Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-15
CHRISTIANCY HEARD
TELLS OF HEARINGS ON TURF IN
vEsTMENT CONCERN.
Post Office Inspectors Describe Their
Work of Investigating the Cases
Papers and Reports Identified.

United States district court room was again
packed today at the trial of Daniel Voor-
hees Miller and Joseph M. Johns, charged
with conspiracy to extort bribes from j. j.
Ryan. manager of a turf investment COM
pany.
c. A. G. Christiancy who was the hrst
assistant attorney in the office of the as
sistant attorney general for the Post Office
Department when Miller was the second
assistant. testified at length regarding the
case of John ]. Ryan & Co., who had been
using the mails in book making on races.
Christiancy did not know of all the CORE
spondence between Miller and Ryan or the
latter's attorneys. Miller did not show him
the reports of the inspectors that recon-
mended that a fraud order should be issued
against Ryans concern.
On cross-examination witness said Ryans
attorneys came with the highest recon-
mendations. and Miller and Francis c.
Huebner. another clerk in the assistant at
torney generals office, assisted witness in
considering the case. He did not know that
Miller had ever recommended fraud order
against Ryan & Co. Witness testified that
he was called out of the room at one hear
ing for a short time, and that at another
hearing Miller in charge. After Ryan
appeared with his attorneys before the wit
ness there was no agreement to dismiss the
case and allow Ryan & Co. to continue
ton was that the decision be contingent
upon a subsequent report of the inspectors
Record of the Case.
The witness was shown the record book
of his office. indicating that the case had
been dismissed. Witness could not tell who
made the record. Miler's reports to him
were in accordance with those of the in
spectors.
After Christiancy testified to his concur
renee with Miller he identified the letter
that the witness wrote giving the stipula-
tionS under which Ryan & Co. were al
lowed to continue their business through
the mails After being the stand an
hour and forty minutes Christiancy was
excused subject to recall.
The government then submitted letters
dated last February from Johns to Ryan,
at which time the latter was a grand jury
witness. and the former wanted him to
meet him half way" By these letters the
government wanted to prove after the al
legged conspiracy an effort to compromise,
so as to avoid prosecution.
Testimony of Inspectors.
William j. Vickery of Evansville, Ind,
and Robert NJ. Fulton, post office inspect
ors. testified fully as to their work in in
vestigating the cases of Miller and Johns,
recitng all their meetings with the defend
ants. John ]. Ryan and others, and iden-
Chief Cochran at Washington.
Fickery was not cross-eXamined, but Mr..
Rulison questioned Fulton closely as to
what Miller said in concurring in their re-
ports on December 3. On the courts ruling
out the questions of the defense Rulison
had Fulton called as a witness for the de-
fenSe.
Chief Inspector W. E. Cochran of Wash
ington was again recalled to identify papers
and reports.
Paul Victor Kaiser a clerk in the Post
Office Department at Washington, testified
to keeping the record of certain legal cases
and to making the entry indicating the
dismissal of the Ryan case, but he said he
made such entries just as directed by D.
V. Miller, who furnished memorandum for
the same.
Watson Secretly Took Notes.
The monotony of the trial was broken
when ]. 7. Watson testified that he was the
private secretary to Fourth Assistant Post
master General Bristow and told of the
letters passing between John J. Ryan and
the department. Finally Assistant District
Attorney Darby asked him to describe what
took place in the office of Fourth Assistant
Postmaster General. Bristow on May II,
when Gen. Robb and Chief Inspector Coch-
ran had an interview with Miller.
He was asked to describe everything in
detail in the room, and told about Fourth
Assistant Postmaster General Bristow con-
cealing him behind his high roller-top desk
in one corner of his office while Gen. Robb
and Chief Inspector Cochran were in the
room. Then Mr.. Bristow retired and Mr.
Miller was soon sent into the room, where
Robb and Cochran awaited him.
Miller Denied Charges.
Miller was not only questioned closely by
both Robb and Cochran, but he was also
wifi of tba
office inspectors. In this interview Miller
claimed that he had done nothing with
Johns until after the Ryan case was de-
cided, and admitted that he did not regard
Johns an attorney of record in the office
for Ryan. He admitted that he had not
taken copies of his letters and kilograms to
Johns or filed those that he had received
from him, and that he considered them as
personal and not official. He denied any
knowledge of the bargain to give a favor
able ruling to Ryan for 81 800. and insisted
that he had never received, directly CT IN
directly, cent for any copy of a ruling or
any information regarding the same. He |
declared that he did not believe that Johns |
had ever made any such representa- ations AS
were attributed to him in the reports of the |
post office inspectors after they had ieceiv- |
ed the statements of Ryan and others
Testimony of Charles H. Robb.
The last witness of the day was Charles
H. Robb, tie successor of Gen. Tyner as |
assistant attorney general for the Post Of
flee Department. He testified to a second !
interview at which the same parties were
present, except that his secretary, Mr.. |
Tullis, took the place of Mr.. Watson as |
stenographer in an unconcealed position.
The stenographic report of Mr.. Tullis was
then offered. This report by Tullis was |
signed by Miller after 1t was written and |
in long hand
Mr.. Robb denied that he had taken pos
session of Miller's mail before either of |
these interviews. but he did not deny that |
the post Office inspectors might have done |
so. He did ask Miller to let him see his |
mail hereafter, and asked Miller to open his |
letters in his presence. To all these re- |
quests Miller asSented.
Gen. s. s. Sumner in the City.
Major General Samuel S. Sumner, who |
was recently relieved from duty in COM !