The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-03-21
Has Had Relatives Looking Up
the Facts.
AT ROOSEVELT'S DOOR.
Charges That President Was
Personally Interested.
Mr.. Roosevelt Will Admit That
This Is True.

Washington, March 21.-Either in
his speech in Abilene, Kan, or in the
special story he intends to run in his
weekly newspaper, ex-senator Burton,
who will be released from Jail Satur-
day, will present an analysis of the APP
pointmenus and methods of Theodore
Roosevelt. Since the announcement
was made that the ex-senator. whose
term of service at Ironton is about to
expire, would deliver a speech at Abb
lene, his home town, it has become
known that on several occasions he
caused relatives to seek information
in Washington regarding the presi-
dents appointments.
1t has always been Burtons conten-
tion that he has been prosecuted by
the president, and one of the pet
theories of the convicted senator has
been that the president sought to Sc
cure the support of Justice Harlan by
appointing his son to office. When the
announcement of James S. Harlans
name for member of the interstate
commerce commission was announced
one of Burton's relatives Immediately
began to seek information concerning
it. 1t has long been gossip among Bur-
toms friends that he could never be
persuaded that the president did not
influence the supreme court in its de-
cision, and it is said that he will make
this direct charge in his Abilene
speech.
If Burton should attempt to show
that the president has been concerned
in securing his conviction he will not
find ii a difficult undertaking. The
president himself will not deny it. A
chain of circumstances will supply him
with q plausible story. He will be able
to show that almost everybody who
interested himself in the prosecution
of Burton has received a promotion
from the present administration.
The judge before whom he was con-
=, tod frnr he
trict to the circuit bench. Colonel d. p
Dyer, the United States district attor-
ney who prosecuted Burton, has just
been appointed district judge in st.
Louis. Mr.. Robb. ex-assistant attorney
general who assisted in Burton's pros
ecution, has been elevated to the su-
preme bench of the District of Column
bia. The chief postoffice inspector at
the time Burton was indicted and the
man who followed the case most close
E Cochran. has been made
purchasing agent for the postoficet de-
partment at an increased salary. Sew
eral of the postoffice inspectors who
worked on the case have been advanced.
These things probably have convinced
Burton that the one over-shadowing de-
sire of the president was to convict him
of some crime. The enc particular indt-
vidual however, whom Burton and his
friends most thoroughly hate is Joseph
L, Rristow fourth assistant postmaster
general at the time of his indictment.
Bristow was never advanced. but
Robert J. Wynne, at the time first as
sistant postmaster general. was made
postmaster general and still later made
consul general to London. These pro-
motions ought to furnish a plausible
orator with quite theme for exploita-
ton.
However energetically the forces of
the administration may have entered
upon the prosecution of Burton. it
should not be forgotten that the man
who first furnished the evidence in the
case was not a federal officer. but the
present governor of Missouri. Joseph
w. Folk In a raid on the st. Louis b
concerns, the Burton
letters were first obtained.
They passed into the possession of
Folk and were by him turned over to
the federal authorities. Long before
this however, Burton and the president
were at outs. There has never been
any concealment on the presidents part
that he insisted upon most vigorous
prosecution of Burton.