The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-12-13
IMPEACHMENT
HEARINGS ARE
IN PROGRESS
Frequent Clashes Be-
tween judiciary
Committee and Kel-
Ter Counsel.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12.-
Hearings on Impeachment
proceedings brought against
Attorney General Daugherty
by Representative Keller, re-
publican, Minnesota, were
opened today before t h e
house judiciary committee.
They were marked by fire.
quent clashes between mem
bers of the committee and
Jackson H. Ralston, counsel
for Mr.. Keller, first as to the
method of procedure and sec-
ond as to the relevancy of
testimony.
The Minnesota representative won
the first sklrmish, the committee vot-
ing to hear first evidence on three of
fourteen specifications designated by
Mr.. Keller instead Of taking up the
charges in the numerical order in
which they were presented originally
Another decision was against the
summoning Of Chief Justice TAFT.
whose presence had been requested
by Mr.. Ralston for the puII)ose of
confirming a letter which Mr.. Taft
wrote in 1912, while president, to the
then attorney general. Wickersham.
| and which was read into the record
during the day. The committee held
that confirmation would be unneces-
sary.
Refer 20 Burns.
This letter and one written to Mr..
Taft by Mr.. Wickersham constituted
thG principal evidence submitted to-
day. They both dealt with a pardon
for Willard y. Jones, convicted in
Oregon in 1907 Of alleged land frauds,
and referred to alleged activities of
William J. Burns, appointed last year
by Mr.. Daugherty as chief of the bu-
reau Of investigation of the depart
ment OF justice, in connection with
the drawing Of the jury in the Jones
case.
The purpose Of their introduction
into the record Mr.. Ralston explained,
was to support the charge in the i'm
'peachment specifications that Mr..
Daugherty had appointed to posi-
tions Of great Importance and large
financial and moral responsibilities,
men who ARE untrustworthy, corrupt
and dangerous to the liberties Of the
people Of the United States"
In the WiCkersham report to the
president, it was set forth, that Mr..
Burns who was then employed by
the government under Francis J.
Henley. as special prosecutor in the
land fraud cases. obtained in advance
a list Of Irrespective petit jurors who
were to be called in the trial before
Judge Gilbert and that after six hun
dred Of the 1900 names had been
found satisfactory from his stand
point their names had been allowed
to remain in the jury box.
Scored by Taft.
President Taft, in replying to Mr..
and approving a pardon
for Jones, declared the methods de-
scribed constituted "the most bare
faced and unfair use of all the ma
chinery for drawing a jury" which
had been disclosed to him in all his
long experience in the federal courts.
He added that this condition gives
sufficient reason to justify a pardon"
FOR Jones as we'll as classifying con-
iemnation Of the methods Of Henley
and Burns"
After Mr.. Ralston had disclosed
nat II was not HIS purpose 10 unueE-
AXE to show that Mr.. Burns had
continued since 1907 the alleged prac-
ices referred to in the Wickersham
'oport, several members of the COM
nittee objected to the admission of
he letters on the ground that they
we're irrevelant. They We're over
'uled by Chairman FOlstead, however, |
md Mr.. Ealston proceeded to offer
estimony intended to show that Mr.. !
had knowledge of the
Nickersham report before a'ppointing !
Mr. Burns.
On this point, Guy H. oyster, con-
idential secretary to Samuel Comp
,rs. president Of the American Fed |
ration of Labor. testified that Mr.. |
iompers had called the Wickersham |
document to Mr. Daugherty's atten- |
ion last July before announcement |
vas made Of Mr.. Burns appointment. |
'his was at the attorney generals Of
ice. in his presence, he said. adding !
hat Mr. Daugherty had verified the |
opy Mr. Gompers had from |
for which Mr.. Daugher-
Y had sent.