Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1913-06-22
TIED HIS HANDS
So HE RESIGNED
u. 5. ATTORNEY At SAN FRAN
CISCO SENDS RESIGNATION
10 THE PRESIDENT.
makes Serious CHARGE
Claims He Has Been Superseded In
Cases Touching High Officials
Of the Government.

SAN FRANCISCO. June ELL. S.
District Attorney McNab today an
nounced today that he had resigned.
In long telegram to President VIII
son, McNab says that he feels forced
TO resign because of orders from the
attorney general tying his hands in
the prosecution of the Diggs-Camin-
etti white slave cases, and tho indlct-
ments against officials Of the West
ern Fuel company. He says he had
orders to postpone action In the case
received by telegraph yesterday, in
spite Of his protest and statement to
the attorney general that efforts to
tamper with government witnesses in
the cases had been made.
Maury Diggs, former state archi-
tect, and Andrew Camlnetti, a son
Of former State Senator Camlnetti,
who recently was appointed commits
sioner OF immigration by President
Wilson, eloped to Reno, Nevada, last
winter with two school girls, leaving
their wives and families behind them.
They were brought back to Califor-
MIA and indictments were found
against them under the Mann white
slave act
The message to the president fol.
lows
Woodrow Wilson,
president of United States,
washington, C.
81 have the honor to tender my
resignation as United Sattes attorney
for the northern district OF Califor-
MIA, to take effect Immediately. | am
ordered by the Attorney general,
over my protest, to postpone until
autumn the trials of Maury Diggs
and Andrew Caminetti, indicted for
a hideous crime which has ruined
two girls and shocked the morals Of
the entire country, and this after
have advised the department Of JUS
tce that attempts had been made to
corrupt the government witnesses,
and friends for the defendants are
publicly boasting that the wealth and
political prominence of the defen-
dants relatives will cause my hand
to be stayed through influence at
Washington
"In these cases, two girls were
taken from cultured homes. bullied
and frightened into going into a for
eign state and were ruined and de-
bauched by the defendants, who
abandoned their wives and infants to
commit the crime.
"On receipt of the attorney gen.
erals telegram, l prepared my resig.
nation, to take effect at the end OF
the Western Fuel Directors and the
J. C. Wilson stock broker cases,
both of which I had initiated, and
which 1 wished to bring to a success
full conclusion. Before l could send
my resignation l received another
telegram from the department, Or
dering me to postpone the case
against certain defendants of the
Western Fuel company and not to
try them unless ordered by the de-
partment.
In bitter humiliation of spirit, !
| have heretofore Indignantly refus.
ed to believe. namely, that the de-
partment of justice is yielding to in
huence which viii criple and de-
stroy the usefulness of this office.
cannot consent to occupy this posi-
ton is mere automan and have the
guilt or innocence and powerful de-
PENDANTS which have been indicted
by unbiased grand juries on over
whelming evidence, determined in
Washington on representations on
behalf Of the defendants without no
tice to me.
II am unable to convey to the de-
partment the understanding of the
serious situation in which the action
will leave this office. If the depart
ment in future has to review the
findings OF grand juries and nullity
their indictments, then this Office
might as well be abolished, for its
functions will have ceased to exist.
Neither my sense of honor nor
public duty can permit me thus to
destroy the prestige of this office.
with profound respect and regret
that such step is necessary. have
the honor. in view Of my absolute in
ability to agree with the department,
to ask that l be, by wire, immedl-
ately relieved from duty, In order
that the department OF justice may
be permitted to carry out It's policy
in these cases without future obstruc-
tion by me. (Signed)
JOHN L. M'NAB."