Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-01-27
Packers Try to Influence
Newspaper Reports,
Chicago Inter- Ocean Man Given
SIOO and Returns II.
Official Correspondence in Case Made
Public BY tie President.


or President Roosevelt. correspondence
was made public at the White House
this evening relating to methods al
legged to have been employed by attor-
n,ys for the beef packers, who are un-
der indictment iii Chicago. to influence
public opinion on the behalf of the
packers.
The documents consist of a COM
munication made to Attorney General
Moody by United States District At
torney Morrison of Chicago, setting out
certain alleged facts regarding the
payment of a sum of money to Chi
caSo newspaper reporter by one of the
attorneys for the beef packers; a let :
Ter of the attorney general to the
President, transmitting Mr.. MOrriSon'S
report, expressing the opinion that no
way existed under the law by which
the alleged omense could be punished
and letter from the President to the
attorney general directing the publica-
ton of the correspondence in order
that the public might be informed of
one situation, at least. which the gov
eminent has to meet in prosecuting
the case against the packers.
The attorney general in his letter to
the President presenting the report of
District Attorney Morrison, says:
IN view of the fact that the articles
of the reporter OF the Inter-Ocean have
been misleading, contain many false
statements of fact and have been cir
cu.ated widely throughout the country
l deem 1t proper to bring the subject
to your attention. Under the statute
which rigidly restricts the power OF
the federal courts to punish for con-
tempt of court there seems to be no
remedy. ] am advised by the district
attorney that proceedings for disbar-
ment of the offending attorney would
rot be likely to prevail in the federal
courts"
District Attorney Morrison's report
[" the attorney general, which the lat
ter forwards with his letter, is in part
rs follows:
Il have the honor to say that on In.
18th day of December, 1907. Judge Cecrc,
W. Brown, who is one of the ATTORNEYS
for the packers in the Beef Trust ease
gave to Mr.. Hasler who is a reporter
for the Intcr-Ocean and who reports In.
certain amount of money ostcnsiblv rs q
Christmas present the exact amount ! dc
not know. and directed him to give 800 of
it to Il Mr.. Elwell, WHO is Il reporter for
The City Press of Chicago ;siG who i.
also detailed to report the court proceed
ings in this case ana whose reports are
used by all of the newspapers Of Chicago
and largely by The Associated Press. III,
Ilaslcr had intimatcd to Mr.. Elwcll hn-
fore the day that he was going to receive
a present, and on that day met hin, III tho
handed him $100. Mr. E,lwcll declined to
take it and he pushed it into his pocl<ct
with Judge Browns card and told Mr.
ElwCll that Judge Brown had sent it Ia
him. Elwell went to his employer and
told him about it and his employer told
him to take the money and give it to
Judge Brown. which he did. and Judge
Brown told him that he did not mean
anything by it, that he just wanted to
make him Christmas present. I then
requested Capt. Porter to have an inter-
view with Mr.. Hasler. which he did. and
I herewith enclose a report of Capt. Por-
ter's interview. marked Exhibit ~
.'On the 4tll of January there appeared
in the IntcrOcean the article which |
here enclose marked Exhibit 81.
This morning AN article appeared in
the Intcr-Occan, Il copy of which | here
with enclose you. marked EXHIBIT &C..
''After Judge Brown knew that I was
familiar with the facts he came TO the
Office to sec me. His explanation was
that complimentary articles had been
written about him in the papers and ho
thought Mr.. Elwcll wrote them, and thu"
he gave the money to Elwcll out of graf
itudc for what he had said. | do not re-
member any articles especially compli-
mentary TO him. but am having Tho mat
ter looked up to sec whether there We're
or were not Judge Brown also admitted
TO me that he gave Hasler money at thu
same time to retain for himself. Til.
amount that nc gave Haslcr was not stat
ed. Judge Brown stated that the mon
ey he gave WIS his own money and that
his clients knew nothing about it.
II beg to call your attention to the fact
that the jury returned yesterday morning,
had every opportunity to read the article
published in this mornings mtcr-Occar.
In his report on his interview with Mr..
Haslcr. referred to above MS Exhibit
a." Capt. Porter states that IIaSlct
admitted having offered money to a re
porter under the circumstances related
above, but declined to tell why he did
so or from whom he received tho money.
The Presidents letter to Attorney Cen
cral Moody is as follows:
'In view Of the fact that there seems
to be no opportunity for action before
the courts against the counsel of the beef
packers who it appears from District At
torney Morrisons statement has been