The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-01-09
Mr.. Tillman Accused
of Questionable
Conduct.
Details of Transaction
Are Laid Before
the Senate.
Southern Statesman Is Charg-
ed With Seeking to Use
His Official Influ-
ence for Private
Gain.
Efforts Are Also Made to Show
That South Cardinals
Representative Used
Frank in Person
al Business.

washington, Jan. S.-PreSldent
Roosevelt tonight made public details
of an investigation by postoffice in
spectors and secret service agents of
Senator Tilman's connection with an
alleged land grab in oregon. AS he
presents the evidence to Senator Hale,
in response to the latter's request to
the heads Of the various executive de-
partments for a statement of the oper-
atoms of the secret service. the presi-
dent undertakes to show: 81
That Mr.. Tillman used his influence
as a senator in an effort to force the
government to compel a railroad corr
poration to relinquish it's control of
land grants from the United States in
order that he and his family and his
secretary, j. b. Knight. might profit
the purchase of some Of the
land.
That the senator used his govern
ment franking privileges in numerous
instances for the conduct of private
business.
Senator Tillman did not permit the
fact that President Roosevelt has CIV
en- out the charges against him to al
ter his determination to make no state
ment until Monday. No effort was
made by him to conceal that when he
had learned the facts concerning the
railroad grant he had made an effort
to obtain portions of the land In the
ncmes of himself and members OF his
family, but declared that as at most
he could have gotten possession of
only a few hundred acres, his efforts
were, after ALL in behalf of the pub
lie and not especially in his own inter
est.
To Talk Monday.
Immediately after the conclusion OK
the chaplain's prayer Monday Mr.. Till
man will ask the recognition of the
chair on a question Of personal privi-
lege. Departing from his custom Of
extemporanecus speaking, he will read
his statement.
The communication to Senator Hale
Is nearly 5000 words long, and in ad..
dition there is appended numerous ex-
hibits, including copies Of letters writ
ten by Senator Tillman and his agent
william F.. Lee, showing that they did
make an effort to secure several quar-
ter sections of Oregon land. and the
report of the postoffice inspectors, who
investigated the transaction Of tho
land agents It was through this In
vestigation that the alleged interest o3
Senator Tillman was brought to light;
It appears that 1t was at his instiga-
tion the inquiry was begun.
Presidents Message.
The substance of the presidents
communication to Senator Hale fol-
lows:
Il have requested the different de-
partments of the government to give
me all the information about the use
of special attorneys. SPECIAL agents. In
spectors, ETC., in their departments
which will enable me to put before you
all the facts which, as l take II, your
committee desires to have.
Let me at the outset express my
cordial agreement with the view that
1t is not only the right. but the duty
of congress to investigate the work.
ings of the secret service. or detective
agents by which alone the government
can effectualiy safeguard itself against
wrongdoing, punish crime, and bring
to Justice criminals.
A Necessity.
II am well aware of the liability 10
abuse inherent in any effective oetec-
tive system or secret service system.
1t nevertheless remains true that this
system is absolutely Indispensable II
the popular interest is to be adequate
ly safeguarded and wrongdoers con-
tinue to fear the law. l would IKE
to state here that very frequently ac-
cusations have been made to me pri-
vately by members of the two houses
to the effect that the secret service
had been used as police of morals
or to shadow senators, congressmen'
and other public officials. Hitherto
the effort to discover the basis for
such allegations has always been
fruitless. l should be greatly obliged
If any information could be furnished
me tending to show any instances
where this has been done in times
past.
Unexpected Cases.
"Of course in the investigation OF
specific frauds we sometimes come
across wholly unexpected cases Of mis-
conduct. The frauds in the postal de-
partment which were unearthed some
six years ago, for instance, offer a
case in point. My suspicious were first
aroused by report made as to the
very extravagant and debauched man
ner of life of a certain postal empioye,
the report being made by an official of
the secret service in connection with
another transaction at which he was
at work. So it was with the cases Of
tho a h..ra Of the frankinu nrivilesyss