Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-12-14
BURNS TAKES STAND
IN COMMITTEE HEARING
Testifics as to Alleged Grounds
for Attack Made on
Him by Taft.
FORMER PRESIDENT "pEcErvED"
Justice OfHcinI Says Gompcrs Has
IIoundcd Him Since Mcnamara
Confession ut Los Angeles.
icy Associated Press.l

WASHINGTON, Dec. l3-Inter-
rupt!nE an extended cross -examina-
ton OF witnesses. called before the
House Judiciary Committee in it's
hearing Of Impeachment charges
against Attorney General Daugherty.
Chairman Voistcad tonight declared
he did not believe II possible. judging
from the character OF tho testimony
already presented. to make anything
out OF the case against MIR. Daugh-
erty.
Hearings before the House Judic-
ialry Committee on impeachment
charges against the Attorney-Gen-
cral took on today an aspect some
what like that OF trial and defense
OF William j. Burns. director of the
Bureau Of Investigation of the De-
partment OF Justice. Witnesses in
cluded Mr.. Burns. Senator Johnson,
of California; former Attorney-Gen
| cral Wickersham and Samuel Com
pcrs. president OF the American Fed
| Grafton of Labor
Covers Wide Range.
Testimony during the three ses-
morning, afternoon and night
covered wide range. beginning
| with the Oregon land fraud trials
| in 1905 and running through the
| arrest and confession OF the McNa-
mara brothers in tho dynamitinE OF
the Los Angeles Times building and
events OF more recent date. Num-
bered among those was the political
feud which developed between Taft
| and Roosevelt In 1912 and tho as
sistance which the American Fedora
! ton OF Labor is rendering Repre-
sentative Keller. Republican. MIN
! nesotn, IN the presentation OF some
| OF his charges against Mr.. DauEh-
| crty.
Mr.. Burns, whose alleged activi-
ties in connection with the drawing
OF a jury for the trial OF Willard
y. Jones in the Oregon fraud cases
was the principal subject OF tho evil
dence submitted at the opening OF
| the hearings yesterday, was called
to the stand BY Paul Rowland. per-
| sonal attorney for Mr.. Daughcrty.
Asserts Taft Was "Dcccivcd.',
| He not only denied in general and
IN considerable detail that there was
| anything improper I'm his conduct as
| government agent IN Oregon under
| Francis j. Henry. but asserted that
President TAFT in granting par
don to Jones had been deceived"
and that Jones had paid for" the
pardon.
Senator Johnson preceded Mr..
bullls 10 the stand being introduced
by Mr.. Howard as character Wit
ness for the investigation bureau di-
rector. senator Johnson declared he
had known Mr.. Burns intimately dur
ing tho graft prosecutions In San
Francisco after the fire of 1906 and
had urged his appointment TO his
present post by Mr.. Daughcrty. lie
added that he had observed MIR.
Hurns under pressure and under
fire in the san Francisco investiSa-
'ion ana had commended him to the
Attorney-Gcneral as man of inteE-
ri'y and possessing the qualifications
essential To the office to which he
aspired.
Says GompcrS Houndcd Him.
In his testimony. Mr.. Burns. not
only dealt at considerable length
with the Jones case. hut charged
that since the arrest of the McNa-
mara brothers Samuel Gompcrs had
bounded him" at every opportunity.
He also charged that y. l.. MacAuley.
an American citizen living In Toron-
ton. Canada. who wrote to President
Harding protesting against his an
nointmcnt. had been arrested in 81.
Louis on Information obtained by the
Burns Detective Agency as to the AL
legged passing OF worthless checks
drawn against the Canadian EXPRESS
Company.
Mr.. Burns testified. MacAuley being
moved to New York for trial on a
similar charge. lie added that the
case never was brought to trial be-
cause OF peculiar alibi that when
he was supposed to be In New York,
lie was identifed as having at that
time been in st. Louis and vice versa.
In his testimony regarding tho
Jones case. Mr.. Burns told the COM
tnittee he had made repeated efforts
10 clear up any points about which
there might have been doubt MT tina
department OF Justice before the
pardon was issued. After IL was
slsned by President Taft he said lie
went 10 the then Secretary OF tbe
interior Fisher. and informed him
mat the President had been deceiv-
ed and that Jones had paid for his
pardon"
Referred Him to Washington.
Fisher went to see Mr.. Taft, Burns
continued. and was told the Presi-
dent personally knew nothing about
the case except what Attorney-Gen-
eral Wickersham had reported and
that the matter should be referred "a
Mr.. Wtckersham. This was done. tn.
witness went on but Mr.. Fisher had
brought word that the Attorney-Gen-
cral was very much absor bed and
had said that "wc are going ont OF
office soon anyhow; let him take 4,
up with our successors"
Mr. Burns told the committee ha
followed this suggestion, but with
out result and added: 'I have been
Knocking at the door from thap day
TO this 20 get hearing"
Replying to testimony given earlier
In the day by Mr.. Wickersham thar
tho report to President Tai, in tas
case was held up several dAG.. while
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