The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1922-12-13
Attack ON
Daugherty
Keller Specifications Will Be
Heard i'm Order Selected
by Him-Taft Will
.-.--s Not Be Called.
Charge Burns Fixed Jury

impeachment proceedings brcdght
by Representative Keller. republican,
Minnesota, were opened today before
were marked by frequent clashes be-
tween members of the committee and
Keller, first as to the method of pro-
cedure and second as to the relevancy
Of testimony. -
The Mlnnesotan won II lG first skir-
mish. the committee voting in eXecu-
tive session after an hour and a half
of WranglnS to hear first evidence ON
three of the II specifications desis-
mated by Afr. Keller instead of taking
tho charges up in the numerical order
in which they were presented origi-
nally.
Another decision was against the
summoninS of Chief Justice Taft.
whose presence had been requested
by Mr.. Ralston for the PURPOSES OF
confirming q letter which Mr.. Taft
wrote in 1912 while president to Attor-
rey General Wickershan and which
was read into the record during the
day. The committee held that con-
f1rmation would be unnecessary.
Letters Introduced.
This letter and one written to Mr..
Taft by Mr.. Wickershan, constituted
tbs principal evidence submitted to-
day. They both dealt with q pardon
for Willard n. Jones, convicted i'll
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
bureau 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.. Eaiston ex-
planned, was to support the charge in
the impeachment specifica tions that
Mn Daughertyl had appointed to posi-.
tions 'fof great Importance and large
financial and moral responsibility
men who are untrustworthy. corrupt
and dangerous to the liberties of the
people of the United States"
In the Nickersham report to the
president, it was set forth that Mr..
Burns. who then was employed by the
eoXrnment under Francis J. Heney
asepecial prosecutor IN the land fraud
cases, obtained in advance list of
prospective petit jurors who were 20
be called in the trial before Judge
Gilbert and that after 500 of the $500
names had been found satisfactory
from his standpoint their names had
been allowed to remain in tho jury
box.
Taft Is AstOunded.
President Taft. in replying to Mr.
Wickersham and approving a pardon
for Jones, declared the methods ds-
scribed constituted "the most bare.
faced and unfair use of all the
machinery 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 "justifying con-
Gemnation Of the methods of Heney
and Burns"
Paul Howland, of Cleveland, O.,
who appeared as personal counsel
for Mr.. Daugherty, developed from
James A. Finch, pardon attorney for
tho Department OF Justice. who pre-
pared tho report in the land fraud
case, that both Mr.. Burns and Mr.
Heney had denied the charges with
va aV1 - . H.. Ii 20
jury. Mr.. Finch testified also that
Judge Gilbert had denied the charges
but Mfr. Ralston declared the official
records of the Department OF Justice
would show that the trial judge sub
sequently had changed his opinion.
Object to Letters.
After. Mr.. Ralston had disclosed that
it was not his purpose to undertake
to show that Mr.. Burns had contin-
ued since 1907. the alleged practices
referred to in the Wickersham re-
port. several members Of the commit
tee objected to the admission of the
letters on the ground that they were
irrelevant. They were overruled by
Chairman Volstead, however, and Mr..
Ralston proceeded to offer testimony
intended to show that Mr.. Daugherty
had knowledge OF the Wickersham re-
port before appointing Mr.. Burns.
On this point, Guy ". Oyster, con.
fidential secretary to Samuel Comp
ers. president of the American Fedora
ton Of Labor. testified that Mr..
Gompers had called the Wickersham
document to MI DauGbertys atten-
ton last July before announcement
was made OF Mr.. Burns appointment.
This was at the attorney generals Of
fee, in his presence. he said. adding
that Mr.. Daugherty had verified the
copy Mr.. Gompers had from
pamphlet" for which Mr.. Daugherty
had sent.
Before the committee adjourned for
the day, announcement was made that
two additional witnesses. Mr.. Wicker.
sham and Mr.. Gompers. would be
heard on the specfica ton taken up
today. Mr.. Ralston asked tina tthey
be summoned for tomorrow.