New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-06-22

charged with having defrauded the
government of customs duties on i'm
ported coal, through conspiracy on
tered into with steamship and customs
officials by which weight records were
falsifed. 1t was charged in evidence
placed before the federal grand jury
that this conspiracy had extended over
a long term Of years and cost the gov
eminent hundreds Of thousands of dol
lars.
McNab's message to the President fol-
lows
Woodrow Wilson, President Of the
/ United States Washington. y. G.
Il have the honor to tender my res
ignation as United States Attorney for
the Northern District Of Columbia. to
take effect Immediately. | am ordered
| by the Attorney General. over my pro-
| test, to postpone until autumn the
/ trials Of Maury Digs and Andrew
| Caminetti. indicted for a hideous
crime, which has ruined two girls and
/ shocked the moral sense of the people
]
Of California and this after ! have
/ advised the Department of Justice that
attempts have been made 10 corrupt
/ the government witnesses. and friends
of the defendants are publicly Boosting
! that the wealth and political promi-
hence Of the defendants relatives will
/ procure my hand TO be STAYED through
influence at Washington.
In these cases two girls were taken
| from cultured homes, hullied and
| frightened into going TO foreign
state and were ruined and debauched
/ by the defendants. who abandoned
| their wives and infants to commit the
crime.
"On receipt Of the Attorney Generals
telegram, prepared my resignation, to
/ take effect AZ thu conclusion Of the trial
/ Of the Western Fuel directors and the
/ j. c. Wilson stock brokers cases. both
/ Of which 7 had instituted and which I
wished to bring TO a successful conclu-
sion. BEFORE I could send my resig-
nation received another telegram
! from the department. ordering me 10
/ postpone the case against certain de-
/ PENDANTS Of the Western Fuel Com
pany and not TO try them unless or
dored by the department
Prosecutions lnterfered With.
In bitter humiliation Of spirit l am
compelled TO acknowledge what have
heretofore Indignantly refused to be-
/ lieye-namely. that the Department Of
Justice is yielding TO influence which
/ will cripple and destroy the usefulness
! Of this Office. I cannot consent TO oc-
cupy this position as mere automaton
and have the guilt or innocence Of rich
and powerful defendants who have been
indicted by unbiased grand Jurors on
overwhelming evidence determined IN
Washington on representations on be-
| half Of the defendants without notice
10 me.
'I seem unable TO convey to the de-
partment the understanding Of the Sc
rious situation in which this action
viii leave this Office. If the department
I'm future has to review the findings OF
grand juries and nullify their indlct-
ments. then this office might as well
be abolished for It's functions will have
ceased to exist
Neither my sense Of honor nor pub
lie duty can permit me thus TO destroy
the prestige Of this Office
With profound respect and regret
that such a step is necessary, l have
the honor. in view OF my absolute in
ability 10 agree with the department
10 ask that be by wire Immediately
relieved from duty in order that the
Department Of Justice may be permit
ted 10 carry out its policy in these
cases without future obstruction by me.
JOHN /. MNAB."
The message TO Attorney General Nc
REYNOLDS is similar in import
Il am profoundly convinced, It says,
that the action taken will destroy the
prestige and ruin the usefulness Of this
Office and result in the ultimate escape
from punishment Of certain Of these
defendants. I have notified you that 1t
is publicly charged in this state that
the prosecution OF the Diggs- Caminetu
cases would be stopped by appeals to
Washington. In the mean time cor
ruption and subornation Of perjury will
weaken and destroy the cases long be-
fore autumn is here"
Baltimore. June 21.-"A Republican
District Attorney has resigned and
am shedding no tears" was the only
comment Attorney General McReynolds
would make when told that United
States Attorney John L. McNab' OF
California. had sent his resignation to
the President.
| WARDEN KENNEDY 0USTED
Riley Removes Tammany Man