The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-06-25

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of certain defendants and then ORDER
ing that those defendants be relieved
from prosecution.
s"The defendants who have been
thus selected by the attorney general
rs marks of mis- peculiar favor were
indicted on the same evidence miro
duCed against all other de1enddntS-
For an administrative offlcer thus 10
single out certain defendants and re
fuse to permit them to be tried is 70
overthrow and destroy all esta blished
precedent and law; il is an attempt 10
subvert the powers of the tederai
grand jury to make the attorney gen
eraI the substitute for the courts and
TO destroy the usefulness of the United
States attorneys office.
Wilson Censures McNab.
Washington, June 25.-President Will
son has teIegraphed United States Dis
tr1ct Attorney John l.. McNab. of San
Francisco. accepting the latter's resig-
nation the form of which the president
characterized an 'inexcusable 1ntlma-
ton of injustice and wrongdoing on
the mart of Attorney General Mercy
nolds. In a letter to the attorney gem
eral the president exonerated him
from blame and adopted Mr.. Mercy
noIds' suggestion that the Camlnetu-
Diggs ard the Western Fuel company
cases be prosecuted immediately by
correspondence Public.
The president made public the full
correspondence. First, the president
telegra pied Mr.. McNab as follows:
Washington. June "a, 1913.
.John L. McNab, San Francisco:-I
greatly regret that you should have
scted so hastily and under so COM
nIete MISREPRESENTATION of the actual
circumstances, but since you have
chosen such a course, and have given
your resignation the form of an in
excusabIe intimation of injustice and
vrong-doing on the part of your su-
perior. I release you without hesita-
ton, and accept your resignation, 10
take effect at once.
(Signed) WOODROW WILSON.
Explanation Weak.
Attorney General McReynolds' state
ment that he ordered postponement
of the cases as an ordinary procedure
in criminal trials, without anticipat-
ing that any fairminded man. would
attribute "a malign motive" to him,
was acknowledged by the president in
this letter:
INV Dear Mr.. Attorney General
Allow me to acknowledge with sincere
anpreciation your letter of today. Civ
ing me A full account of the way in
which the department of justice has
dealt with the Diggs-Caminetti and
the Western Fuel company cases, pend
ing in California, and transmitting the
documents connected with the two
cases necessary for their calculation.
am entirely satisfied that the course
you took in both these cases was
prompted by sound and impartial judg
ment and a clear instinct for what was
fair and right.
Push Cases Now.
"I approve your course very hearth
" and without hesitation. But 1 agree
with you that what we may think of
What has been done does not relieve
us of the obligations to press these
cases with the utmost diligence and
energy. I approve very heartily of
your suggestion that. in the circum-
stances, special counsel be employed, |
the ablest that we can obtain. 1 will
be very glad to confer with you about
the selection. I hope that you will do
this without delay. / am very glad, |
indeed, that you are giving your per-
sonal attention to the immediate and
diligent prosecution of the case, which
agree with you in regarding as of
serious Importance from every point
of view. Sincerely yours.
(Signed) WOODROW WILSON"
Secretary Wilson Explains.
Besides the attorney generals letter
to the president, the White House
gave out a letter written to Mr.. Nc
Reynolds by Secretary Wilson of the |
d apartment of la bor. in which the |
latter declared that Anthony Camin- |
ETH asked for leave of absence to at
tend the trial of his son before he