Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-01-27
BEEF PACKERS AND
PUBLIC OPINION
Attorney Alleged TO Have Paid
Money to an Inter Ocean
Reporter.
REPORT OF SECRET SERVICE.
President Says Extraordinary Efforts
Have Been Made to Poison
Pablo Mind

Washington. Jan. 26--By authority
Of President Roosevelt, correspondence
was made public at the White House
tonight relating to methods alleged to
have been employed by attorneys for
the beef packers who are under indict-
ment at Chicago to influence public
opinion In behalf of the packers.
The documents consist OF a COM
munication made to Atty Gen. Moody
by United States Dist. Atty, Morrison
of Chicago, settlng out certain alleged
facts regarding the payment OF a sum
OF money to a Chicago newspaper re-
packers. letter from the attorney
general to the president. Transmitting
Mr.. Morrson's report expressing the
opinion that no way existed under the
law by which the alleged onense could
be punished. and Il letter from the
president TO the attorney general d.
reotIng the publication of the CORE
spOndence In order that the public
might be informed Of one situation at
least. which the government has to
meet in prosecuting the case against
the packers
The correspondence follows. with the
exception of certain exhibits in Dist.
Atty. Morrison's report. which were
not furnished.
Office of the Attorney General, Wash
lngton. Jan o. Sir. II forward
herewith the report OF Mr.. Morrison.
the United States district attorney az
Chicago, showing that one Of the
counsel for the defendants In the indict-
ment against the beef packers has Civ
EN- sum Of money TO a reporter of the
Chicago Inter Ocean engaged in re-
porting the proceedings In that case,
and unsuccessfully attempted TO give
sum of money to another reporter OF
the City Press Of Chicago. vino de-
clined to receive It, In view Of the fact
that articles OF the reporter Of the Inter
Ocean have been misleading, contain
many false statements of fact. and
have been circulated widely through
out the country, ! deem il proper to
bring the subject to your attention.
Under the statute which restricts tlsa
power of the federal courts to punish
for contempt OF court there seems to
be no remedy. | am advised by the
district attorney that proceedings for
disbarment of the offending attorney
would not be likely to prevail In the
federal courts.
await your instructions with ref
erence TO the subject if YOU have any
70 give Very respectfully.
w. II. MOODY,
Attorney General.
70 the President. the White House.
| Department of Justice. ONCE of the
| United States Attorney. Chicago. Jan.
| ls.--The Attorney General. Washing
| ton. Slr.--l have the honor TO say that
on the 9th OF December, 1905. Judge
| George W. Brown, who Is one OF the
| attorneys for the packers In the beef
| trust case, gave to Mr.. Hasler. who
| Is a reporter for the Inter Ocean and
who reports the proceedings of the beef
| trust case, a certain amount Of money
ostensibly as a Christmas present. the
exact amount / do not know. aud d.
rected him to give 800 OF 1t to n Mr.
| Elwell, who Is reporter for the City
Press of Chicago, and who is also de-
tailed to report the court proceedings
| In this case and whose reports are used
| by all OF the newspapers of Chicago
and largely by the Associated Press.
Mr. fIasler had intlmated TO Mr.. FL
well the day before that he was going
to receive a present and on that day
| met him In the corridor OF the federal
building and handed him 800. Mr. FL
well declined to take It and he pushed
II into his pocket with Judge Browns
card and told Mr.. Elwell that Judge
Brown had sent II to him. Elwel went
to his employer and told him about IT,
and his employer told him to take the
money and give 1t to Judge Brown
which he did.and Judge Brown told hin
that he did not mean anything by IL;
I h.s rae 4
Christmas present. | then requested
Capt. Porter To have an interview with
Mr. Hasler which he did.
On the 4th Of January there appeared
In the Inter Ocean the article which
herewith enclose. This morning an ar
| ticle appeared in the Inter Ocean, q
copy OF which | herewith enclose you
The Inter Ocean circulates quite gen.
orally among the farmers, perhaps mo ,
so than any other Chicago daily. Tn
jury impaneled to try the immunity
Issues appeared In court yesterday
morning, but, owing to the Illness Of
Mr. Hines, the hearing was postponed
until o'clock today The Jury have
been at large since they were first im'
| paneled
After Judge Brown knew that ,was
familiar with the facts. he came to IN,
Office to see me. He had learned thai
We knew about the matter, His expla.
nation was that complimentary article
had been written about him IN the pa
| pers and he thought Mr.. Elwell wrote
them. and gave the money to Elwe
out OF gratitude for what he had said
do not remember any articles especial
| ly complimentary TO him, but am hav.
ing the matter looked up to see wheth,
| er there were or not. Judge Brown also
admitted to me that he gave Haslol
money at the same time to retain FOL
| himself,
The amount he gave Hasler was not
stated, Judge Brown stated that tbs
| money he gave was his own money and
| that his clients knew nothing about II
We are considering the questions as 70
| whether we Will lay the matter befo-v
| the editor of the Inter Ocean.
| | beg 10 call your attention 10 the
fact that the jury returned yesterday
morning and remained in Chicago over
! night and had every opportunity to
read the article published IN this morn.
| ing's Inter Ocean.
| Respectfully yours.
G., r, MORRISON.