Norwich bulletin., 1922-12-14

Washington, Dec. 13.-Hearings be- lore the house judiciary committee on impeachment charges against Attorney General Daugherty today took on an aspect somewhat like that of a>trial of William J. Burns, director of the bu- reau of investigation of the department ot Justice.
 Witnesses included MT. Burns, Senator Johnson, of California; former Attorney General Wickersham and Samuel Comp CTS. president of tho American Federa- = tlon of Labor.
 MT. Burns. whose alleged activities in connection with the drawing of a jury for the trial of Willard x. Jones in the Oregon fraud cases was the principal subject yesterday, was called by Paul IIIoN land, personal attorney for MT. DRugherty.
 He not only denied in general and in considerable detEil that there was any thing improper in his conduct as a gov, ernment agent in Oregon under Francis J. Heney, but asserted that President Taft. in granting pardon to Jones had been "deceived' and that Jones had paid for" the pardon.
 Senator Johnson, as a character wit ness for the Investigation bureau di- rector declared he had known MT. Burns intimately during the graft prose cutions in San Francisco after tne fire of 1906 and had urged his appointment 10 his present post by MT. Daugherty.
 He added Ghat he had observed MT. Burns under the pressure and under fire" in the San Francisco investigation and had commended him to the atto- ney general as a man of integrity and possessing the qualifications essential 10 the office to which he aspired.
 Mir. Burns charged that since the av- rest of tho McNamara brothers, Samuel Gompers had 'hounded him" at every opportunity.
 He also charged that A. P. MacAuly, an American citizen living in -0ronto, Canada, who wrote to President Hard ng protesting against his appointment, hadp been arrested in St. Louis on in- formation obtained by the Burns detec- tive agency as to the alleged passing of worthless checks drawn against the Canadian Express company.
 The St. Louis case was not pressed. SIr. Burns testiied, MacAuley being moved to New York for trial on sins- lar charge He added that the ease never was brought to trial because of a "pecuHar alEbi" that when he was sup posed to be in New York he was iden- tiled as having at that time been in St. Louis and vice versa.
 Mir Burns said he had made repeat cd efforts to clear up any points about which there might have been doubt as the department of justice before the pardon was issued. After it was sign cd by President Taft he said he went 10 Secretary of Interior Fisher and in- former him that "the president had been deceived and that Jones had paid for his pardon"
 Fisher went to see Mir Taft. Burns continued, and was told that the pres ldent personally knew nothing about tho case except what Attorney General Wickersham had reported and that tht matter should, be referred to Mir. Wick ersham. This was done, the witness went on, but Mir: Fisher had brought back word that the attorney genera was ''very much a0sorhed' and hat said that i've are going out of office coon anyhow; let him take it up witl our successors"
 Mir. Burns told the committee ehat ht followed this suggestion, but without result, and added:
 'T have been knocking at the doc from that day to this to get hear ing"
 Replying to testimony given earlie, iu tho day by MT. Wickersham that tn tO GTeSluSHL ldII III IilG CdS was held up Several days while effort sixat!On bureau director said he calle ii the department about the matte sSuT different times and not just on .isRe. as lad been reported to MT. Wick ESSlNAw. He added that he had beer 'mNuncessful in his efforts to. see tn shen attorney general and finally sough contact through Assistant Attorne: ;jymsrRl Cobb.
 With respect to the McNamara ar rests, Mir. Burns charged that MI G0mpers had sent an agent to Los An seles 10 prevent" the confession Of th aEcNamara brothers. Also he. charge KaRn that the McNamara brothers wer arrested in Indianapolis MT. Gomper Q promptly had issued a statement dc HlaVlng the arrests to be ''frame-up.
 Mr. Gompers, in reply, testified tha tho statement that he had sent a aren't toc Los Angeles, for the purpos Ftated by Mir. Burns was "absolutel without the slightest foundation" II also said he did not think he had i. Med any statement to the newspaper charging that the arrests of the McNs mara brothers was a ''frame-up."
 Declaring that 1t was untrue that | haG ''houndcd" MT. Burns. the vetera laiDor leader told the committee 1t ha never occurred to him that this mar hunter should regard me as houndin him" He declared that after the LC Angeles explosion Burns went over u country speaking at luncheons and r, peatOd1y stated that he would "g, GOmpers, the man higher Up."
 ,AnlEod the specific question, as whether the American Federation r,aleOr sought to impeach Mir. Daughe ty, becEuse 1t thought him unfit for o dce, Or because o6 the. Chicago rs Ftrske injunction, MT. Gompers repNet -BOthS