Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-05
MAY Be INVESTIGATED
Forcible Election of Mrs. Morris
From White House.
WAS SUBJECT OF COMMENT
Statement Given Out by Secretary
Barnes.
VERSION OF AN EYEWITNESS
Statement by Mrs. Morris in Correc.
ton Of Alleged Misstatements-
Her Husbands Trouble.

| The forcibe election OF Mrs. Minor Mor-
| ris from the White House yesterday, a.
| exclusively told In The Star, has been the
| universal subject OF comment in this city.
| In every circle of society the affair has
| been talked about and almost, without ex-
| ceptton extreme criticism is expressed Of
| the whole affair. Today Secretary Barnes,
who seems to have been responsible for at
| least the commencement of the proceed
| ings issued a statement. AS will be seen
| his statement differs materially from both
the stories told by Mrs. Morris and by an
| eyewitness to the affair.
Grouping the stories, however to some ex.
| tent, the facts seem TO be that Mrs Morris,
| a respectable woman, not insane whose
husband had been an officer In the Army
Medical Corps, and who had been dismissed,
went to the White House in an effort to lay
her case before the President She saw
Secretary Barnes. who told her the Presi.
dent could not see her, and then after some
conversation, described by Secretary Barnes
as disorderly, but not overheard by people
at short distance. he ordered the police
men on hand to forcibly remove her
This election was carried out with grear
vigor, Mrs. Morris being carried and drag.
ged from the White House across the
esphalt walks and finally bundled into a
carriage and taken to the house of de-
tention, two policemen and q colored man
taking part in the removal.
The general opinion expressed around
town today was that the President would
order an investigation Of the affair which
would be thorough and searching.
Disorderly Conduct Charged.
Mrs. Minor Morris, the woman who was
removed from the White House Yesterday
afternoon by police officers at the order OF
Assistant Secretary to the President
Barnes, charged In the Police Court
this morning with dsorderly conduct In
stead Of appearing for trial, however. She
did not answer to her name. and the SIS
collateral which was put up for her at the
house of detention was declared forfeited.
and was credited to the District by FInan-
cial Clerk Sebring
In the course Of the regular routine OF
the police department the So collateral was
sent from the house of detention to the
Police Court early this morning. At about
$50 o'clock Policeman Jacob P. Frech. who
is detailed from the fifth precinct to the
executive mansion, appeared at the office
of Assistant Corporation Counsel Pugh
and swore out an information against Alice
H. Morris for disorderly conduct In the
information 1t charged that Alice H.
Morris, on the 4th day of January, in the
year A D. 1906 did congregate and as
semble in the White House around public
hnild in trfp pf
did engage in disorderly conduct in said
White House and in place wherefrom the
same could be heard In said public building,
contrary to the act of Congress-" etc.
Collateral Declared Forfeited.
The name of Mrs. Minor Morris was
placed on the regular collateral list of the
court and when that was called there was
no response to the name OF Minor Morris.
The collateral was therefore declared for
feited. 1t was expected that a fight would
be made in the case, but no lawyer or de-
fendant appeared in the matter. When Po-
liceman Frech was questioned regarding
the matter to explain what was done he re-
fused to say anything.
II have instructions not to say anything,
he said. Although 1t was pointed out that
the published statements reflected on his
conduct he was steadfast in his refusal to
defend himself.
Mrs. Morris Statement.
The Star IS able 10 give MIS- StllpI NUT
r1s' own account of her election from the
White House, after an interview with her
at the Willard Hotel Mrs. Morris was In
bed this morning and still under the care
of a physician. She was deeply hurt, ply
sicalIy and mentally, the result OF her
experience at the White House, but talked
in a low tone and, for the most part, delib-
erately of her trouble. Once or twice in
the course of the story she was almost too
agitated to continue. but on the whole gave
her account ef the affair with very little
of excitement or attempt at dramatic stress.
In speaking of the puOHShed accounts OF
the adventure she said:
II do not want to criticise anything that
has appeared in print. l was not in any
condition after my experience yesterday to
talk to any one, and two or three points IN
the story were in all probability uninten-
tionally incorrect. What Mr. Barnes said
of the affair or what was given out at the
White House was almost wholly untrue
..As to my treatment at the house of de-
tention. it was as conslderate as coqid %
expected under the circumstances. was
not locked up in a cell or anything OF that
sort 1t was bad enough TO be confined IN
the parlor. But l Will not say anyLmng
about that. The story of my interview
with Mr. Barnes is the thing that Is abb
so1utely incorrect.
Her Mission at White House.
..I went to the White House, in the first
nlace because / wanted to lay the mat
ter of my husbands dismissal from the
army before the President personally. We
have been trying for five years to get It
to him. personally. but have been thwarteQ
always I do not want to give the impress
sion that I am attending to my husbands
business for him or that he is unable TO
attend to Ii for himself But he Is now
at the bedside of his mother. who Is dying,
1t seemed to me in the meantime that
I could get talk of only five minutes with
the President and present the facts in DR..
Morris case to him he might be able to
rectify the wrong that had been done US.
He is the only man who can.
when ! sent in my card at the White
House to Mr.. Loeb he sent out Mr.. Barnes