The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-03
PUJO RELUCTANT TO
USE FORCE TO FIND
VIM. c. ROCKEFELLER
Matter Will Be Taken Up
by Committee Today or
Tomorrow
MEMBERS PUZZLED
AS TO METHOD TO USE
Wild Rumors Around Capitol Source
of musement-Physician's Ger
tificate That Oil Magnate Is
I'll Has Been Received

Washington january IA series of
conferences and a vast amount of ref
erence work occupied members of the
House connected with the money trust
investigation today in their efforts to
evolve plan to gain the testimony Of
William Rockefeller. whom the SER
geant at arms of the House has tried in
vain to serve with subpoena since
last June. Meanwhile Sergeant at
Arms Riddell and small army of depu-
ties and private detectives camped
about the New York home of the oil
magnate.
After talking with House leaders and
with Jerry South. chief clerk of the
House, Chairman PIjo of the money
trust committee tonight issued state
nent reviewing the attempts to get the
testimony of Mr. Rockefeller in which
he expressed the hope that it would
not be necessary to exert the full legal
power" of the House to serve subpoenas.
Mr.. Pujo said a meeting OF the commit
tee would be called either tomorrow
or Saturday and the matter would be
taken up formally.
Members Are Puzzled
Members of the committee who went
over the case with Mr.. Pujo, after peer
ing over the precedents under the rules
of the House and the constitution, were
puzzled as to the exact method in which
the House could enforce service of the
committees subpoena. Mr.. Pujo, how
ever, was inclined to believe that the
~-ct that the committee had received,
through attorneys not acting officially,
physicians certificate setting forth
that Mr.. Rockefeller was too i'll to testi-
fy, might be interpreted as an ACCOUNT
ing by the oil magnate that he knew
that the process had been issued for
him. Mr.. Pujo was of the opinion that
the facts in the case could be certified
to the House and an attachment for
Mr.. Rockefeller issued by resolution.
This would allow the sergeant at arms
to seize the witness forcibly.
While the House officials pondered the
question at length a series of wild re-
ports as to proposed plans for getting
the elusive witness were circulated about
the capitol. one scheme rumored was
that the sergeant at arms was about to
employ a woman detective to get to the
missing millionaire. Another was that
an attack in force was to be made by
the deputies stationed about the Rookie
feller home. Still another was that the
military authorities would be called on
for assistance Members of the COM
mttee laughed at the fantastic rumors
and continued to scan their law books.
The sergeant at arms and his squad of
assistants will be kept on duty in New
York in the hope that Mr.. Rockefeller
may voluntarily accept service or that
he can be reached by strategy.
Pujo's Statement
with reference to the attempts to
serve Mr.. William G.. Rockefeller with
. subpoena to appear before the commit
tee," said Chairman Pujo, in his state
ment tonight, II merely want to say
that at my request subpoena in due
form was issued under the signature of
the Speaker of the House of Represen-
tatives, Champ Clark, and by authority
of law some time last June Notwith-
standing repeated efforts, the sergeant at
arms and his force have been unable
to make service. Not long since GER
tificate was sent to me through the Of
fees Of Judge Elliott of New York city
and was transmitted by James X Jones,
attorney at law of Washington, stating
in substance that Mr.. Rockefellers health
was such to prevent him from COM
ing to Washington to testify as a wit
ness or from testfying. at all. / took
the position that 1 could not consider
the facts stated in the certificate unless
Mr.. Rockefeller was served with a sub
poena unless some one in authority
y accepted service for him. Judge Elliott
\ advised me In writing and l have filed
the letter in the hearings, that he was
merely acting as friend for Mr.. Rookie
feller and was without authority to ac-
cept or waive service for him.
There is no disposition on my part CT
that of the committee to endanger the
life of anyone whose testimony may be
required by the committee, but the state
of ones health is matter of fact to be
ascertained by the committee and cannot
be considered before service or accer-
tance of service.
.Mr. Rockefeller's testimony Is of i'm
portance with relate :, to the subject mat
ter under Investigate y by the committee
acting under the Instructions and au-
thority of the House of Representatives
"Further, counsel for the committee and
offered to go to New York to Mr.
Rockefellers home his offices and
there take his dispositions with his coun-
sci present, at his convenience, If his
state of health was such as to discom-
mode MIN from testifying for only a few
moments at time. This offer has not
been accepted.
THE House of Representatives. of the
United States, through the committee of
the legal power to have process served
upon anyone within the jurisdiction of
the federal government and it Is TO be
hoped that X will not become necessary
to put this force in full motion in order TO
accomplish the desired result"