The New York herald., 1922-05-28
.DAUGHERTY ASSERTS
MORSE PARDON WAS
DUE TO PHYSICIANS
- fts
Issues Long Statement Re-
viewing Reports Of Medi-
cal Experts.
HIS COURSE NOT TOLD
Says Taft's Action Was
Based Entirely on Careful /.
Investigation.
CARAWAY ALSO HITS BACK
Bitterly Arraigns Attorney.
General for 'Swag' and AL
leges Corruption in Case. e
Special Dispatch 10 THE NEW YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Washincton ID. C.. Nav o7 (

Special Dispatch 10 THE NEW YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Washington. ID. c.. May 81.
In the face of attacks in both Senate
and House to-day Attorney General
Daugherty made public tonight long
statement in defense of his conduct as
counsel for Charles w. Morse in OBJ
tanning his release from the Atlanta
penitentiary.
Mr.. Daugherty quoted from the rec
ord of the case to prove that Mr..
Morses release was due to "represen-
tative reputable physicians and United
States surgeons showing him to be
suffering from a serious illness
He made the declaration that the
action of the President (Taft) was
based entirely and solely upon reports
Of the Department Of Justice and
medical authorities who were called in
TO examine Mr. Morse" He added that
so much misinformation" recently has
been circulated that excerpts from the
official files are of public interest.
Much space in the statement Is de-
voted to the fact that 10000 persons
signed applications for Mr.. Morse's
release. Mr.. Daugherty mentioned
some OF the names and they included
Democrats as well as Republicans,
among them being members OF tho
Senate and the House. Mr.. Daugherty
made no effort to reveal the part he
had in the case. The letter, addressed
to Senator James E. Watson Und).
denied he ever had said he had not
been engaged as counsel in the Morse
case.
Cnraway Resumes Attack.
In the Senate to-day Senator Caraway
(Ark) used the Daugherty letter to
Senator Watson and new charge that
Mr.. Daugherty had set a Department
of Justice agent on his trail in Arkansas
as the basis for the most bitter of all
his many attacks on the Attorney
General.
He read a telegram from Little Rock
saying Mr.. Daugherty had a representa-
tive there making inquiries and demand
ed to know how much Of the $4,000
recently voted by Congress for the
prosecution of war grafters was being
spent for shadowing members of Con-
gress He revived the charges of Repre-
sentatives Woodruff (AIich.) and John
son Is. d. that they. too. were being
followed by Department of Justice
sleuths.
Most sensational. however. of Senator
Caraway's speech was his direct aues-
III - Nrr Nphv II
sary to spend 5000 personally as ex-
penses to get an innocent man" out
of the penitentiary. He referred to the
declaration of Mr.. Dsugherty in the
Watson letter that he had received only
q, 600 in the case. which was only half
enough to cover his expenses.
Referred to Money ns syvnG.
Mr.. Caraway referred to the money
as "swag," and wanted to know what
Mr.. Daugherty had paid to the physi-
clans to get their certificates about
Mr.. Morse.
Senator Caraway declared that Mr.
Daugherty had sold out the confidence
of William II. Taft, and ne predicted
that President Harding, IL he continues
10 follow the advice OF Mr. Dausher:y.
will find himself in tho next election
with no more electoral votes than Mr..
Taft received IN his campaign for reelec-
tion. "A total OF eight-these OF Utah and
Vermont
In the House the debate was a little
less sensational. Representative John
son charged the Rules Committee with
accepting the dictatorship of the House
leaders and preparing to kill the resolu-
tion they had voted TO report for an
investigation Of the Department OF Jus
ticc in its failure 20 prosecute war
grafters. Mr.. Johnson had heated argu-
ment with House leaders and Nr(
DauRherty was attacked from severaN
sources.
Text of Daugherty's Statement.
Here Is the text Of Mr.. Daugherty's
statement:
"'rhe record in the case Of the COM
mutation OF the sentence OF Charles w.
Morse. as disclosed In the official hles.
indicates beyond any question that Mr..
Morse was released from confinement ga
the Federal penltentiary at Atlanta. Ca.
upon reports Of reputable physicians and
United States Army surgeons showing
him TO be suffering from a serious
illness.
The release came ne the culmina-
ton Of probably the most remarkable
public demonstration on behalf of any
Federal prisoner ever convicted in tho
courts OF the United States. Thousands
OF people had petl,loned the Govern
ment for the pardon OF Mr.. Morse be-
fore action was finally taken resulting
In his release on January is, 1919.
upon the medical reports Of his phys
ical condition
Among the thousands who signed
the petitions for the release of Mr..
Morse were men of national reputation.
many of them occupying positions oe
responsibility and trust under the Gov.
ernment itself. Despite the high char
scter of those who thus disclosed their
Is ~ hy Cor Mr.. Morse. It was not In
~. rphlic demonstrati
81 ''"r'r'''s - '~'sN
..ronta,l