The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-08-01
t w o ickershams of
Government display
Much Feeling.
ALASKAN MAKES
MANY CHARGES
Judiciary Committee Decides
That 1t Has No Power to Do
Anything but Report Evi-
dence in Case to House.
Will Make No Recon-
mendation.

Washington. July 3l.-Followine
seheraI charges and denials between
inc Two Wickershams of the govern
ncnt' the Attorney General and the
delegate from Alaska, the House Com
inittee on judiciary decided late 70.
Gay that 1t had no power to do any.
tnlng but report the evidence TO III.
house. 1t will report. early to-nor-
TOW delegate Wickershams resoiu-
uoh. calling on the Attorney General
TO furnish all the papers and data
bearing on the alleged frauds in con-
nec'ion with government coal con-
tracts
The committee will not recommend
that the House investigate Delegate
Netherlands charges tnat attorney,
General Wickersham has shielded and
protected Alaska syndicate criminals"
In hearing. enlivened by frequent
ana bitter clashes between the two
Nickershams. II developed that the
delegate from Alaska had offered his
regal services in 1905 to the Guggcn-
helm interests in the Nortnwes tern
Commercial Company for a salary of
Sio'oOo year and the maintenance
OF Office headquarters In Seattle
Were you ever In the employ OF
the Guggenheim interests" asked
Representative Sterling. of Illinois
Never" said Delegate Wickersham.
Did they ever seek to employ you ?"
Yes" said The delegate: stephen
Birch wrote 10 me In 1908 and asked
If / would take a position as counsel
for the Northwestern Commercial
Company"
What did you say?" asked Mr.
Sterling.
offered 10 Take Place.
Il said l would take place as their
counsel for an annual salaryiof $4,000
they to equip offices in Seattle" said
Mr.. Wickersham. After answered
the letter nothing more was said
about It and thsS en5pl9yc,l Other az
torneys. II they had paid me what
asked I would have been their at
saved them whole lot OF trouble"
How" 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 Guggen-
helm interests in Alaska. Members OF
the judiciary committee frequently
called upon him to prove statements
nc 0ilH al sumo cases
the efficiency OF his proof.
Attorney General W!ckersham de
clared that the Alaskan delegates
charges called for a vigorous denial
from the government officials
He has seen Mt to make charges
against me which IL was his duty to
prove before this committee II he could
do So said the Attorney General.
and submit to the committee that he
hes not proved his statements"
The Alaskan delegate repeatedly
criticized 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 havl ex-
torted money from his deputy mar
shals by making them divide the
graft" contained in the profit from
boarding prisoners The government
allows IS day for each prisoner.
Attorney General Wickersham pro-
duced two official reports 10 show that
the whole matter had been investigat-
ed and the system of taking profit out
of the prisoners per diem allowance
was fully recognized and considered
form of "legalized graft
Was Bad Practice.
1t was a bad practice and l abolish
ed II as soon as I found out about it,
said the Attorney General, but 1t was
not Illegal"
Delegate Wickersham criticized the
Attorney General because he had not
brought prosecutions on the Cunning
ham coal claims. and the latter retort-
ed that 10 proof had been furnished
him upon which he could proceed.
The delegate declared everybody was
against him in Alaska; that the Taft
administration had taken away his
official patronage, and that the Gug-
genheim interests voted 500 railroad
men illegally in Cardova in m at
tempt to defeat him.