The Paducah evening sun., 1910-02-15

tories. 90 West Twenty-hfth street
New York City.
"Did you Intentionally refrain
from making any charger"
eyes. sir"
''What did you think the facts
showed7" -
"They proved to me that I didn't
think the interior department in
safe hands"
81 do not want your conclusions
but what definite misconduct on the
part of any one did the facts show
"There is no charge OF crimInali.
ty." replied CLAWS; you have to
take all the facts together and form
your own conclusion. You couldn't
take any one fact and form a right
conclusion"
"What officers did you think were
not protecting the peoples inter
ests?"
"Ballinger and bennett. And
Pierce. too. rendered that decision
interpreting the act of May 80. 1908.
Schwartz took some action | could
not understand"
No Corrupt Motives.
you thought the facts established
official misconduct on the part OF
Ballinger and Dennett?"
yes"
Anybody else?"
"Conclusively as 20 those two men.
! had not formed an opinion as to
the Others"
"Who did you want to accuse?"
"Mr. Ballinger and Mr.. bennett" "
''You say BaIlinger and bennett
and Pierce were guilty OF miscon-
duct. but you make no charge of
"If / had thought the facts war
ranted charge of corruptness
would have gone to the grand jury
instead of the president"
Then you did not believe there
was any corrupt motives or miseon-
duct?"
mo"
Not Error of Judgment.
did you think Il was error OF
Judgment, their not protecting the
interests OF the people?"
"No: the facts showed II was in
"Yet, you say 1t was not corrupt. "
Perhaps you and don't have the
same view OF the meaning of COR
rupt' / th,ak when a man acts cor
ruptly he acts crlm!nally. There are
no charges OF criminality here"
In the list OF the names OF all the
land Office people who have been
in the case. CLAWS said he
every one OF misconduct.
except Ballinger, Pierce and bennett.
Claws said that he believed any
wrong done by Schwartz had been
due to thoughtlessness or under or
ders OF his superior or Pierce he
said:
Pierce Not wrongful.
az want 10 make a correction about
Mr.. Pierce. | think he was erroneous
I'm his construction OF the law, and
not that he was guilty of ANY willful
wrongdoing
Then you make no attack upon
his official integrity?"
NO, sir"
"And this leaves us only Mn Den
nett and Mr.. Balllnger under accusa-
tions of wrongdoing?"
Eyes"
At this point the luncheon recess
was ordered. Representative Graham,
Democrat. declared the attorney was
cutting the witness on in the middle
OF his answers. as Claws speech was
so slow as to amount almost to a de-
feet. Mr.. Vertrees apologized. and
said he had only meant TO interrupt
the witness when his answers were
going farther than the questions war
ranted
When Mr.. Vertrees began TO cross
examine the witness on these accusa-
lIUllN lit r'0On EOl llltt
quite an uproar. CLAWS complained
20 the chairman that Mr.. Vertrees
was cutting OF his answers and that
he had to make certain explanation
Answer the questions as they are
directed Senator Root.
Mr.. Vertrees reverted to Assistant
Secretary Pierce's construction Of ths
law of May. 1908. CLAWS said:
"If 1t was not rendered under tn,
influence of Mr.. Balknger. his con
struction of law showed him unfit TO
his Office. Ii he did render II unde
the influence Of Mr.. Ballinger 1t still
shows he ought not TO be permitte,
to hold the Office he does"
Mr.. Vertrees next questioned Claw
as to incidents connected with tn
turning over of his Office to his sue
cessor when CLAWS was dismisse
from the service. CLAWS said he ha,
declined to give up some OF tn
papers until he had made copies 0