Los Angeles herald., 1906-01-07
HULL REPLIES TO
NORRIS CHARGES
IOWA CONGRESSMAN MAKES
STATEMENT
Tells Of Controversy Between Him
self and Family of Woman Who
Was Elected From the
White House
1,y Associated Press

By Associated Press.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 6--Representa-
tive Hull of Iowa. whose sister, Mrs
Minor Morris. was elected from the
WR,e House on Thursday made a
statement today concerning his
troubles with Mrs. Morris. At the time
Mrs. Morris was removed from the
White House she was endoavoring to
see President Roosevelt that she might
have her husband reinstated as n clerk
I'm the war department and in an in-
terview she and her husband have
charged that MIR. Hull was responsible
for Mr.. Morris removal The state
ment says:
"rhe deplorable events Of the past
two days seem to render it necessary
for me to make ~ statement. In the be-
ginning [ desire to bespeak the kindly
consideration of the public with my
family prominently connected with the
affair. | cannot believe the public is
specially interested I'm the domestic dif-
fcreuces of any one and greatly de-
porc the necessity for making any
statement whatever / certainly would
not say or do anything which would
unnecessarily reflect on my sister. and
ask those who may read what / nave
tc say, to cast the mantle of charity
over all of us.
"The trouble began on the death of
my father and has been continuous
since. 1t is charged that I violated
the provisions of his will; that failed
TO file codicil to the will. And |
understand it is further charged that l
forged part of the will These are
very serious charges and if true
would not be entitled to even associ-
ate with decent people. This charge
was made first in January, 1902. and l
will try and take the matter up in the
order in which 1t has come into my
life.
"My father left me executor of the
estate without bonds. He gave me
envelopes purporting to be first, his
will: second, a codcil thereto, executed
more than a year after the first paper
and placed in my hands. After the
death of my father / forwarded the
same to the probate judge of Pueblo,
Colo. both the will and codicil, and
expected both We're properly filed. My
sister employed an attorney to look
after her interests there, Evidently he
wrote her that the will was filed, but
not the codicil. When she charged me
with not filing the codicil immediate
ly wrote to the attorney looking after
the estate and, not hearing from him,
wrote to the probate judge direct"
The statement then reproduceS let
ters from Horton Pope, the Judge, say
ing the codicil was found in a separate
envelope and had been overlooked. ItI
also includes n sworn statement from
the deputy clerk of Pueblo county,
Colo, which shows that Mr.. Hull prop
ery discharged his duty as executor.
The statement then continues;
Even this did not stop the contro-
versy. My brother, NJ. A. Hull, and
his wife cared for my father for more
than two years. 1t was understood by
all of the children that whatever father
left should go to my brother for this
care. Knowing how small would be-
his compensation, | contributed an
equal amount for fathers support. L
am not entitled TO any credit for this,
and only mention 1t as an explanation
of the charge filed He presented his
claim, charging only $15 week for
support during the time he cared for
father. Afterward he reduced the
amount to so per week. The court al
lowed the full amount, after it was
contested for two years by Mrs. Nor
ls. | did not go to Pueblo and used
no effort whatever to influence the
court except the bare statement of the
facts under oath. and the court did
not sustain Mrs. Norris
After reproducing the courts findings
the statement concludes:
ION family matters | cannot enter
into any controversy with others
There are things which come into the
lives of families which cause profound
sorrow and regret. and the mantle of
charity and silence can only make them
endurable. / again bespeak the con-
siderate and charitable Judgment of the
great public in considering the acts of
my sister in this most regrettable
affair -. A. r. HULL"
DR.. Morris tonight gave out the fol-
lowing:
"rhe statement Of Mr.. Hull to the
public does not deal with the real
facts 1t definitely avoids them.
THE present issue is the outrage
perpetrated on Mrs. Morris at the
White House. The other matters can
be taken Up at the proper time"