Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-06-27
#istsllausa''s gsadins.
THE CALIFORNIA CASE
President Deals With the Matter With
Frankness.

| ter's resignation, the form Of which
| the president characterized as ''an in
excusable intimation Of injustice and
| wrongdoing" on the part Of Attorney
General McReynolds. In a. letter to
the attorney general, the president ex-
onerated him from blame and adopted
Mr.. McReynolds' suggestion that the
Caminetti- -Diggs and the Western Fuel
company cases be prosecuted immedi-
ately by special counsel for the gov
| ernment.
White House officials announced
that the president would confer with
the attorney general tomorrow, about
the appointment of special prosecutors
and that the president had in mind
Francis ]. Heney, progressive Repub-
lican who prosecuted the San Francis
co graft trials; Mat J. Cullivan, DEM
ocrat, who assisted Mr.. Heney in the
trials, and Thomas Hayden, Democrat,
former assistant district attorney In
San Francisco. It was said that at
least two Of these three men and pos
sibly all, would be selected to take
charge not only Of the Caminetti-D -Diggs
white slave cases, but the Western
Fuel company cases.
Developments were rapid during the
day in the situation which was pre-
cipitated by kilograms of Mr.. McNab
on Saturday, to the president and the
attorney general, accusing the latter
of yielding to rich and powerful infiu-
ences" in ordering postponement Of
these cases, the father Of one Of the
defendants being Antony Caminetti,
commissioner general of immigration.
The subject absorbed the cabinet
meeting today and tonight the presi-
dent came to his office to make public
the full correspondence. First, the
president telegraphed Mr.. McNab as
follows:
Washington, D. c., June "a, 1918.
John l.. McNab, Esq, San Francis
CO, Calf.
II greatly regret that you should
have acted so hastily and under SO
complete misapprehension Of the actu-
al circumstances but since you have
chosen such q course, and have given
your resignation the form Of an mex
cusible intimation Of injustice and
wrongdoing on the part Of your supe-
| rior, I release you without hesitation
and accept your resignation to take
effect at once.
WOODROW WILSON,"
Attorney General McReynolds' state
ment that he ordered postponement
Of the cases as an ordinary procedure
In criminal trials without anticipating
that "any fair minded man" would at
tribute "a malign motive" to him was
acknowledged by the president In his
letter:
June "a, 1918.
my dear Mr.. Attorney General:
ALLOW me to acknowledge with sim
cere appreciation your letter of today,
giving me full account Of the way In
which the department Of justice has
| dealt with the Diggs- -Caminetti and
the Western Fuel company cases,
pending in California and transmitting
the documents connected with the two
cases necessary for their elucidation.
81 am entirely satisfied that the
course you took in both the cases was
prompted by sound and impartial judg-
ment and a clear insistence for what
was fair and right.
Il approve your course very heartily
and without hesitation. But I agree
with you that what we may think Of
| what has been done, does not relieve
| us of the obligation to press these
cases with the utmost diligence and
energy.
81 approve very heartily Of your sug-
gestion that, in the circumstances,
special counsel be employed, the best
that we can obtain.
II will be very glad to confer with
you about the selection. hope that
you will do this without delay. I am
very glad indeed that you are giving
your personal attention to the imme-
date and diligent prosecution of the
cases which I agree with you In re-
gard as of serious importance from
every point of view.
Sincerely yours,
WOODROW WILSON,"
Responding to instructions from the
attorney general for detailed report
| of the Diggs and Caminetti cases and
| to take no affirmative action until fur
ther advised by the department of JUS
tice, the attorney general said United
| States Attorney McNab sent a report
received on May q. In this report, he
added, McNab details a version of the
acts with his differences therefrom and
| expresses the opinion that the case
was aggravated and should be Vigor-
ously prosecuted; also that there might
be attempts to interfere with the due
course of justice by improper inf1u-
ences."
On the day the report was received.
the attorney general telegraphed Nc
Nab as follows:
II think the proper course Is for you
to set the cases and proceed with them
J as you have planned, and you are so
directed"
Continuing, the attorney general
said:
II had no occasion to give the mat
ter any further special consideration
for some three weeks-June 1S-when
Secretary Wilson telephoned to me
and told me Of the embarrassment In
which he was placed by the request
from the elder Caminetti, father OF
one of the defendants, for leave Of alb
sence in order to attend the trial OF
his son. The elder Caminetti, as you
know. is the newly appointed commits
sioner of immigration. The secretary
| explained the exigencies Of his depart
ment which he thought imperatively
required the presence here Of the COM
missioner. He has written me letter
stating his recollection Of the circum-
stances and I herewith enclose It."
McNab in Open Rebellion.
San Francisco, June 24.-While i'm