Your TR Source
President Roosevelt instructs Attorney General Charles J. Bonaparte to conduct himself “in relation to the whisky [sic] importation cases by the memorandum” from the State Department.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-04-25
President Roosevelt supports the decisions Attorney General Bonaparte outlined in his last letter. Roosevelt believes he will have to admit Oklahoma to the Union, as the pros outweigh the cons. Roosevelt also wants to discuss the placement of William H. H. Llewellyn with Bonaparte.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-09-21
President Roosevelt believes that it is absurd for the president to approve expense accounts and thinks that the law should be changed to allow the attorney general to approve them himself. Because the president does not know anything about the cases, his approval is only “perfunctory.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-09-19
President Roosevelt tells Attorney General Bonaparte that it is simply a matter of expediency whether or not someone should resign from a federal office when running for an elected position, and trusts Bonaparte’s judgement. The president also believes that New Mexico District Attorney William H. H. Llewellyn and his people are incorrect about Department of Justice agents Ormsby McHarg and Peyton Gordon willfully telling lies, and Roosevelt has received a number of letters confirming this belief. Roosevelt will discuss the Idaho land fraud case with Bonaparte when he sees him.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-09-14
President Roosevelt has received Attorney General Bonaparte’s telegram and has no objections to U.S. District Attorney for Wyoming Timothy F. Burke, but will let Bonaparte decide.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-09-13
President Roosevelt thanks Attorney General Bonaparte for his interesting letter and for what Bonaparte has done with the Indian Territory. Roosevelt agrees with Bonaparte on the most important part of his letter about the Standard Oil Company.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-09-10
President Roosevelt thinks that the Landis-Sims-Wilkerson matter will gradually resolve itself after they confer with the judge. He does not understand Assistant Attorney General Marsden C. Burch’s telegram and asks Attorney General Bonaparte whether Burch is proceeding against all of the defendants or only Senator William Edgar Borah.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-09-07
President Roosevelt asks Attorney General Bonaparte what he thinks about the Oklahoma gerrymander and suggests action if it is justified. He also discusses Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis’s concerns about railroad employees’ testimony in the Standard Oil case.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-09-06
President Roosevelt encourages Attorney General Bonaparte to wire Judge Frank Sigel Dietrich. Roosevelt does not know Judge Edward Whitson, but he is sure that if they could get Judge William Henry Hunt the trial would be fair.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-09-04
President Roosevelt approves of Attorney General Bonaparte’s letter to United States Attorney Edwin Walter Sims, and feels they are prepared for any attacks. A Missouri correspondent has just sent an attack upon Roosevelt regarding Standard Oil. If the judge fights them, Roosevelt will publish a statement. Along with the publication of Bonaparte’s previous communications, this will prove that the record did not warrant the statements.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-09-03
President Roosevelt introduces Civil Service Commissioner John Avery McIlhenny, a good man who is requesting assistance.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-09-03
President Roosevelt agrees with Attorney General Bonaparte on the appointment of Assistant Attorney General Marsden C. Burch in the Idaho land fraud case. On the New Mexico issue, Roosevelt details Attorney General William H. H. Llewellyn’s rise as an attorney. In light of Judge James H. Beatty’s letter, Roosevelt feels there is no need to be involved. Although Roosevelt does not trust rumors, it does seem based on recent behavior that Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis may be suffering a breakdown. In a post script, Roosevelt comments on William Randolph Hearst’s recent supposed sympathy toward Bonaparte after his siding with Wall Street. In Roosevelt’s view, the recurrent rumor about Bonaparte resigning to appease financiers has actually shown the public that Bonaparte alarms those who are corrupt.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-31
President Roosevelt follows up on several issues with Attorney General Bonaparte, including United States District Attorney Marsden C. Burch’s devotion to United States District Attorney N. M. Ruick, hiring Tracy C. Becker at the Department of Justice, the appointments of David J. Leahy and Ira A. Abbott, and the situation in Oklahoma.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-29
President Roosevelt apologizes for disturbing Attorney General Bonaparte while on vacation but asks him to review the enclosed letter from former Minnesota governor and representative John Lind.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-29
President Roosevelt finds Attorney General Bonaparte’s letter to United States District Attorney N. M. Ruick admirable. Unfortunately, Francis J. Heney is unable to take the case. Roosevelt encloses a letter from Idaho Governor Frank Robert Gooding. The press has turned its attention to Secretary of State Elihu Root, who has been in poor health.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-27
President Roosevelt approves of Attorney General Bonaparte’s telegram to Idaho District Attorney N. M. Ruick and directs him to send it at once. He has contacted Francis J. Heney. Roosevelt feels their current action is better than what he had proposed.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-26
President Roosevelt is pleased with Attorney General Bonaparte’s telegram to United States District Attorney N. M. Ruick and gives some suggestions for the follow-up letter. He congratulates Bonaparte “on the way you have handled the matter.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-26
President Roosevelt details how Attorney General Bonaparte is to respond to United States District Attorney N. M. Ruick, using quotations from various correspondences.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-24
President Roosevelt directs Attorney General Bonaparte to release United States District Attorney Asa. P. French’s letter publicly. He asks if Bonaparte can visit to discuss Senator William Edgar Borah’s case. Roosevelt needs time and information to make a decision, and requests copies of communications from United States District Attorney N. M. Ruick.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-23
President Roosevelt requests Attorney General Bonaparte review the matter of the investigation of the International Harvester Company with company official George W. Perkins and Commissioner of Corporations Herbert Knox Smith.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-22