The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-02-09
SECRETARY WILSON
FACES NEW INQUIRY
Another Investigation Of Department
OF Agriculture to be Made.

tigation of the department of agricul-
iure, involving orders of Secretary
Wilson and the McCabe-Wiley contro-
versy and embracing charges OF sup
pressed reports and influence OF land
spectators over government officials
is to be Instituted by the house COM
mittee on expenditures in the agrl-
cultural department.
l.. Circumstances, smoulderlng TOR
months, relating to explorations OF
FLORIDA Everglade lands, millions of
cres of which have been sold
Iroughout the country by syndicates
the past few years, burst into
fame before the committee today, fol-
lowing the summary dismissal from
government service by Secretary Will
son last Saturday of C.. G. Elliott
chief engineer of the drainage divis-
ion, of the department, and A. D.
hOt1ouOuSS, dSSlSI<+AL SuS4A0V4, oAo
the suspension of F. E. Singleton, as
assistant, on a technical charge OF
transference of public funds.
Influenced by Promoter.
Representative Frank Clark, of
Florida, and E. R. Batherrick, of Ohio,
who have instigated the Investigation,
charged before the congressional
committee today that officials of the
department Of agriculture had been
influenced by Florida Everglade land
promoters in the suppression of a re-
port on the condition Of the lands
made by the drainage department.;
! that Chief Engineer Elliott was threat
hsned by agents of the land promoters
Iless he would revise circular let
to the public, which did not con-
Mandatory references to the lands
we're selling, and that upon his
1sal the circular and subsequent
more detailed report we're suppressed
by the order of Secretary Wilson and
that later Engineer Elliott and Moore
house were removed from Office.
MeCabe Denies It
Solicitor MeCabe, who was called
before the house committee, denied
today that the dismissal of the depart
ment officials was in any way caused
by the Florida land case and declared
that the action was taken following
charges that the dismissed men had
misapplied funds. All the papers re-
lating to this feature Of the case were
, turned over to the department of JUS
tice Thursday for possible prosecution.
In this connection it is charged by
Representative Clark that Elliott was
assured that there would be no prose-
cution of the charge against him If
he would keep still'' about the ac-
tions in the department on the Flor
ida land investigation.
Representative Clark and Bathrick
asserted today that they would show
before the committee that the order
dismissing the men did not come from
Secretary Wilson until after it had
become certain that the house COM
mittee was planning to make an In
quiry and Representative Bathrick had
appeared before the committee IN
executive session last Saturday, A
few hours later the letters were issued
dismissing two drainage officials and
suspending Singleton.
Author OF Charges.
The charges involving the dismiss
ed men were reported to have been
made to Solicitor McCabe recently by
J. O. Wright, former subordinate OF
Elliott, but at present chief engineer
of the board of trustees Of the internal
improvement fund of the State of Flor
ida. Wright made a favorable report
upon the Everglade lands and soon
afterward resigned from Office to en-
ter the employ of the State of Flor
ida.
Solicitor McCabe told the committee,
that all reports and papers bearing
on the Everglades case had been col
lected by the department and would
be turned over to the committee for
its investigation.
The department, he said, welcomed
the Investigation. He declared fur
ther that the reason Secretary Will
son had ordered that the report on
the Everglades be not printed was