The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1911-08-04

the delegate from Alaska-the house
committee on judiciary decided late
Monday that it had no power to do
but report the evidence to
the house. 1t will report early today
Delegate Wickersham's resolution,
calling on the attorney general to
furnish all the papers and data bear
ing on the alleged frauds in connection
with government coal contracts.
The committee will not recommend
that the house investigate Delegate
Wickershams charges that Attorney
General Wickersham has shielded and
protected Alaska syndicate crimi-
nails"
In a hearing enliyened with frequent
and bitter clashes between the two
Wiekershams, it developed that the
delegate from Alaska had offered his
lega services in 1908 to the Guggen-
helm interests in the Northwestern
Commercial company, for salary of
$4,000 a year and the maintenance of
office headquarters in Seattle.
'Were you ever in the employ of the
Guggenheim interests?" asked Repre-
sentative Sterling of Illinois.
Never" said Delegate Wickersham.
Did they ever seek to employ you?"
yes" said the delegate, stephen
Burch wrote to me in 1908 and asked
If would take a position as counsel
for the Northwestern Commercial
company"
"What did you say?" asked Mr.. Ster-
ling.
Il said would take place as their
counsel for an annual salary of $751;
900, they to equip offices in Seattle"
said Mr.. Wickersham. after / an
swered the letter nothing more was
said about it and they employed other
attorneys. II they had paid me what
/ asked | would have been their attor-
ney and think that would have saved
them a whole lot of trouble"
"9ow?" asked Representative Little
ton of New York.
Through my advice to them to keep
away from criminal practices
The Alaskan delegate renewed his
statements that the attorney general
had shielded and protected breakers
of the law who represented the Gug-
genheim interests in Alaska. Mem
bers Of the judiciary committee fre-
quently called upon him to prove state
ments he made, and in somecases chal-
lenged the efficiency of his proof.
The delegate charged that federal
officials in Alaska had been bribed.
Representative Howland Of Ohio de-
manded that he prove that statement
81 will before finish" declared the
delegate.
The delegate discussed the attitude
of the attorney general on the charges
of coal frauds, on which he said he
had submitted proof to the attorney
generals department in 1908.
do you believe that the evidence
you have submitted is proof that the
attorney general shielded these peo-
ple?" asked Representative Littleton
of New York (democrat).
81 do, don't your"
Il do not" Littleton emphatically
declared.
Several members Of the judiciary
committee objected to the wide range
of Delegate Wickersham's testimony.
"IIis charges against the attorney
general were publicly made, "dsaid Mr.
Littleton, 'and the failure or success
of his attempt to prove his charges
ought to be just as public
Attorney General Wickersham de-
clared that the Alaskan delegates
charges called for vigorous denial from
the government officials.
"He has seen fit to make charges
against me which it was his duty to
prove before this committee if he can
do So" said the attorney general. "and
submit to the committee that he has
not proved his statements"
The Alaskan delegate repeatedly
criticised the officials of Alaska. said
the Guggenheims "owned the govern
ment" there. and made general charges
of the officials being influenced by
them.
He sought to prove that United
States Marshal H X. Love had ex-
torted money from his deputy mar
shals by making them divide the
graft" contained in the profit from
boarding prisoners. The government
allows So per day for each prisoner.
Attorney General Wickersham pro-
duced two official reports to show that
the whole matter had been inyestigat-
ed, and the system of taking profit out
of the prisoners per diem allowance