
case of Mrs. Miner Morris, whose removal
from the White House two DAYS ago ere
ated scene that has attracted attention
all over the United States. Secretary Loeb
it is stated. asserts that there is no thought
of an investigation, but the opinion of a
good many men is that the President is la
bic TO give consideration to the matter later
on, especially in view of the wide differ
ences in the statements of Assistant Secre-
tary Barnes and the newspaper men who
Witnessed the affair
Four OF the five newspaper men who were
on duty when the incident took place
state positively that they did not hear any
unusual noise or witness any disorderiy
conduct up to the time that officer t'recN
laid his hands Mrs. Morris
The affair continues TO be the talk or
Washington, and expressions Of opinion are
heard in all directions q s to the adviSa hiltty
OF having a complete investigation made
in some direction. Whether police head
quarters Will look into the charge made or
brutal treatment of Mrs Morris is not now
known.
DR.. Morris in the City.
Dr. Minor Morris the husband of the
lady who was elected so violently from
the White House on Thursday arrived in
Washington this morning and is now with
his wife at the Willard. The case is
now resting pretty much as it was. No
further statement has been made from the
White House and neither Mr. nor Mrs Nor
riS have made any further move toward
having the matter inves tigated.
DR.. Morris is a tall quiet. wel-dressed
man, ard while he says he feels keenly the
notoriety that the case has brought upon
the family well the insult that has
been offered 10 his wife, he does not wish
to make any greater sensation of il than
has been made already and Yet has
aken no steps in the matter whatever.
1t Is probable, however. now that the
whole story -h5s--been brought into print
that he viii write to the President request
ing officially that the charges on which he
was dropped from the rolls of the surgeon
generals Office shall be fully investigated
II is believed that the President will not
refuse TO deal with the matter that has al
ready been forced on his attention through
the action of his assistant secretary. A
thorough investigation is, after all the only
thing that Dr.. Morris says lie has wanted
Messages of Sympathy.
Mrs. Morris has been deluged with letters
and kilograms of sympathy from friends
and others in Washington and from all over
the country. She asked The Star today to
say for her that IN her present state it was
absolutely impossible to answer each of
the messages personally. She said She would
make II DGF business TO answer them all
as soon as she could, but begged that for
the present her friends should be satisfied
with published acknowledgment.
Mrs. Morris is still in bed as the result OF
her experience, but is better and stronger
today than she has been. and says She
hopes 10 be up by the first of the
week. She went into the details OF the
case today IN connection with her expe-
rience at the White House, and made it
clear that back OF the trouble which led
UP to the dismissal of DIR. Morris and cul-
minated in her own experience at the hands
of Mr.. Barnes assistants IS a long story
OF family feud and bitterness, arising over
a very small will case.
AS has been previously stated, RepreSen-
tative Hull. chairman of the House commit
tee military affairs, is a brother of Mrs.
Morris. Several years ago there was troub-
le in the family on the death of Mr.. Hulrs
and Mrs. Morris father The estate was
small one, too small, as DR.. Morris assured
his wife at the time. to have any legal fight
over. But there was legal fight precipitat-
ed by Mrs. Morris sons, who she said were
anxious to protect their rights. She claims
that the feud was carried to Washington
and that it was owing to the personal en-
nifty of her brother, Representative Hull.
that charges were filed against Dr. Morris
at the War Department and he was dropped
from the rolls merely with the official
statement that he was separated from the
service.
Efforts to Get Rehearing.
Both Mrs. Morris and her husband claim
that they have worked for five years to
have this case opened and investigated and
to have the charges, which have nsver been
made public, either proved or disproved
DR.. Morris was appointee on the recon-
mendation of former Controller Dawes, and
he claims that the charges against him
were filed by Representative Hull when the
latter discovered that Mrs Morris on
the eve of starting for Colorado to continue
the prosecution of the old will case. The
action of the War Department was taken
just three days before the department in
which DR.. Morris was employed was
brought under the civil service, where an
investigation of the charges against him
would have been necessary before he was
dropped from the rolls.
This phase of the case, which now is more
or less irrelevant family history Will natu-
rally be brought out if any official investi-
CATION is made by the War Department. At
present, however, it is mere side issue and
detail DR. Morris said he wanted 10 make
it perfectly clear that what he was inter-
ested in was not reinstatement. About
that he said he cared nothing, but he did
want a full investigation OF the charges
against him and to have the responsibility
for first making them and then covering
them up put on the right parties.
With regard to the many letters and tele-
grams received and the generally sympa-
thetic notices that had appeared in the
press, he said that they were to his mind
a better vindication of the last unfortunate
phase of the case than anything that could
be said or done officially. He was. there
fore inclined to let that part of the matter
drop and content himself with polite and
respectful request to the President that his
case be reopened in the War Department.
He did, however, make one statement that
indicated his personal feeling. This White
House outrage" he sad, has been burn
ing shame and national disgrace"
other Similar Arrests.
The arrest in the White House Offices OF
Mrs Morris calls attention TO the arrests
of several women who have attempted to
see President Roosevelt. The arrest of Mrs.
Morris has resulted in criticism of Assist
ant Secretary Barnes, the belief being that
the scene and the painful incidents follow
ing could have been avoided by tact
il has not been long sirce Nadage poree