Actions and defenses

A legal analysis of Assistant Attorney General Alford Warriner Cooley’s report to President Roosevelt regarding the sale of public lands by New Mexico Governor Herbert J. Hagerman, leading to Roosevelt’s demand for Hagerman’s resignation. The author argues that Cooley’s report should not have been given as much weight in Roosevelt’s decision as it was for three reasons: the report was preliminary; the report was based on unspecified documents; Hagerman was unable to respond to said unspecified documents. The author says Cooley’s report reaches three conclusions regarding Hagerman’s actions: that the sale of more than one quarter of territorial lands to a single entity is illegal; that Hagerman presided over just such a sale; and that this action illegally usurped the power of the Territorial Commissioner of Lands. The author performs a detailed legal analysis of each point.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-06-18

Agriculture Secretary Wilson asks William Loeb to send him statistical tables and other materials from 1903 for use in the trial of Edwin Sanford Holmes.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-06-07

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-05-04

Creator(s)

Ross, Napoleon

Recipient

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Harry B. Kirtland, attorney at law, has approached Negley Cochran, editor of the Toledo News-Bee, asking for information about the prosecution of the ice trust. Cochran wishes to support the prosecutor and the judge in the case. He has no reason to suspect Kirtland, but he believes the forces supporting the trust are powerful and unscrupulous, and he therefore writes President Roosevelt to confirm whether Kirtland is who he says he is, and whether he is acting in any capacity for Roosevelt.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-07-14

Attorney General Moody encloses a report from Charles B. Morrison, United States Attorney at Chicago. The report shows that one of the lawyers for the defendants in the indictment against the beef packers paid a sum of money to a reporter from the Chicago Inter-Ocean who was reporting on the proceedings. The counsel also attempted unsuccessfully to give money to another reporter of the City Press of Chicago. Moody brings the matter to President Roosevelt’s attention, as he thinks that reporting from the Inter-Ocean has been misleading. There seems to be no remedy for the situation, given the rigid restrictions on the power of federal courts to punish for contempt of court.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-01-25

Senator Lodge writes to President Roosevelt regarding a lawsuit.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-01-11

Attorney General Moody provides President Roosevelt with a “concise history” of the case against the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway Company.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-12-13

Governor Deneen replies to President Roosevelt’s letter regarding the official conduct of former Illinois Treasurer Fred A. Busse. Deneen informs Roosevelt that he has received information from a former employee for the Auditor of Public Accounts that the auditor and state treasurer illegally appropriated money for their salaries from the Illinois Registered Bond Fund. The auditor argued that this practice has gone on for 30 years and the Illinois Attorney General has made a formal demand for the auditors and treasurers to return the money.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-12-13

U.S. Attorney for Oregon Francis J. Heney writes to President Roosevelt about an enclosed report concerning Senator Charles William Fulton. Fulton admitted that he asked the former U.S. District Attorney for Oregon John Hicklin Hall to intercede on Winlock Steiwer’s behalf.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-11-17

Judge-Advocate General Davis submits a report regarding Granville Fortescue’s request for a court of inquiry.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-10-26

Granville Fortescue asks President Roosevelt for permission for a court of inquiry after the decision of the Taggart divorce case and apologizes for any annoyance he may have caused.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-10-16

William Henry Hunt describes the land cases he has been following in Portland. Hunt also says that J. H. Causten would like to be considered for governor of Alaska and recommends him.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-10-09

Attorney General Moody reports that Congressman Williamson, U.S. Commissioner Marion R. Briggs, and Dr. Van Gesner were found guilty of conspiring to suborn 100 timber entry men to commit perjury.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-09-28

Attorney General Moody has not been able to get a copy of William H. Taft’s speech, but knows that he and Taft agree on law reform. Moody also encloses a letter from District Attorney Morrison and will report on the disposition of the rebate case to Roosevelt in person soon.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-09-25

Henry Martyn Hoyt tells President Roosevelt that the cotton inquiry is in good shape and that he believes indictments will follow. He agrees with President Roosevelt that they do not need to do anything else with Mr. Wilson.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-07-28

The Beavers case will not be decided until fall since the court adjourned without any agreement being reached on the propositions submitted.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-07-10

Judson Harmon and Frederick N. Judson want to formally state their position to Attorney General Moody regarding their recommendations on taking testimony under the Interstate Commerce Commission at Kansas City. They want to take testimony to procure detailed proof of unlawful shipments for a proper basis to proceed under the criminal provisions of the Elkins Act against the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company and its officers. They discuss how this would impact the case’s procedure and possible outcome.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-04-11

William Loomis writes to President Roosevelt noting that Loomis used to work for the selling agents who settled a case with Eliza A. Sanderson and the publishing house of Gebbie and Co. over Roosevelt’s books. In the course of the settlement, Loomis lent money to Gebbie and Co., who he now claims will not return the $3,000 they owe him. He wonders if Roosevelt would be willing to put in a word with them to avoid a lawsuit.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-01

Jacob B. Shale asks William Loeb to write a letter on his behalf. Shale is in the process of litigation and would like for Loeb to write a letter to the judge presiding over the case attesting to the quality of Shale’s character.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-08-26

George B. Cortelyou informs President Roosevelt about a lawsuit involving several prominent manufacturers that he feels bears some discreet investigation.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-08-28