The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-03-29
MARTIN R|D|CULES
W|CKERSHAM DENIAL
Colorado Congressman Deter.
mined to "ShOw Up" Depart
ment of Justice.
ATTORNEY GENERAL SAYS
HE IS NOT TRUST COUNSEL
Acquiring of Friar Lands by
Hayemeyers Forms Basis
of Charges.

WASHINGTON. March 2S.-The charge
preferred on the floor of the house last
Friday by Representative Martin CDem..
Coiorado) that the former attorney OF the
sugar trust is now the head OF the de-
partment of justice of the present admin
istratlon. brought forth a letter OF denial
from Attorney General Wickersham, ad-
dressed to Representative Bennett of New
York and read into the house record to-
day. MIR. Wickershams letter follows;
II have read In the Congressional Rec
ord OF March % a statement made by
member from Colorado that the former
attorney for the sugar trust is at the
head Of the department of justice OF the
present administration, and later on
what purports to be quotation from
newspaper editorial reading: Attorney
General WicEersham. the former attor-
ney of the sugar trust
That such statement may not gain any
currency, | should Ike TO state through
you that i never was attorney for the
sugar trust-by which / understand is
meant the American Sugar Refining COM
pany and its allied or subsidiary cor
porations-nor had any professional or
business relations with It,
inc only possible foundation for such
statement lies In the fact that one Of
retained as ono OF counsel for the Arleri-
can Sugar Refining company in a single
lawsuit, brought against II. and pursuant
TO such retainer. he assisted In the de-
tcnse or the company In that action and
an appeal taken from n Judgment in It's
tavor but in that lawsuit l was neither
consulted nor did l render any service
Martin Will Fight.
Representative Martin was not on the
fioor OF the house at the time the letter
was read by Mr.. Bennett. but when ad-
Vised of the matter obtained a copy Of
the attorney generals letter Mr., Mar
tin announced that he intended to carry
his charges against the, department OF
has resolution pending for an investi-
CATION of the acquisition OF friar lands In
the Philippine islands by the Havemeyer
interests. Mr., Martin said in an inter
view.
THE attorney general. you will OBJ
serve carefully avoided making any de-
nIal of the principal features, of my
the sugar trust $4,000 acres OF friar lands
for price less than the government paid
for IL. and there was no warrant OF
law for such n decision. The law plain
ly limits the sale of public lands to any
one person or company to $500 acres,
and there is no question of the friar lands
being public lands
Mr. Wlckersham says his partner
whom | understand was Henry w, Taft.
a brother of the president. and not he
was attorney for the sugar trust, This
form of disavowal will not carry much
weight.
Alleged Friar Land Grab.
81 shall continue my efforts to show up
what | belive is but the beginning OF
a gigantic grab of the frlar lands OF
the Philippine islands by the sugar trust.
all made possible by an unwarranted de-
cision of the attorney general. l shall de-
eide upon a further course within a day
or two.
There arc d0S 900 acres OF these frar
| lands In the Philippine islands, acquired
| by the government at a cost OF 5000.
600, which is SIS per acre. The sugar