The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1922-12-15
KELLER BACKING
MOVE TO GUST
DAUCHERTY

tive Keller, republican, Minnesota, in
a statement Friday to the house jul
dietary committee, named Chief JUS
hce Taft as a witness to be called in
support Of the Keller demand for the
Impeachment of Attorney General
Daugherty. Testimony of the chief
justice was desired. Mr.. Keller wrote
in connection with the latter's charge
that Attorney General Daugherty had
appointed to high Office "untrustwor-
thy, corrupt and dangerous men,
Other witnesses he intinated he
would summon include George W.
Wickersham, former attorney gener-
al; Samuel Gompers, president of the
American Federation of Labor, and
Guy Oyster, Mr.. Gompers' secretary.
In his charges, formally filed, Mr..
Keller set forth IA specific grounds for
the Impeachment, alleging that Mr..
Daugherty had practiced fraud and
deceit on Mr.. Taft, while president to
obtain the release of Charles w.
Morse.
Cites Conviction of 1907
The reasons why Mr.. Keller desired
to have Chief Justice Taft and Mr..
Wickersham testify-Were set forth in
his bill Of particulars. He cited the
case of William N. Jones, convicted
in 1907 for alleged land frauds against
the government and subsequently par
doned by President Taft. He alleged
that William j. Burns, now chief of
the bureau of investigation of the de-
partment of justice and then employed
by the government, ''got possession in
advance" of the names of prospective
jurors who were to be called in the
trial of Jones, and placed opposite
their names a notation as to their So
called fitness from a prosecuting
standpoint.
Through the influence of a secret
service agent associated as a defend
ant, he said, "Jones was induced to
accept as jurors men to whom other
wise he would have objected" Attor-
ney General Wickersham, after inves-
tigating the circumstances, reported
to Mr.. Taft, as set forth in the Keller
bill, that he could not countenance
the methods employed in the prosecu-
ton of these cases by requiring an
enforcement of the sentence imposed
in the Jones case"
Played for Burns Appointment
On receipt of the report by Mr..
Wickersham, President Taft promptly
pardoned Jones, the bill set forth. At
The time of Burns appointment by
Mr.. Daugherty, Mr., Keller asserted
that Mr.. Gompers went to him and
protested, calling attention to the
record in the Jones case, and that Mr..
Daugherty, in his presence. sent for
the. files, which were produced and
which contained the report of Attor-
ney General Wickersham and the di-
rection of President Taft for the is
suance of a pardon" In the full
knowledge of the facts" Mr.. Keller
stated that Mr.. Daugherty went ahead
and made the Burns appointment.
Mr.. Keller said it would require at
least a month additional time for him
to prepare full particulars in his case
and that most of this time would be
taken up in examining documents at
the department Of justice to which he
demanded he be given access.
Declaring he had evidence to prove
that Harry M. Daugherty is unfit to
be attorney general of the United
States" Mr.. Keller said MI. Daugher-
tvs consistent refusal to prosecute
offenders charged with violations of
the antitrust laws had become a
public scandal"
"Reverting to your extraordinary
demands that [ furnish names and adj
dresses of witnesses on whom / rely
to support my charge" Mr.. Keller
said. aI assume you do not thereby
intend to limit me to the calling of
witnesses who are named. However,
apart from that consideration, | re-
specially and emphatically protest
against being compelled to comply
with this demand and beg to advise
you that shall refuse to do so except
in the particulars in which | and my
advisers regard it as safe for me TO
obey,
REFUSE TO HAVE WITNESSES
BULLIED BY BURNS
MANY COMPLAINTS
FILED
Mr.. Keller said he had no objection
IN furnishing the names of Chief JUS