The Morning examiner. [volume] (Ogden, Utah) 1904-1910, 1910-05-15
BOMB HROvVN
BY GL AVIS
c R E'A TES
FURORE
Sensational Charges That Taft
Adopted Letter Of Dismissal
Written by Lawler.
OFFICIAL STATEMENT
SPREAD ON RECORD
eaIIineer-Pinchot Inquiry Brings Out
Allegation That President Used
Words OF Another.

WASHINGTON. May 14.-Oscar
I4awler, assistant attorney general OF
the interior department, OF which
Richard \. Ballinger is the head. did
in fact prepare a draft of letter ad-
dressed to Secretary Ballinger and In
such a form and phrase that it might
have been adopted verbatim and sign
ed by the president as Mr.. Taft's cX-
oneratlon of the secretary from the
charges of l.. R. CLAWS and authorlz-
ing the dismissal of CLAWS from his
position of special agent of the in
terror department.
This draft by Mr.. Lawler was de-
nvered this afternoon 10 the Ballin-
ger-Pinchot committee and ordered
spread upon the records Of the invest
ieation. Careful comparison of the
Lawler draft with the letter OF the
president shows that Mr., Taft did in
fact adopt practically verbatim two
short paragraphs Of Mr.. Lawler's Ian
guage The substance Of the two
documents is otherwise widely dis
similar.
The subject was on every tongue to-
night in Washington. wheer almost ev-
cry man, woman and child Is bitterly
either Ballinger or Pinchot partisan.
Evidence Destroyed.
The thing came 10 head today in
the publication of a statement, at
tributed to Frederick w kerby. one
OF the stenographers In the Office OF
Secretary Ballinger. in which Kerby
related at length the circumstance
under which he alleged the LAWYER
draft 20 have been prepared. Kerby
asserted further that all OF the pre-
lmlnary drafts used in the prepara-
tion OF the letter were burned in
crate in the interior department at
the suggestion and under the super
vision OF Don \. Carr. Mr. BallinSer's
private secretary Kerby drew the
inference that the Lawler draft had
been adopted by the president es-
scntially as his own; that Mr., Bal
linger and his legal advisers had,
therefore, virtually prepared the eN-
oneration which Mr.. Taft had issued
over his own signature.
Almost simultaneously with the pub
lication of the kerby statement Attor-
ney General Wickersham sent TO the
BallInger-Pinchot investigation COM
mittee, then In session, copy OF the
Lawler draft, accompanied by let
ter to Chairman Nelson. In which MIR.
Wickersham declared the document
had been overlooked in sending the
papers requlsitioned by the commit
tee AT the behest OF Attorney Bran
deis.
White House Statement.
The publication OF the Kerby state
ment evoked from the White House
statement declaring that there was alb
solutelv no foundation for state
ment: that the presidents letter OF
September l3. 1909. was substantially
prepared for the presidents signature
by Assistant Attorney General Law
ler," and asserting unequiyocally tnat
"rhe president dictated his letter. per
sonaIly. as the result of his own IN
vcstieaiion of the records and con-
sideratIon of documents and papers
In his possession at the time and upon
the report of the attorney general
IL was further pointed out. both at
he White House and by Attorney
General Wickersham himself hat a
the presidents letter would show that
the inferences of the Kerby statement
wre unwarranted.
Mr.. WiclSrsham alluded to the prac-
tice common in the government de-
partmcnts of subordinates preparing
letters and documents for the consid-
Grafton of their superlors. and their
use by them in whole OF In part as
they might see 1T
sallinser Bushes.
Secretary BallinSer and Mr.. Law
Ter were in conference for long time
this afternoon with Attorney General
Wickersham. While they were go en-
eaCed ut the department of Justice.
a messenger was sent out for copy
OF a newspaper containing the kerby
statement. When MIR. Ballinger
emerged from the conference he
showed signs of angry concern. but
declared vehemently that there WAS
nothing to he ashamed of