Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1906-04-13
ROOSEVELT MAY SIND
IN SPECIAL MESSAGE
WILL URGE CHANGE OF LAWS
THAT WILL MAKE IMMUNITY
OF PUBLIC ROBBERS
Less EASY.

Washington. April 9. -- President
Roosevelt IL contemplating making an
appeal In The beef trust cases to'Con.
grcss and TO the court of public opin.
Ion. lie probably will send message
to Congress very soon. dealing with
the whole question. II promises to be
u sensational document.
IT, this message Mr.. Roosevelt will
discuss the question OF immunity,
showing how individuals In the beef
trust. who were placed on trial, cs.
capped through tcChnicality OF the
law, which, as interpreted by Judge
Humphrey, Cuablcd them to obtain
full immunity through having laid the
facts of their business before Commits.
HiOnCr OF Corporations Garfield. Pres.
ldcnt Roosevelt, II Is understood, will
recommend that an amendment bC
made 10 the law defining immunity,
narrowing It's limits to the scope pre-.
RCrlbcd In the Constitution and limit.
Ing II To persons who have given ties.
tlmGuy In inquiries out of which grow
criminal prosecutions. II Is expected
also that he will urge the passage Of
n law which will enable the Depart
mcni OF Justice to take an appeal In
criminal eases by writ of error to the
higher courts To have the law deter.
mined.
President Roosevelt will call attcn.
ton to The fact that the investigation
conducted by Garfield was ordered by
resolution Of Congress, and he will
point out the danger OF giving immu.
llINF IN ihE4IIul1 Ihn inntirt mr.
dcrCd by Congress when II passed the
rillman.Gilcspic resolutions for prob.
Ing the oil aud hard coal trusts.
In order that there may be no pos
IiblC question in the future, Congress
will be urged to modify the law so as
To prevent other courts making the
broad Interpretation Judge Humphrey
has given II.
What Is wanted Is Legislation which
will limit specifically the privilege Of
immunity TO those who lay claim to It
under oath and In accordance with
recognized practice. Then, when the
claim was made. the Government
would have the right to say whether
II would permit testimony to be given
under such condition.
President Roosevelt and Attorney
General Moody are concerned, not ON.
ly about the escape of the beef pack.
ers, but as to the effect of the Humph.
rcy decision upon Grand Jury inycsti-
CATION throughout the country. The
disposition OF these grand jurics, cspe.
cially those of Federal character, will
be to follow the principle laid down In
the beef trust cases, Most of the
states have immunity laws similar to
those of the United States, aud the
State courts and State grand Jurles al
so Will be disposed to act as Judge
Humphrey has indicated.
The President and Attorney General
have considered carefully the question
of TIE prosecution of the packers
eases. II Is believed that the cases
will be abandoned. There are Ave of
thCse-the Armour Packing Company,
Armour A. Co.. the Cudahy Packing
Company, the Fairbank Canning Com.
pan" and Swift a. Co. The maximum
penalty which could be imposed Is
$1,000 on each of FIVE counts. II has
been decided that the cost OF prose.
cutting thus far has been too heavy to
admit OF further proceedings when the
penalty is so small.