The Washington herald., 1915-08-21

| A charge that the Department OF JUS
tice Of the Wilson administration resort
ed to grand jury tahpering to influence
action toward certain prominent manu-
facturers of arms and ammunition. Is
contained in an article which appeared
| Yesterday in the Philadelphia Public
Ledger
According to the Philadelphia publica-
ton, United States Attorney Morrison, 81
| Arizona, a Taft holdover had obtained
| Indictments against q New York corpora
ton and its officers for alleged open and
fragrant violation of the embargo order
, prohibiting shipment of arms and am
munitions across the border into Mexico
Morrison telegraphed the Department OF
Justice that other indictments were pend
: ing According to the story, which Is
| supported by documentary evidence,
Washington officials strongly advised
against the supplementary indictments
and instructed Morrison to inform the
grand jury of the departments disap-
proval.
| The Public Ledger article says:
Embargo Order Violated.
| Late in September. 1918, there was re-
ceived at the Department of Justice, In
Washington, a somewhat disquieting let
ter from United States Attorney Morrt-
son, of Arizona, with headquarters at
! Bisbee.
His letter. dated September Is, 1918. in
! formed the Washington officials that the
embargo order was being openly and
E; f1agrantly disobeyed In Arizona.
. Attorney General James c. McRey-
nolds. of President Wilson'S Cabinet, who
has since been appointed Justice OF the
United States Supreme Court. was in
formed by hold-over assistants that Mr..
Morrison was a capable, aggressive and
l;,,l ha aaf
frontier. who was thoroughly informed
upon Mexican matters and had In
charge a large number of important
criminal cases. The judge Of the United
States District Court of Arizona was
william H. Sawtelle, lawyer OF the
highest standing, whose appointment by
President Wilson had been confirmed by
the Senate August IS, 1918, and there were
pending upward of 100 ordinary criminal
cases in the district at this time.
Accordingly. on October 2, 1913, the fol-
lowing letter was sent to Mr.. Morrison:
While the department feels that
there may be some question that the
evidence described by you will prove
sufficient to sustain a successful pros
ecution, your proposed plan of placing
the facts before a grand jury and
bringing to trial any person indicted
in order that the question may be
tudicially determined is approved.
Indictments Reported.
came a telegram from Morrison, filed the
lows: q. Fr ~.
Attorney General,
Washington, D. c.
.Phelps-Dodge Mercantile Company
and two Of its officers. Douglas Hard
ware Company and its general mana
ger and Mexican purchasers indicted
this afternoon. conspiracy to export
munitions Of war two counts: ship
ment with intent to export two
counts. Extremely probable grand
Jury will tomorrow indict Winchester
Arms Company and officers. New
Haven, Conn; Shelton Payne Arms
Company and other large arms deal
ers FL Paso and many others along
the Arizona border.
MORRISON, u. s. Attorney.
There Is two houts' difference In time
between Washington and Phoenix. Grand
juries In Western cities are not very
prompt in getting down to business. 1t
was evident that the United States at
torney of Arizona was on the warpath
and there was no doubt but that he was
both aggressive and independent" He
had already indicted the Phelps-Dodge
Mercantile Company and two OF It's oci-
GERS. so there was no way to undo that
happening. had there been such a desire.
But there were things that this fire.
brand Morrison proposed doing which
could be acted upon. The following tele-
gram was therefore sent to him in time
to reach Phoenix before 10 a. m. October
p, 1918, a memorable day In the Depart
ment of Justice:
United States Attorney.
Phoenix. Arizona.
Telegram received. Department
very doubtful as to propriety indict-
ing Winchester Arms Company or
any of Its officers; this company has
for some time voluntarily furnished
this department with Information az
to shipments arms and anmunitioa