The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-23
Secretary Wilson Takes Full
Responsibility for Post
pOnement of Case
M'NAB'S RESIGNATION
WILL BE ACCEPTED
United States Attorney Declares "Rich
and Powerful Influences Work
ing to Defeat Prosecution in
the White Slave Cases

Washington, June % Secretary Will
son of the department of labor tonight
took fun responsibility for the post
ponement of trial in the Diggs- Cam
inetti case, the basis of sensational
yesterday by United States Attorney
John L. McNab of San Francisco with II
request that his resignation he ac-
cepted at once.
In signed statement Secretary VIII
son said:
Tho Attorney General postponed
trial in the Diggs-Caminetu case sole
ly upon ms request. | am, therefore, re-
seonsible for the postponement. Mr.. \.
Caminetti has but recently assumed the
duties of commissioners general of inn
migration. He has not yet fully IA
miliarized himself with the duties of
the office. lie asked me for leave OF
absence in order that he might return
to California to be present at the trial
of his son. | insisted that he remain
here until he was sufficiently acquaint-
ed with the duties of the position of
commissioner general to be able 20
properly inspect the immiSrations sta
tions at Pacific ports when he returned
to California. |, therefore suggested
that | would ask the Attorney General
to postpone the trial of the case until
the next term of court 1t is nothing
unusual for the district attorney of
that or any other district or the At
torney General to grant postpone
ment Of trial in such cases when an
immediate trial would seriously incon-
venience the other party.
"The suggestion and the request came
from me purely in the interest of the
public service"
Washington. June 22.-The resignation
of United States Attorney John l.. Nc
Nab of San Francisco, wired yesterday
to President Wilson with sensational
charges that Attorney General Mickey
nolds had directed delays which threat
ened to defeat justice in certain criminal
prosecutions, win be accepted promptly
That was the only information from the
White House today on the situation.
The cases are those of Maury /. Diggs
and Drew G. Caminetu of San Francisco
indicted under the white slave law; and
officials OF the Western Fuel company IL
dicted for conspiracy to defraud the Gus
toms. Caminetti is a son of Anthony
Caminett. recently appointed commits
soner general of immigration.
McNab, a republican holding over from
the last administration, charged thai
rich and powerful influences were
working to defeat the prosecution. Attor-
ney General McReynoidS was WILING 10
say this much for publication:
There is every intention of prosecuting
all those cases. They will be taken care
of in due time by capable officials. No
interest will suffer by the postponement.
The Attorney General intimated he
might issue formal statement later.
The official version is that when Com
missioner Caminetti applied for leave OF
absence to attend his sons trial. it was
not easy to spare the immigration COM
missioner, for work was pressing and a
postponement was suggested as a way
out of the difficulty. 1t was also said
that the order of postponement was is
sued after subordinate officials Of the de-
partment had investigated
Another version was volunteered by G..
c. Boynton. San Francisco lawyer, as
sociated in other cases with r. r. Devli1
of San Francisco, counsel in the defense
OF Caminetti and Diggs.
Both Devlin and Boynton are to appear
here July |, before secretary Lane In
some timber cases. Boynton in state
ment declared one reason for the post
ponement was to permit Devlin to appear
In Washington, and that McNab had in
formed Devlin that he was agreeable to
the delay