Evening star., 1924-04-23

Declaring there was mo oil discus
sion" at the Republican convention or
during the Harding campaign former
Attorey General Daugherty in
statement published today sald:
'president Harding was nominated
and elected the freest man that ever
stepped across the threshold of the
White House.
"AIi the cheap. sensational talk by
partisan committee and others In
regard to the manner in which Presi-
dent Harding was nominated and
elected is false" the former Attorney
General declared. There was no OIL
discussion at the convention or dur
ing the Harding campaign. No
promises were made by him to any
man. nor did | make any promises
for him. and nobody else was author
lied to make any promises, and II
they were made they never came to
our ears.
Sees His Record mt Issue.
The assertion with reference to the
tate President was made IN the
course of Il defense of his position
in connection with the senatorial ih-
vcstigations, and he touched explicitly
upon a number OF subjects to which
witnesses have alluded III the near
inES of recent weeks.
The ACCOMPLISHMENTS of the De-
partment OF Justice, he declared,
will bc one Of the great issues upon
" hich the Republican party Will win
the next election. That is one of the
reasons for the attacks that have
been made upon me"
Discussing the conduct of the
hearings. he charged no opportunity
had been afforded to cross examine
the star Witnesses" and he added
that no opportunity VIII be afforded
now. although L have statements and
aftidaVits from those who Were pro-
cured aS witnesses testifying to
falSehoodS. aVerring that words were
put into their mouths and that they
were corruptly Influenced to tell un-
truthful stories of character inJur1-
Gus TO me.
No Drinking in Onicc.
Taking up some of the testimony.
Mr. Daugherty said:
The matter of drinking has been
freely referred to. l never was
drinking man, and shortly after l
was appointed Attorney General. not
wishing to be hypocrite, it being
my official duty 10 enforce the pro-
hibition laws J refrained from TAX
ing a drink "f anything intoxicating,
and from that day since / have not
done so. Nobody ever brought any
liquor to my house and ! never served
liquor in my house. My conduct and
my associates before and since / have
been in Washington will compare
favorably with that of any other
man who maintains his self-respect
and conducts himself SO as to COM
mand the RESPECT of the public.
THE testimony regarding the
Wright Martin stock is false and the
witnesses who testified thereto lied,
and Brookhart. my impartial judge
and juror, who called attention TO
it. made a ruisstatement when he
reiterated the story for publication.
bought 500 shares Of Wright Mar
tin stock, at ] think 50 per share,
long before ! became Attorney Gen
eral. The company reorganized and
took III exchange for these 800
OF the reorganzed stock This /
now hold and all of il / could sell
today for the amount / paid for the
original 500 shares. or about 5000.
Justice will conclusively show how
vigorously / pressed the case involv-
ing the company in behalf of the
government, despite the interference
BY some of those who have been
most active in criticiZing me.
Defends Jess smith.
Jess Smith was a young man
whom my brother and | assisted in
business in our home town in ONO.
He became q successful business man
and was active in the campaign of
President Harding and was helpfnl
to us both He has been dead about
a wear. Four doctors and the under
taker stand ready to testify as TO the
caus. of his mind giving away, which
ended in his taking his own life. !
never knew Jess Smith to do DIS
honest thing. He was with me only
Il
not familiar with all his acts, | do
not believe he was capable of doing
dishonest thing.
u never knew he had an office in
the Department of Justice. although
since his death ] understand that ne
frequently made use of a. room oc-
cupied by others for the purpose OF
looking after some private and leelti-
mate matters for me which | did
not have time TO attend to myself. /
knew nothing about his domestic
affairs. except that ! knew he was
worried on account of demands made
upon him and the treatment he had
received at the hands of a woman.
Never Saw Il Street House.
Il never saw the mysterious green
it. The II street house l used tenn
rorarily because my family was not
able to be with me. My house was
never used for any improper purpose.
Some of the leading POLITICIANS, tHoSe
seeking office, many senators and
called upon me there
20 confer with me and to ask favors.
Nothing ever took place there that
the world might not know or that
could not with proDriety take place
in the most respectable home in the
country.
The shack SO mysteriously re-
ferred to. was a rough place along
the creek. where, with others, for
wears did considerable work and
look healthful recreation. Nothing
ever took place there that was not
wbolasome or correct. in every way.
"As fa:. as Howard Warrington is
| do not think l saw him
four times after the first two weeks
| was Attorney General. He never
made any proposition of any Kind to
me and never asked any favors of
me.
Castor Means, an indicted man,
has been accommodated by having his
case postponed under promise by
those in control of the Wheeler COM
mittee that he would furnish SEN
sational and dishonest testimony and
newspaper headlines. j appointed
Means with reluctance and dismissed
him in the face of opposition. Later
! was importuned to re-employ him
and did so with great reluctance in
order that he might complete the