The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1910-05-15
Frederick w. Kcrby, Employed in Office of
Secretary of Interior, Makes Statement.
CHARGES THAT DEPARTMENT PREPARED tXONtRAT|0M
Oscar Lawer, Closely Connected With Office OF Man Ac-
cused by CLAWS, Is Said to Have Composed
Famous Letter Given Out by Taft as
His Own---Many Denias.

Washington. May li.-Oscar l.awlcr,
assistant attorney general of the In
terror department. Of which Richard A.
Ballingcr Is the head did In fact pre-
pare draft Of letter addressed to
Secretary Ballinger ana In such form
and phrase that 1t might have been
adopted verbatim and signed by the
president as Mr.. Tafts exoncration of
the secretary from the charges OF l.. R.
CLAWS and authorizing the dismissal of
CLAWS from his position of special
agent cf the interior department
This draft by Mr.. I.awer was dcllv
cred this afternoon to the Ballinger-
Pinchot committee and ordered spread
upon the records OF the Investigation.
Careful comparison of the Lawler draft
with the letter of the president shows
that Mr.. Taft did In fact adopt prac-
tically verbatim two short paragraphs
Of Mr.. LAWYERS language. The sub
stance of the two documents IL other
wise widely dissimilar
The subject was on every tongue In
Washington tonight. where almost ev-
cry man, woman and child is either u
Ballinger or Pinchot partisan. The
feeling came to a head today in the
publication of n statement. attributed
to Fred w. kerby. one of the ste
nographers In the office of Secretary
Ballinger. In which Kerby related at
length the circumstances under which
he alleged the 1awler draft to have
n
thcr that all of the preliminary drafts
used In the preparation of the letter
were burned In n crate In the interior
department at the suggestion aud un-
der the supervision of Don a. Carr.
Mr. Balingers private secretary. kerby
drew the inference that tho Lawler
draft had been adopted by the presi-
dent essentially as his own. that Bal
linger and his legal advisers had
oneration which Mr.. TAFT had issued
over his own signature.
Almost simultaneously with the pub
lication of the Kerby statement. At
torney General Wlckersham sent to
the Ballinger- Pinchot investigation
committee. then In session. copy of
the Lawler draft. accompanied by "a
letter to Chairman Nelson. in which
Mr. Wickcrsham declared the docu-
ment had been overlooked In sending
Aie papers reauisitioned by the com
mittce at the behest of Attorney Bran
deis.
Evokes Statement.
The publication Of the kerby state
ment evoked from the White House u
statement declaring that there was
absolutely no foundation for the
statement that the presidents letter
Of September ~. 1909 was substan-
italy prepared for the presidents sig
nature by Assistant Attorney General
LAWYER" and asserting unequivocaliy
that the president dictated his letter
personally. az the result of his own
investigation Of the records and con
sideratfpn of documents and papers In
his possession at the time and upon
the report of the attorney general"
II was further pointed out. both at
the White House and by Attorney
General Wickersham himself, that II
comparison Of the Lawler draft and
the presidents letter would show that
the lnferences of the kerby statement
were unwarranted.
Mr. Wickersham alluded to the
practice common iIf the government
departments of subordinates preparing
letters and documents for the consid-
GRAFTON of their superiors. and their
use by them In whole or In part as
...t, Dali lin
ger and Mr. Lawler were in confer
ence tor II long time this afternoon
with Attorney General Wickersham.
While they were so engaged at the
department of justice, messenger
was sent out for copy of "A news
paper containing the kerby state
ment. When Mr.. Ballnger emerged
from the conference he showed signs
Of. angry concern. but declared ve-
hemently that there was nothing to
be ashamed Of"
Not Yet?
Mr. Ballinger said that Kerby had
gone on "A vacation" today.
NO. he added In reply tn a ques-
tion. "he has not been discharged"
He said this with a grim smile
kerby Is superintendent of "A Sunday
school and head of IA boys brigade,
He was absent from his post all day
being, 1t was said, at Il picnic at one
of these organizations, Attorney Gen
eral Wickersham declared that 1t was
quite obvious that Lawler did not
prepare the letter signed by President
Taft.
Compare the letter written by Mr.
I.awler with that written by the pres
ident," said Mr. Wickersham, "and
you will readily recognize the fact
There Is only one clause which, In a
measure, the president adopted.
mo. it was not regarding the dis
missa of Claws" he said In response