The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-05-17
Regarded Himself as Conf
DENTAL Clerk to Govern
ment, Not to Ballinger
CHARGES SECRETARY
TESTIFIED FALSELY
Denies Selfish Motive in Giving
Statement TO NeWSpapers-Dls-
cusses Secret Workings
Interior Department.

WASHINGTON, II. L.. May IL
Frederick NJ. Kerby, former stenogra-
pher of Secretary Balnnger's once.
VINO made the andavit revealing the
character of the Lawler memorandum,
took the stand to-aay before the BAL
anger IklncnoL- esllgAuns- commit
tee -------------~-----
Chairman Nelson, after placing in
the record the Presidents letter OF
May l6 in reply to the kerby charges,
asked that Merry himself he caiieu to
the stand. Mr.. Brandels asked TO have
inserted in the record the kerry am
davit, ana the denied Issued May Ii
by Private Secretary to the President
Carpenter. But this was denied oy
Chairman Nelson.
Attorney Nertrees was asked by
Chairman Nelson TO examine KERRY.
The witness stated that he was clerk,
class four. In the secretary's Office.
"A confidential clerk" asked Mr..
vertreesr
Occasionally We handled confiden-
tial matters" kerby answered.
In response TO a question why he
felt called upon to give out 'contiden-
tiat information, kerby said:
Il considered that my position as
one of the clerks In the government
to the secretary. but a confidential.
clerk to the government" He said
he had not considered 1t necessary to
give out any documents heretofore.
The witness admitted that he was
very friendly with Former Secretary
Garfield, but denied that ne had re-
cetved any communications from Mr.
! Garfield in regard to his statement
Asked whether he had seen Mr., Gar
field. he said that between February
. 10 and 8 he sought a conference with
the former secretary, who was then in
the city preparing TO testify before the
committee. The witness said he ,agreed
to testify before the committee, If il
were necessary.
| Afraid He'd Lose Job.
Il knew l might ba called, :" he said
but / didn't want to appear unles:
| necessary. because L knew that wou.,
mean ] would lose my job"
! Why? asked Representative DEN.
by.
We'll" said Kerby, II knew wha,
had happened TO Claws
Continuing. he stated that the fact
that he knew OF the preparations OF
the LAWYER draft had already been
given TO Garfield through another
source.
+ AL his conference with Mr.. Garfield
which was held at Mr. pinchot's
house. kerby said Mr.. Garfield told
him that tee many had already ueer
sacrificed aaa-that he appreciated
herbys delicate position.
The witness said that the first men.
ton he had made OF the LAWYER mem.
orandum was to Hugh A. Brown, for.
merry private secretary to Secretary
Garfield. Brown later told kerby tina
Judge Garfield's attorney had request
( ed him to testify about his converse.
ton with kerby. Wishing to tell his
own story, Kerby said he asked Brown
to arrange a meeting for him with Mr.
/ Garfield. This led to the meeting al
Mr.. Pinchot's house.
+ kerby said that he gave his stor,
to Robert +. Wilson, OF the Cleveland
Press. of Cleveland, d.
Denies Selfish Motive.
Attorney tertrees insistentiy urged
kerby to admit that he had a selfish
motive in giving out his statement
This kerby denied and upon the en-
phatic protest of democratic members
kerby was allowed to tell his story
/ tn hts Own way,
| He said he first met Wilson on
Sunday, May s. and that night hs
talked it over with Mrs. Kerby. He
said they decided that as long as there
was chance of his appearing on the
witness stand. 1t would not be righf
to give the matter to the press. Hi
said that 1eh-tffA following Tuesday
H. N. Hickey and w. B. Colver news,
paper men Of Cleveland, with whom
| Wilson Is associated, talked to hin
and Mrs. Kerby and that they agreed
with them in their decision.
They told me-" said Kerby, ''tha
they considered the matter all ovei
in view of our stand. That we needn',
Continued on Eleventh Page.)