The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-03-25
UNATTENDED, DEBS
GOES TO CAPITAL
FOR CONFERENCE
Discusses Case With Attorney
General and Now on Way
Back to Federal
Prison at Atlanta

ed and without the knowledge of the
public, Eugene v. Debs, imprisoned
socialistic leader, came to Washington
today from Atlanta penitentiary and
for three hours discussed his case with
Attorney Generay Daugherty. The
unprecedented trip of Mr.. Debs was
made with the approval of President
Harding, who recently requested Mr..
Daugherty to review the case of the
socialist leader, and make a recon-
mendation on it.
The Attorney General, in announcing
late today that Debs had visited Wash
ington and was on his way back to the
Atlanta penitentiary, said that while
there was no precedent for calling a
prisoner to Washington without a
guard, 1t had been decided in confer
ence with President Harding that mas
much as Debs had defended himself at
his trial he should come here to an
swer in person such inquiries as the
government desired to ask, Mr.. Daugh-
erty added that he believed he had the
authority to place the prisoner on his
honor and that he had assumed full re-
sponsibility.
ON WAY BACK
Debs arrived in Washington early in
the day. went to the department of jus
tice about s;45 o'clock, conferred with
Mr.. Daugherty and Guy ID. Goff, as
sistant to the Attorney General. from
about 1890 to 1890 O'clock, and left
Washington at $3.50 o'clock on the re-
turn trip to prison. His movements
from the time he left Atlanta yester-
day were kept strictly secret except to
few officials of the department of JUS
tice. For that-reason newspaper men
who gathered late in the day for the
Attorney Generals weekly conference,
gasped and refused for a minute or two
to believe their own ears when they
heard Mr. Daugherty say: Il don't be-
lieve l have much news for you. gem
tlemen, but regarding Debs visit have
had statement prepared" Then with
brief explanation, Mr.. Daugherty gave
out the following statement:
DAUGHERTY STATEMENT
sIn connection with the investiga-
ton of the Debs case, and after confer
ence with the President and with his
approval 1 had Debs come here for the
purpose of making certain inquiries OF
him. He has returned to Atlanta. |
have asked him to refrain from saying
anything for publication or otherwise
regarding the subject of the inquiries
niads All sure en- weA-4l eslEsjftsS per
son will urge him to discuss this mat
ter or anything that took place on his
journey. or during his stay here. DeDs
presented his own case to the trial
court and jury. He has been permitted
to do so here Debs case, as ! have
said before, stands alone. ] could not
of course, go to him. What took place
and the information / have acquired
will be reported in due time only to
the President and that in connection
with any recommendation that may be
made when the investigation Is con-
Guided Debs came here without guard
and so returned to Atlanta. Col. Guy
d. Goff. assistant to the Attorney GEN
| eral. was present during the Inquiries
DECLINES TO COMMENT
| Mr. Daugherty refused to comment or
the presentment made by Debs of his
| case and declined to answer any Ques-
1 lions as to what recommendation he
would make to the President relative
to the socialist leader, who was con-
victed and sentenced in 1918 to II
years Imprisonment for violation o.
the espionage act.
Debs Mr. Daugherty said, looked and
acted during his visit much as any
other man. He was said to be N fairly
good physical condition, although ap-
| parently somewhat nervous. The pris
| oner's physical condition, Mr. Daugh.
erty added. necessarily would be taker
into consideration by the government
| in it's decision as to his case. In the
penitentiary at Atlanta Debs is EN-
ployed part OF the time in the hospita
and part in the library.
1 Strict orders were given by the At.
/ torney General, department official:
said, that Debs visit should be KEEP
secret until Mr.. Daugherty was ready
| to announce it. and the orders were
successfully carried out
ARRIVES ON TIME
Debs reached the department of jus
! tice this morning about quarter o.
| an hour before the Attorney Genera
| arrived it was said. Acting under in
| structions, attendants ushered him intt
/ the office of Frank Gibbs, the Attor
! ney Generals secretary, who seated
| him in small private room adjoinins
Mr.. Daugherty's office. Debs wore
| brown suit. SLOUGH hat and black shoes
| officials said and carried an overcoa
and a black bag.
! About 1890 o'clock, after the Attor
| nelly General had attended to som.
| pressing matters Debs went to confer
/ ence with him and Colonel Golf ant
! remained with them until about 1880
After the conference he returned to thu
private office and remained there unit
3 o'clock. when he left the department
for Union station to take train a
$3.50 back to Atlanta. He told Officials
| he did not want any lunch and spen
| the hours while awaiting train time II
reading various papers which he tool
from his black bag
While he was perfectly courteous, of
| ficials said Debs was not communica
tive. nor did he evince any desire t,
i talk either before or after his confer
ence with Mr.. Daugherty.
The Attorney General in his talk will
| Newspaper men emphasized that tn
| calling of Debs to Washington did no
mean the adoption of policy OF gen
eral amnesty toward political prison
ers. but was merely to facilitate the in
| veat{uotiou ~ Debs' case.