The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-05-16
.KERbY DISMISSED
BY. MR.. bALLINGER
Special Letter Declares STEM
ographer Unworthy to Re-
main in Service
LAWLER MEMORANDUM
EXPLAINED BY TAFT
President Admits Attorney Pre-
pared Draft of Generating
Document, But Says He
Altered it.

Frederick N. Kerby vas dismissed
from the government service to-day
by q special delivery letter sent to his
home and signed by Secretary OF the
Interior Bailinger. It stated that he
was dismissed because he was "un-
worthy to remain In the service.
The letter read as follows:
'Sir,-You are hereby discharged
from the public service because you
are unworthy to remain in 1t.
I'm divuiging Information obtained
by you In the confidential relations of
stenographer to the Secretary OF the
Interior: IN communicating with In
formation to those whom you are
bound to know are wrongfuily seek
ing to bring reproach upon the ad-
m~inistration n to fnJure me. and In
deliberately misstating material facts
as to what you did treacherously conn.,
munieate, you show that you are UNI
worthy and u%nfaithfu1. The fact that
your treachery is futile cannot miti-
gate the character OF your offense.
For the good of the service o are
hereby dismissed.
Respectfully,
"R. A. BALLfSGER."
After receiving the letter Kerby
said:
The letter Diminishing me was not
unexpected. OF course, when is
sued my statement / realized that the
secretary would take some such &C
ton.
In fact. l am relieved. as I nat
uraiiy did not are to work in the
department under existing conditions.
A to the charges which Secretary
Balliuger makes against me, ! am
willing to leave that to the judg-
of the people of the country.
Whether / acted treacherousIy OF
periodically Is a matter for the pub
lie to decide. and i am entiraly Ger
tain that their verdict Is in my favor.
A any rate. ! think that Secre-
tary RaitinEeF il mot an excellent
Judge Of ethics"
Z consfder President Taft.s letter
to Chairman Nelson. OF the congress
sional investigating committee, px-
planning the circumstances of the
preparation OF the Lawler
dunn. a v~indication of my statement
and a substantiation of my story in
every particular"
This was the comment Of Fred
erick NJ. Kerby. Secretary Raiiingers
stenographer. to-day on the latest
phase OF the developments attending
the publication of his sensational
GthNGii1CitF
Kerby declined to make any fur
sher statement, declared that he
would have nothing to say until he
takes the witness stand.
His leave OF absence expires to-
morrow morning, and he then will
report for duty at Secretary Ballin-
gers Office. Kerby Is In the civil
service and it lis said he will not
Ne discharged, but will be trans
ferred."
No intimation could be obtained
to-day as to where he is likely to
be sent. He might be discharged
for violating the executive order pro-
hibiting any subordinate in a depart
ment from giving out information.
This was the rule used in the case
OF Mr.. Pinchot- 1t Is said. however,
that this method will not be employed
in the Ease of Kerby.
President Taft Steps In.
President Taft to-day stepped into
the center OF the Bailinger-Pinchot
Investigation arena, following the
publication of his letter to Senator
Nelson admitting and explaining his
use Of the now famous "Iawler draft"
prepared by the assistant attorney
! general of the interior department ex-
o~nerating Secretary Ballinger.
The President in his letter says
Ihat-he- ordered Bawier- to frame a
letter. and says he told him just what
views he wished set forth. He also
says he told Lawler 10 write the let
ter "as II he were President"
Mr.. Taft contends. however, that
his instructions to LAWYER were given
efter he had thoroughly reviewed the
documents submitted by the Interior
l Nrorrnrt nf1afnfn IN fhntr 1aFanuc
and thai his use of the Lawier uraft
was confined to q few paragraphs ION
general subjects"
President Taft's letter says, in part:
mfr. Ballinger was at Seattle, but
| upon receipt of the charges he came
to Washington to prepare his answer.
On Monday. September 6. Mr.. Ballin-
ger reached Beverly. accompanied by
! Mr.. LAWYER, the assistant attorney
| general OF the department u jus
tice. assigned III the Interior ds3.irr-
ment. Mr.. Ballinger sent to my
| house on that day the answers OF
he various persons concerned. to-
Rether with. q voluminous record of
exhibit. l had a conference with him
the evening the csy he came. Sep
| tcmber G, and then on the day fol-
| lowing evening, September Z. = talk
| ed over the charges with Mr. Bal
finger the first evening, mi asked
such q~queQsutions as suggested them
selves, without snttmating any Goa
| ciusion, and said that l would ex-
anime the answers and the record
and would see him the next day.
Sat Up Until 3 O'Clock.
sat ZIP until 3 e.efeek that night
, reading the answers and exhibits, so
that At my next conference / was