The Washington times., 1924-03-08
REPUD|ATES STORY Of
BENNETT; WAS NOT
PRINCIPAL"

1.-THE fact that he had been con.
suited and asked for advice about
the policies Of the Post, for 1t was
Of tremendous importance pc.
litically."
Questioned About Daugherty.
What was the message from Nc.
Lean?"
"To consult Curtis about the
policies"
$50 Curtis expressed appreciation
that Mclean consulted him about
the Post2"
"Oh, no, about the fact that he
had been consulted. Mclean and
his employees think they know how
to run the Post"
"Now, Mr.. Bennett, you sent the
Principal message on January 20,
and you say you saw Senator Curtis
on January % or January e." said
Dill.
II can't fix the dates"
And you combined Curtis mes
sage with the information you OBJ.
tanned from the White House con-
ference?"
Yes"
Walsh again took up the ques-
| tioning. and referred to Bennett
conference with Attorney General
Harry M. Daugherty on February IA.
How close were you and Daugh-
erty?"
mot very"
Morse Case Recalled.
"How long have you known him?''
| II met him in the, campaign of
1920"
THE Congressional Record. which
l have here, says you saw him dur
ing the Morse pardon matter"
"Oh, yes, 1 forgot that, 1 was
more or less in touch with that"
1T appears that the pardon
actually was given to you"
II don't think So"
The Congressional Record was
for May 20, 1922.
Walsh read an editorial referring
to the pardon Of Charles w. Morse,
which said John r. Mclean, father
Of E. B. Mclean, had sent q mes.
senger to President Taft who
carried the pardon away from the
White House. The elder Mclean
was mentioned as a very close
personal friend" to Harry NJ.
Daugherty and Thomas B. Fielder,
attorneys for Morse.
He Saw President Taft.
1T didn't happen with any such
celebrity as that" Bennett replied.
Il saw President Taft myself on
that case"
Walsh continued reading from
! the editorial, which named Benn 1T
7 as the messenger"
part of that is true" said Ben
| nett. IT did see President Taft" i,
In the midst Of this examination,
Senator Curtis returned to the com.
mittee room. He sat facing Ben
nett.
A bitter row developed between
Bennett and members Of the com.
mittee over what Bennett should
tell of the conversation with Curtis.
You didn't tell all the CONVEX
sation with Senator Curtis" said
Senator Dill Oem) Of Washing
ton.
"Tell us all now"
Curtis told me he had been re.
quested to meet the new President
| Of the limited States, as soon as he
reached Washington after President
Harding died." said Bennett. Curtis
told me he went down and saw
Coolidge"
IT don't think this conservation
is relevant to the case" Senator
Walsh interrupted.
Demands Whole Conversation.
you can't suppress this CONVEX
sation unless you compel me- Ben
nett replied. you compel me to
disclose the whole conversation and
now I'm not allowed to tell it.
Walsh explained that Bennett
was asked only to tell that part
of the talk that related to the
inquiry.
But I want the whole converse
ton" demanded Dill.
After much wrangling the COM
mittee agreed that Bennett should
omit nothing.
Senator Adams said he had not
voted to compel Bennett to testify
| and declared he was not in favor Of
bringing out matters irrelevant to
the inquiry.
II should vote against his telling
whole conversation and that he
should be confined to Just what
bears upon the inquiry. but mas.
much as the witness said the com.
mittee was trying to suppress testi-
mony / am in favor of compelling
him to tell the entire conversation, "
said Walsh.
Bennett Quotes Curtis.
Senator Stanfield RepD of Oregon
made similar statement.
go ahead and tell us the whole
| conversation" Dill instructed.
Senator Curtis told me-" Bennett
said, that the new President asked
him for advice regarding new duties
imposed upon the new President all
Of q sudden. He gave some advice.
He advised, he said. that the Presi.
dent should get rid Of a certain
Cabinet officer, to permit his resig-
nation"
did he mention the Cabinet Off.
cer?" Dill asked.
ut was Attorney General Daugh.
erty," Bennett replied.
He said Daugherty was in i'll
health and that his wife was i'll;
that 1t was a personal appointment
OF the late President and that no
one would blame him for removing
Daugherty."
did you have that in mind when
you wired Mclean that Curtis appre.
ciated his message?" Dill asked.
Referred to the Post.
mo. was referring to the policy
of the Post"
did you say anything to Curtis
about Charles w. Morse?"
No"
Bennett then admitted under fur.
Their questioning that he and Curtis
had touched on a conference at New
Orleans between Albert B. Fall and
f. l.. Doheny, principals in the oil
uHol ~'-