The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-07

M and Solicitor McCabe, similar Tn many fe- spects to the recently concluded McCabe- A,nev controversy, but which embraces charges of suppressed reports and iniu- Al ence of land spectators over government 4 officials, is 10 be instituted by the House a committee on expenditures in the agi:- q culture department
 Has Been Brewing
 Circumstances smoudering for months relating to exploitation of Florida ever gades lands, millions of acres of which have been sold throughout the country by syndicates in the past few years, burst N into a flame before the committee today # after the summary dismissal from govern- VI ment service by Secretary Wilson last Saturday of c. G. Elliott, chief engineer of the drainage division of the depart ment, and Assistant Engineer A. D. More house and the suspension of E. E. Single Aton an accountant, on a technical charge of transference of public funds
 Representatives Charges
 Representatives Frank Clark of Florida and E. R. Bathriek of Ohio, who have h. stigated the investigation, charged before the congressional committee today that officials of the department had been in- flneneed by Florida everglade land pro motors in the suppression of a report on the condition of the lands made by the drainage department; that Chief Engineer Elliott was threatened by agents of the land promoters unless he would revise a circular letter to the public which did not contain laudatory references to tue land they were selling; and that upon his refusal the circular and a subsequent more detailed report was suppressed by the order of Secretary Wilson and that later Engineers Elliott and Moorehouse were removed from office.
 McCabe Also Implicated Solicitor McCabc, who was called oe- fore the House committee, denied today that the dismissal of the department or iieials was iA any Nay caused by FLO. ida land case, and declared that The ac- | tion was taken following charges that the | dismissed men had misapplied funds All l the papers relating to this feature of the l case he turned over to the department or Justice for possible prosecutions.
 In this connection it is charged by Rep resentative Clark that Elliott was assured that there would be no prosecution of the charges against him if he would keep still'' about the actions in the depart ment on the Florida land investigation.
 Wilson Withheld Order
 Representatives Clark and Bathrick as- serted today that they would show be- fore the committee that the order dis missing the men did rot come from Sec retary Wilson until after 1t had become certain that the House committee was planning to make an inquiry and Repre- Tyufl ri before the committee in executive session last Saturday. few hours later the letters were issued dismissng the two drainage officials and suspending Singleton.
 The charges involving the dismissed men were reported to have been made to So- lcitor McCahe recently by ]. O. Wright, former subordinate of Elliott, but at present chief engineer of the board of trustees of the international improvement fund of the state of Florida. Wright made Il favorable report on the Ever gle de lands and soon afterward resigned from office to enter the employ of the state of Florida
 McCabe Has Papers
 Solicitor McCabe told the committee that all reports and papers bearing on the Everslade case had been collected by the department and would be turned over to the committee for it's investigation. The department he said welcomed the inyesti- gation. He declared further that the reason Secretary Wilson had ordered that the report on the Everglades be not printed was because the engineers in the dranage department were so at variance in the matter. When asked why new investigation was not instituted in view of thfs situation and Tn view of public demand for information, Mr. McCabe told the committee that the state of 1slorida by that time had taken the mat
 tfta,, fr uuirX-
 Wilson Will Be Witness
 Representative Clark said today that Eecretary Wilson would be summoned as
 witness and he would be asked con rernine an interview he had with the Florida representative some time ago in which the secretary is said to have ad- nitted that he had suppressed the report hn the F,yerglade lands. MT. Clark ,ha,.es this was done at the request of he land companies. He said that to- .ether with four Florida citizens he called ,n Secretary Wilson to ask why the re- nort was suppressed. one or these men vas w. R. Hardee of Jensen, Fla. Who recently made a statement that secre- ary Wilson said;
 .I am not running this office tor he nrotection of fools who do not now any better than to buy something hat they never saw and do not know nything about
 This statement, Mir. Hardee declared Eecretary Wilson made to MT. Clark imself and to others when they Vis- ted him. Hardee also will be sum- 1oned
 Clark Outlines Charges
 Before the House committee today sepresenta tive Clark outlined the harges, stating that in 1907 the com nittee was flooded with requests from eopIe regarding the condition of Flor la everglade lands which syndicates Fere exploiting. J. O. Wright and a orps of engineers from the drainage apartment were sent to Florida by hief Engineer Elliott to make a sur fv and to compile complete report
 ,e. according to Representative
 Ike, began the trouble that has led
 ehe present controversy.
 part of the evidence submitted to te House committee is. copy of 8
 tier written by MT. Elliott to Secre-
 ry Wilson last November. In this le engineer set forth the whole his bry of the case and asserted that he
 as threatened by agents of the land ealers when he refused to alter ol
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