The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-06-28
House Subcommittee on
State Department Affairs
Demands Discharge of
Morrison anc Michael.
IMPLICATED IN THE
PORTRAIT SCANDAL
Prosecution of These Men Is
Not Advised in the Report
Owing to the Statute on
Limitation.

tNational News Association)
Washington. June 2s.--Recommen.
dations that two responsible officials
Of the State Department be discharg'
ed and a severe criticism Of the loose
bookkeeping methods are the striking
features OF the report OF the sub-com-
mittee OF the House which investigat-
ed the Day portrait scandal. Although
the labors of the committee are not
finished. In view of the $500 discrep-
ancy between the amount received by
Artist Rosenthal and that amount paid
on the voucher supposed to cover that
transaction. the dismissal Of Thomas
Morrison, disbursing clerk of the de-
partment. and William Michael. fro
mer chief clerk but now consul at Cal
cutta. is now recommended. The com.
mittee conclusion indicates the $500
was Jointly misappropriated by Mich
ael and Morrison, or individually by
Michael.
Morrison as disbursing officer paid
$2.46O to Michael on a vouched sup
posed to pay for the portrait Of for
mer Secretary of State Day. now asso-
ciate justice of the United States Su-
preme court. The artist. Albert Rossn-
thai OF Philadelphia. testified he recei-
we'd only $3.50 for the painting and Mi
chael had furnished no explanation Of
the disposition OF the $1,000 difference
except to say that II was expended
under the direction Of the secretary Of
state. John Hay, now dead.
Lost Five Years.
The voucher was lost for Ave years
and found some weeks ago on the
floor of the ONCE Of Morrison.
Morrison testified that the chief
clerk OF the department frequently
presented vouchers and that he paid
the portrait voucher merely as rou-
tine matter. The report says: "The
conclusion reached by your commit.
tee seems irresistible that either this
sum Of $1,000 was jointly misappropri-
ated by Michael and Morrison, or in
,dividually by Michael.
michael. who Is now holding the
Irresponsible position Of consulgeneral
at Calcutta, and Morrison, who still
holds perhaps the more responsible
position of distributing clerk of the
state department should have long
since been removed from ONCE and ev-
en- now II is not too late to remove
both Of said officials for the good of
the public service and the integrity
of public onicials."
The report, which Ia voluminous.,
goes over the entire portrait mystery.
which the committee attempted to
clear up ut several hearings. 1t says
In part: "Your committee has not hn-
ished It's labors. but in view Of the
fact that even an amount as small as
$1,000 Ia either unaccounted for or ac-
counted for in n most unreasonable
manner, both officers still holding res
ponsible positions under the federal
authority. It is deemed wise this re-
port should be made with the hope
that executive authority may relieve
the public service Of such officials and
restore to the people confidence in
those who handle public funds and
represent us in important positions
abroad, Your committee deems It un.
necessary TO recommend a prosecution
In view Of the fact that the statute of
limitations has barred whatever Of
Tense may have been committed"