The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-08-16
DR.. WILEY IS HEARD.
Head of Chemistry Bureau Testifies in
His Own Behalf.

! Washington, Aug. 16.-Dr. Harvey
! Wiley, head of the government chem
/ istry bureau and central figure IN the
agricultural department pure food
controversy before the house investi-
eating committee, today branded as
false a statement of the personnel
board, which recommended him for
dismissal
He told how DR.. F. L. Dunlap, asso-
ciate chief of his bureau, an6 Solicitor
McCabe of the department repeatedly
voted him down in the food and drug
inspection board, of which Wiley was
a member
DR.. Wiley told of meeting of that
board of which he was not notified,
but at which McCabe and Dunlap took
important action He said he found
1t useless to appeal to the secretary of
agriculture and under the circum-
stances he considered DR.. Dunlap his
superior officer. He declared the
charges regarding the Rusby contract
were based on a letter from Rusby
never actually sent to him, an impor-
tant part of which has never been
made public by the personnel board
He said he did not know what charges
had been made against him when he
was called before the departments
personnel board, of whose report his
first intimation was the Invitation to
resign
OlU yOu enter INTO any contract
with Dr. Rusby whereby he was to
work certain number of days?''
asked Representative Floyd.
Il did not
The Rusby letter that never reached
him. he said, explained tn. arrange
ment RuSby had made with Dr.. Bige-
low to work for 81 800 a year under an
irregular time arrangement. DR.. Rus5y
wrote the letter but learned that DR..
Wiley was out of Washing ION and did
not send it. A copy OF it got into the
batch OF correspondence which went
before the personnel board and Il was
cited by the board to show that DR..
Wiley had been informed Of the facts.
DR.. Wiley declared he knew nothing of
the details of the arrane ement with
DR.. Rusby, denied specifi cally that he
had made any contract with Rusby
When summoned before { ne personnel
board he said. he did not know what
they were asking about, because they
did not show him the letter, and h
himself had never received it, seen Il
or heard about it. The next day Dr.
Wiley wrote Assistant Seer -tary Hayes,
a member OF the personnel board, ask
ing what charges had been made against
him and was informed that the Busby
matter had not been presented in The
nature of d charge"
You say you did not find out from
the questioning of the personnel board
what you were charged Wirr.." asked
Representative Floyd.
No. but [ got a good idea, before
they finished, that I was charged with
something
Wiley Heard from Board.
Did you ever receive any commun-
ication from thu personnel board, Civ
ing their fndings?"
''OE, yes, 1 got their final report, Civ :
ing me the privilege of res:gning,'' said
DR.. Wiley with asperity.
Il was greatly obliged to them for
that little courtesy
did you get the report after it had
been sent to the president?''
Yes, and after it had gone to the
attorney general. I won't express any
opinion as to the attorney general .
When the Rusby agreement letter which
the personnel board declared had
never been controverted," was produc-
ed. DR.. Wiley said:
THE letter was never sent to me"
How do you explain the statement
of the personnel board ?"
That statement is false.
Dr. Wiley showed an official letter
from DR. Rusby to Secretary Wilson,
showing that the letter OH which the
personnel board based it's charges had
actually never been sent to DR.. Wiley.
Further than that" sai1 DR.. Wi
ley, 1T is clear that the most import
ant part of the unsent letter which
states the entire Rusty agreement was
subject to the approval of the secre-
tary of agriculture was not made pub
lic.''
''You had nothing to do with making
the agreement with DR.. Rusby?' asked
Mr.. F1oyd.
mo. sir. I never received any cores
pondence or took part in the arrange
ment. 1 asked Dr.. Bigelow to find out
the smallest salary for which Dr.