The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-08-10
HOT WORDS BETWEEN
TWO WIGKERHAMS

WASHINGTON, d. G. - Special. -
The feud between the two Wicker
shams-Deiegate James Wickersham.
OF ALASKA, and Attorney General
Wickersham-came to a climax to-
day, when the delegate appeared be-
ore the House Committee on Judi
.sry 10 make good on his charges
mat the Attorney General had shield
eu and allowed the statute of limita-
tions to run in favor of Alaska syn
dicate agents, who are charged with
defrauding the Government in coal
contracts.
The Attorney General was before
the committee last week and de-
nounced the delegates charges as
absolutely false" He demanded that
The delegate make good" and Dele
gate Wickersham told the committee
nat he would be on hand to prove
his charges.
Considerable bad feeling is. evident
between the two Netherlands Del
egate Wickersham alleges that more
than year ago he placed informa-
ton in the hands of the Attorney
General TO show that the military
posts in Alaska had been defrauded
out Of $4,000. because of a combine
between agents of the Alaska syndi-
cate and the Sesnor Coal Company.
who put in fake bids" afterwards
dividing the coal profits between
them. Attorney General Wickersham
has not acted in the case, although
he told the committee that he was
still investigating" the complaint.
and that he had found no evidence
as yet to justify prosecutions
The Alaska delegate argued that
his original documents had been
placed in the hands of the Attorney
General and that he had recently been
denied access to them.
Challenges Attorney General.
Last week the Attorney General
challenged me to make good my
charges and am here to do so.
though l have not been given an op-
portunity to see the full record of
what the Attorney General has done
Il laid the Douglas affidavit before
the Department in February. 1910. 1t
was not my duty 10 work up the case
against these conspirators. / finally
got an answer from the Attorney Cen
eral in May of 1910, in which the At
torney General said he could not find
any documents at the department."
Having delivered all. the evidence in
my possession to the Attorney General >"
said Delegate Wickersham with the
promise from him and his subordinates
that an earnest investigation and
prompt action Will be had, 1 did not
seek to make that careful inquiry into
all the facts alleged, since that duty
ought to be performed by the Attorney
General. / waited for a year and until
the statute of limitation had run in
many of the matters, for some action
on the part of the Attorney General.
Since there was none 1 introduced this
resolution of inquiry. And now, with
the Attorney General in possession and
control of all the documents necessary
to full explanation of the situation. il
is suggested that the burden be put
upon me of confirming my formal ac-
cusation or Withdrawing it,"
1t seems to me-" added Delegate
Wickersham. from the record in this
case and the law, that the Attorney
General, with fun knowledge of sufi-
Client facts to make a prima facie case
against these two Alaska syndicate con-
spirators. did purposely shield and nro
tect them from prosecution.
Ihat there has been no prosecution
Is plain"