Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1907-08-16
Will take UP
ALTON immunity
ATTORNEY GENERAL BONAPARTE
TO HOLD IMPORTANT CON-
FERENCE NEXT MONDAY.
SAYS MORRISON MADE
PROMISE TO ROAD
Denies That He Himself Ever En-
tered Into Any Agreement with
Corporation, But Declares That
Moody Was cognizant of Action.


Washington, Aug. 16.-Announce-
ment is made by Attorney General
Bonaparte that an important confer
ence will take place next Monday at
the department of justice, in which the
subject of the promise Of immunity
from prosecution given to the Chicago
& Alton railway officials by then Dis
trict Attorney Morrison would be dis
cussed.
Attorney General Bonaparte stated
that he expected to have a conference
on Monday with District Attorney
Sims, former District Attorney Morri-
son and Mr.. Wilkerson on the subject
of the Chicago e Alton cases, and
that, until he had held such a confer
ence, no statement in regard to the
matter involved could, of course, be
made. He said that he understood
that certain testimony and statements
were to be presented to him, and would
receive careful examination and con.
sideration.
Had Not Heard from Lands.
Attorney General Bonaparte was
asked if Judge Landis had replied to
his letter informing him that Judge
Morrison had made to the Chicago &
Alton officials the promise of immunity
in consideration of their furnishing
evidence in the Standard Oil com.
pany's case. He replied that he had
not heard from Judge Lands.
1T may be noted, too," he added,
that Judge Lands did not publish my
letter to him or that Of District Attor.
ney Morrison to me. Those letters
state the attitude of the department Of
justice in the Chicago & Alton i'm
munity matter, as we understand it
now.
Morrison Promised Immunity.
Il can say" continued the attorney
general, that since 1 have occupied
this position I never have agreed to
grant immunity to any one. The prom.
ise in question was made during for.
mer administration of this department.
That Attorney Morrison gave the
promise there is no doubt and that the
attorney general at that time (Mr.
Justice Moody was cognizant of it is
quite certain"
Attorney General Bonaparte re-
turned to his Office in the department
of justice from Baltimore
The attorney general declined to
discuss at this time what further ac-
ton he intended to take against cor
porations that he believed to be in
violation of the law.
rs 1t possible for you to indicate
what suits, if any, the department of
justice may institute against corpora
tions or individuals?"
Just Corporations Need Not Fear.
''It is utterly impossible he replied.
II cannot discuss that matter at all.
I will say this: There is no reason
for any officer of any corporation or
enterprise, whatsoever, to apprehend
trouble with this department if he
is quite sure he has not violated the
law"
Attorney General Bonaparte was
asked what action, if any, might be
anticipated by the department of
justice against Edward H. Hartman
further than the proceedings insti-
tuted against him and Mr. Kahn in the
United States district court in New
York to compel to answer questions
propounded by the interstates COM
merce commission.
THAT is subject which I cannot
talk about" he replied. "I now am
considering the report of the commits
sion on the Hartman case. l reached
no conclusion"
He was reminded that an official
statement has been made public re-
Gently by the department of justice
in which it was said that no other
proceedings against him (Harri-
NAM and no proceedings against the
Union Pacific have either been deter
mined upon or are now under consid-
Grafton.
That statement was not author
ized," Attorney General Bonaparte
responded. Il cannot saw now wheth-
er any action may be taken against
Mr. Hartman or not.