The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-05-14

I init the whole record to the invests.
! gazing cnmmittee.-Taf xent--axex u
mass OF documents and files, that hay4
since been printed in over 800 print64
pages, and which contain, in all. ovek
nalf "A million words.
AT liberal estimate President Taft
had about eight hours In which ~
carefully read and weigh this mass III
4 records during the seven days It 3waa
in his hands. Ii was sent to him On
/ september 8 and he dated his Eallin.
ger letter September 13.
| When congress asked for tn
record which Taft had considered hS
included among the documents d a.
cision o. over $4,000 words by A.
tcrney-General Wiekersham. UNI
/ under the examination Of At0rn&1
Brandeis, Ballinger has read letter
! from. Wtckersham admitting that TN
/ feetston was not written for nnutN@
! after the Taft letter was signed.
I More than that Not only way TIM
most important document put, falsely
la the record, but an equally imports
ant one was left out
The one that was left out was II
letter written In the first person a1t6
| very substantially the Taft letter. f511E
| dictated by Oscar LAWYER. law ofslcSr
In Ballinser's department.
THE story of this mysterious Law
Ter memorandum Is totd by the mAH
who tspewfote 1t, Frederick M. kerbys
steno1rapher In Baiiinger's Office
The following statement was made
by Kerby to representatives OK ~
Cles Gland Press Friday:
story of the Letter
MY service with the government
began In the spring OF 1sDs. when,
after taking the trstt service uxamfnEs
ton OF February II. Was appoinfed
In July. 1906. Hugh A. Brown. Jau3S1
1 r.. Garfteidss private sccTetarys too
me In 90 che OF tho tlerikx 5ns
commissioner OF corporations oill< IN
stOn March T. fy17. Garfield KIT
made sslretafy ca the interior m
/ took James u. Massey ana tny6eif
ito be stenoxraphers Id his new
Massey and both served unoe4
Garfield until ne retired and Balfinx(4
was made secretary Of the interiors;
Just before he left Garfield rec0rss
mended to Ballinger that We be retain.
ed in the office.
Almost Immediately after Ba1~
] unger became secretary, Oscar IxaW~
| Ter was appointed assistant attorneys
general for the interior departHnerzt
/ On June ~. Ises,f fef. for tox3&
/ trip through the West. with Escrx
/ tary Ballinger. Ed A. KEYS. nephew
Of Jack Balilnger's brother-in-law. hao
( previously been sent ever the. rectamSM
| ton projects BY Raiftnger as an ~
4 spector While Keys was out H.
wrote to Baliinger a reportfrom whtca
this is substantially one statement;
81 agree with YOU that NewAlls
chief of the reclamation service, 10
(, not big enough for his job nly
letter is now In the record OF the tpS
/ vestigation where It may be exAmlns
i'd
h The Ballinger party OF which El
was a member, ,ravesled through To
northwest all OF last summer.
| had been in Seattle one day ana W0EM
planning to make a trip down throunA
lCalifornia, and finally to jain TAff On
his western trip In Lenver. when -
(. Hnger got letter from Taft contaaNs
! ing the CLAWS charges and asktN
for a reply +, them.
Plane Altered.
/ Immediately Ballinger switched al
! plans. cut the trip short 70 ~ T.
! Washington at once and answer x4
/ charges from there. Accerdtn4
/ Ballineer. Don NJ. Carr, his secreta4
and myself started back at once
| got to washington on Friday. ~
lter,her 2 lust before noon.
| We had been working On BaINHAAS
answer to the CLAWS charges dur&
our trip across the continent. ana 4!
were all ready to take UP the wp&
again IN the afternoon when reacnM
the Office. All OF the ofncers So
4 cerneti we're called into consuitattQ
that afternoon. We worked hard nlS
til sunday. Then Ballinger and I4aMS
i Ter, left Monday night for Bevexi
They did not return TO the once =
until Thursday meFHius- y !. r.
/ Iyuon the return Lawier took M a.
/ quarters In Baliinger's private otucAi
! calling In Massey and me for dict
ton.
i II was obvious from the way LAxN
/ Ter dictated the letter what - -
| Intended to be- Moreover. there ~
/ no attempt at conceaiment. The n
ter began: nh!
| 1t referred to BalIinser az You
1 each case, and the personal prCu0S
4 .Ts was used throughout, From
rontext the or. could be no other g.
1 Taft himself. sl
Intention Readily Apraycnt.
There could be no question
i Lawisr was drafting letter for
signature reviewing the CLAWS cl141
md exoneratinx the secretary. ytsy
written in such form that Taft W{
have adopted II bodily. gssss
! As / have said, the letter wA44
/ tated In Baliineer's private omQ@S
! LAWYER Probably half 4 doxen 66
were made before the final 4B9
| accepted. Each time Z freNA
! was completed II would BE- tANeF
I L4awler who would revise m
For two days Massey md
I nothing but help rush this wAnE
l Ter frequently enrxssitedA 81 a. n H.
assistant to BatiinKev.
/ On the afternoon ~ the nok6
/ 80