Show WHITE HOUSE GUN FIRED President Prints Letter From Lawyer Concerning Haskell Washington Oct 3 President Roose Roosevelt Roosevelt velt today gave out for publication a let letter letter ter received by him from W L Sturdevant Sturdevant Sturdevant vant of St Louis in which the writer declares that Governor Haskells statement state statement statement ment in his letter of or Sept 30 regarding i the connection with the Creek In Indian Indian Indian dian lands is so imperfect that it is en entirely entirely entirely misleading The text of the letter follows Dear Mr President I notice in Gov Governor Governor Governor Haskells letter of date Sept 30 the following follo ing statement Yes Fes I believe I am a defendant as asto asto asto to certain government townsite lots lota in inne one ne of nearly m arly suits that you have hae had brought against as many different honorable and citizens of ot this state during this presidential cam campaign campaign campaign year ear and you ou will not riot undertake to deny that petty politics for the purpose of about Indian voters was your our sole motive for having those suits brought and I charge you with knowing that there has been no delay dela in these cases except that occa occasioned occasioned occasioned by b the courts deliberations taken by himself as time he deemed necessary to consider whether or not there is any merit in the petition filed tiled by your at attorney attorney attorney torney The above statement regarding the townsite suits Is so Imperfect that it ft is entirely misleading All those suits in which Governor Haskell Is defendant ex except except except one were filed flied in 1907 prior to the admission of Oklahoma as a state He HeIs HeIs Heis Is charged with a direct participation In Inthe Inthe inthe the frauds through which the Indians were deprived of their property and the bills seek to hold him personally liable for the injury thus Inflicted He has haI not answered to the merits in a single case but all pleas filed by his attorneys are purely technical l and necessarily dila dilatory dilatory dilatory tory in effect Mr Ir Mott attorney for forthe forthe forthe the Creek nation and myself have many man times urged a hearing on the merits of the cases and I 1 have personally proposed I several times to hIs bis attorneys of record I that they file answers in the cases so that a hearing might be had upon the merits and the cases disposed of These suggestions have never neer met an affirmative affirmative affirmative tive response and the result Is that the cases cas have taken the regular re ular course on a heavy docket docker We have announced several times in open court and otherwise that we are ar ready for an immediate hearing in any and ami all suits filed flied This has been done I with a view of obtaining a speedy speed adjust adjustment adjustment ment of ot the controversies and in order to I give any an person charged with a primary I I liability an opportunity to acquit himself of such charge If ir possible without de delay delay I lay This course could have been pursued I without any an violation of ultimate rights I as jurisdiction over oer the parties and sub subject subI subject matter cannot be waived in the fed federal federal I eral courts but for reasons probably suf sufficient sufI sufficient known to them the defendants I I have not approved it t |