The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1910-05-18
BALLINGER VERY PEEVED;
WICKERSHAM EXPLAINS
Frederick w. Kerby, Stenogra-
pher in Ballinger's Office, Cor
roborates Evidence With State
ment of How Preliminary
Drafts Were Burned in Inte-
rior Department Crate.

|
Lawler. assistant attorney general of
the interior department. of which
Richard A. Ballinger is head. did in
fact, prepare a draft of a letter adj
dressed to Ballinger and in such form
and phrase that it might have been
adopted verbatim and signed by the
president as Tafts eXoneration of the
secretary from the charges Of L. r.
CLAWS and authorizing the dismissal
of CLAWS from his position as special
agent of the interior department M
Resembles Taft Letter.
This draft by Lawler, was deliver
ed this afternoon to the Ballinger-
Pinchot committee and ordered
spread upon the records of the in
vestigation. A careful comparison
of the Lawler draft with the letter of
the president shows that Taft did
adopt practically verbatim two short
paragraphs of LAWYERS language. The
substance of the two documents other
wire. are widely dissimilar.
The subject was on every tongue
tonight in Washington. where al
most every man. woman and child is
bitterly either a Ballinger or Pinchot
partisan. The thing came to a head
today in the publication of a state
ment attributed to Frederick w
Kerby. one of the stenographers in
the office of Balinger, in which Ker-
by related at length the circumstances
under which he alleged the I4awlel
draft had been prepared.
Preliminary Drafts Burned.
i Kerby asserted further that all OF
the preliminary drafts used in the
preparation of the letter, were burned
in the CRATE in the interior depart
ment at a suggestion and under the
supervision of Don A. Carr. Balling.
er's private secretary.
Kerby drew the inference that the
Lawler draft had been adopted by
the president essentially as his own
and that Ballinger and his legal ad.
visor had therefore virtually prepared
the exoneration which Taft had issued
over his own signature.
i All Hands in Defense.
j 1t was furthsr pointed out both a.
the White house and by Wickershan
himself, that a comparison of the
Lawler draft and the presidents let
ter, would show that the Inference
of the Kerby statement was unwar.
ranted. Wickersham alluded to the
practice common in the government
departments. of subordinates prepar.
ing letters and documents for IN,
consideration of their superiors and
their use by them in whole or il
part, as they might see At.
Ballinger and Lawler were in con
ference a long time this afternoon
with Wickersham. While they wer,
so engaged at the department o.
, justice, a messenger was sent for &
copy of a newspaper containing tn,
: Kerby statement.
Ballinger Pccvcd.
When Ballinger emerged from tn
conference he showed signs of angr!
concern. but declared vehement!
that there is nothing to be ashamed
Of" Ballinger and Kerby had gon'
off on a vacation today.
NO" be added in reply to n ques
ton. che has not been discharged"
He said this with a grim smile. At
torney General Wickersham declared
, that II is obvious that Lawler die
? not prepare the letter signed h.
President Taft. Compare the lette
! written by Lawler with that writer
by the president" said Wickersham
land YOU will readily recognize tn
fact that there is only one claus
which in a measure. the presiden
, adopted
Only Suggested Form.
a..
missal of CLAWS" he said. in respons
? to a further questioning. that MI
Lawler had prepared what might b
+ termed a suggested form of the lette
which the president could adopt /
: he saw fit-a practice of every da
] occurrence in the executive depart
ment of the government"
Wickersham said that he preferre
not to discuss the matter as it woul
be manifestly improper for him TO d
SO before he had seen the president
Wickersham to Rescue.
Almost simultaneously with tn
publication of the Kerby stateme
Attorney General Wickersham sent {
the Ballinges- investigator
: committee. then in session, a copy {
e the Lawler draft. accompanied by
n letter to Chairman Nelson. in whic
e Wickersham declared the documer
d had been overlooked in sending til
= papers requisitioned by the commit
: tee at the request of Attorney Bran
= deis.
Il The publication of the Kerby state
: ment evoked from the white house
e statement declaring that there va
: absolutely no foundation" for III
d statement that the presidents lettC
= of September 10. 1909, was substar
: TALLY prepared for the president