The Washington herald., 1911-06-19


part Of the total money paid out by
the Department Of Justice for legal as
sistance in a number OF cases-fees
ranging from $sS,S2OS down-was paid
out of special appropriations by Con-
gress for the specific purposes for
which they were disbursed
Following the publication of list of
big fees paid by the Department for
legal assistance, a list Of which was
( transmitted to Chairman Beall, of. the
House committee investigating expendi-
lures in the Department of Justice, the
Department yesterday refused to issue
any formal statement. The Department
takes the attitude tina fuure testimony
before the committee will show that the
letter and spirit of the law was COM
piled with in every instance.
WashingtOnianS Included.
Among the 1Ss people to whom the
Department has paid fees for special
legal assistance, as shown In the list
furnished Chairman Bell. are a number
Of prominent Washingtonians, among
them Peyton Gordon, who received 49,,
sS4. 49 for assistance in certain land fraud
cases.. Jesse C. Adkins who was en-
/
| leak cases and received $i6,6STSS; Nor
gan H. Beach. who received $1,000 for
/ directing condemnation proceedings in
| the acquisition of Meridian Hill for the
government, and Wade H. Ellis, whose
activities In antitrust cases netted him
| $11, ,71773, Secretary of War Stimson's
name appears after the largest item,
$50, ,320.S7, for the prosecution of the sugar
fraud cases.
I In oil 70 Ifof
has been disbursed by the Attorney Cen
eral for special legal assistance in the
last two years. OF this, however, large
| part came from special appropriations
and the remainder from two large funds,
one for the employment of special as
sistants to the Attorney General, mad the
other for the employment of legal as
sistance to insure the enforcement of the
antitrust law.
Chairman Beall, when he received the
list, expressed great surprise that the
department should find need for so much
outside assistance. 1t is pointed out that
practically every big case the depart
ment has been called upon to handle has
involved the employment of outside codn-
sell The size of the fees paid for this
assistance has, in many cases, furnished
what Chairman Beall conceives to be
excellent material for investigation.
some Otner Dig reeB.
Here are some Of the other fees noted
In the list:
Frank B. Kellogg, Union Pacific and
Standard Oil cases. s4s.91713; j. C. Nc
Reynolds, antitrust cases, SIS, ,5IS57; Cor
denio A. Severence, antitrust cases, $2S,-
237.91; B. D. Townsend, land fraud cases,
$24.O1S.32; Winfred T. Dennison, sugar
fraud cases, $25O25; Marion Erwin, Car
Iter-Greene-Gaynor case. $16.435: H. C.
Gauss examining United tSates lands of
the District of Columbia, $10,37227.
Inasmuch as many of the fees were
paid in full or in part from special ap-
preparations by Congress, the department
does not expect to shoulder the larger
part OF any blame for extravaganza the
committee may see fit to attach to the
situation. The committee. on the other
hand, will make the point that, with
an Attorney General, a Solicitor General
an assistant to the Attorney General
large corps of assistant attorneys
general, and the still larger corps of law
clerks, the department should find itself
fully equipped for the work at hand
without calling in so much outside
talent.
Unwilling to Talk.
Because Of strict rule In the depart
ment against talking for publication,
few of those who are still on the pay
roll cared to discuss the matter yester-
day
H c, Gauss, however, stated that the
SIC, 900 mentioned in connection with his
name included two years regular salary
for himself and a stenographer and in
cidental expenses for that time for office
work. Mr.. Gauss is the secretary of a
commission composed of the Attorney
General the SecI etary of War, the
chairmen of the House ard Senate Com
mittees on Public Buildings and Grounds,
and the president of the Board of Ris-
trict Commissioners, which was author
ized by act of Congress to determine the
right Of the United States to certain
parcels of land in the District. Mr..
Gauss said he Is still an employe Of the
Department of Justice. and had been
assigned to these cases by Attorney Gen.
eral Wickersham. His salary Of $500
and a stenographer's salary both come
out of special appropriation for that
purpose.
Jesse c. Adkins, when questioned last
night, said he had received the fee of
SIC, IS for work as outside counsel In |
cuss the matter further.
A. A. Birney, who. according to the |
Attorney Generals list, has received |
$1,000 for work in connection with con-
demnation proceedings directed against |
squares s. and So in the District, said the |
assignment entailed a great amount Of |
work and had taken up the greater part |
of his time for three years IN examining |
papers, establishing titles, and like occu-
pations. Mr.. Birney said he was called |
in from the outside because the District |
attorney had not large enough force
to do the work from his office.
To measure feet for custom-made /
shoes, a Massachusetts man has in