Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-10
:T|PSTER, IS CHARGE
Investigator De Woody Ac-
cused in Open Court.
curry SECRETS EXPOSED
Lawyer Declares Brick Trust Was
Advised of Proceedings.
WHY EVIDENCE IS WITHHELD
Department of Justice Employe Says
he Courts Investigation-Judge
Lands Demands Proof.

SHlCAIo. DECEMBER 1o--tHalSeS Una
secrets of the federal grand jury room
were being tipped off, to interested
parties. made before Judge Kenesaw NJ
Lands of the United States district court
caused him to suspend a contempt case
he was hearing. and demand that the
charges be sustained at once.
The man accused of being the ''tipster
is Charles +. De Woody. division Superin-
tendent of the bureau of investigation OF
the Department of Justice. The accusa-
ton was made by John F. Browp. coun-
sci for Mrs. Aileen Christopher, witness
against the alleged paving brick trust.
Mrs. Christopher's Accusation.
Mrs. Christopher was in court to show
why she had refused to bring certain evil
dence and documents before the grand
jury, as requested by the United States
district attorney. Her answer, by he1
attorney, was that she feared the evil
dence would be exposed to the, persons
interested. DeWoody was the man she
accused through her counsel.
Mrs. Christopher's Accusation.
While waiting for other witnesses to
testify concerning the charge, Judge Lam
dis questioned Mrs. Christopher She
testified that De Woody came to her at
Portage, Wis. to get certain information
ana while there that he told her of the
secret information the grand jury had
obtained, which later resulted i'm the in
dictment of former Cashier Fitzgerald of
the federal subtreasury on charges of
the theft of $173,OOO
Judge Lands directed that this be
stricken from the record, as not affect
ing her charge that De Woody had vio-
lated his instructions of secrecy concern
ing grand jury information in the specific
brick trust case. Then other witnesses
were sent for.
The charges created sensation when
made. since their first expression was
vague.
THE reason we feared to give the
grand jury this information, Attorney
Brown said. was that other testimony
before the grand jury had been tipped
off to- the brick trust by the head of
the department making the investiga-
ton.
United States District Attorney Ed
win w. Sims. who was in court with
several of his assistants, asked if lie
was the department head referred to.
Mr.. Brown assured him he was not,
and amplfied his first statement by
saying:
1T is not your department. Mr. Sims.
1t is the investigating department
whose head l referred to-.
De Woody, also in court, sprang to his
feet and declared:
partment seemingly referred to, yohr
honor. ] wish to say 1 court the fullest
of the charges"
De Woody Is Named
Yes" continued Attorney Brown. Mr.
De Woody is the department head / refer
red to- 1 will show the court he not only
the secrets have referred to. but
other secrets of the grand jury room,
those pertaining to the Fitzgerald case,
and other Matters
These other matters the court refused to
allow the attorney to go into.
Attorney Brown also announced he had
letter from Attorney General Wicker
sham. advising him not to give the evil
dence TO the grand jury. Judge Lands
said such instructions had no weight in
his court.
Charles De Woody has been in charge
of the Chicago division of the bureau of
lnNeStlSatlOn OIL the department Oh JUS
tice for about five weeks, succeeding
Marshall Erberstein. The succession was
announced suddenly, and caused consid-
cradle conjecture at the time. which fin
ally resulted in a statement from Wash
ington that it signified nothing.
The con lectures were raised in connec-
ton with the beef trust Investigations,
on which De Woody then was working,
the subtreasury theft investigation and
others.