Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-02
Clerk Trimble of House Denies
Search Is Costing 81 900 a Day.
HEAVY GUARD NOT DIMINISHED
Every Possible Exit From Oil Mag
mates 5th Avenue Mansion Is
Carefully Watched.

way OF forcing Mr.. Rockefeller to APP
pear. or until Sergeant-at-arms Charles
F. Riddell in New York reports that he
has served Mr.. Rockefeller.
OF the latter contingency there is be-
lieved to be little chance. and Mr.. South
occupied himself today in hunting up
presidents suitable to the difficulty in
which the House finds itself. He stated
that he would have consultations with
members Of the House judiciary commit
tee today to see If the House cannot find
some way of forcing Mr.. Rockefeller's
presence before the Pujo committee.
There seems to be some difference of
opinion Mr.. South said. among the
lawyers at the Capitol as to just what
the rights of the House are In matter
like this / am only country lawyer,
but my opinion is that we will find way
to catch Mr.. Rockefeller before very
long"
Seek to Enter His Homes.
South Trimble, the clerk of the House
of Representatives, who is charged with
the issuance Of the subpoenas which the
sergeant-at-arms is trying to serve. said
today that what is needed is authority
for the process servers to enter Mr..
Rockefeller's houses or domiciles where
he may be believed to be.
=. II have placed the active conduct of the
attempt to- serve Mr.. Rockefeller In Mr.
South's hands," Mr.. Trimble said. and
perhaps he will find that the lawyers on
the judiciary committee of the House or,
others can untangle the situation. They
will have to give us authority to enter
domiciles, SO that We can make real
search
Mr.. Trimble denied stories coming from
hof no House of RenrpSpnta-
| tives is spending $1,000 day on the at
tempt to serve Mr. Rockefeller.
There have been but fifteen men sent
from Washington" he said. and we are
paying their railroad fares and expenses
| while in New York. Mr.. Riddell, the
sergeant arms, has employed detectives
in New York to aid him, just how many
l do not know. but l do not think there
are anything like eighty or hundred men
engaged in the attempt, as has been re-
ported"
Expense Account Not Available.
The fifteen men sent from Washington
| to aid Mr.. Riddell are assistant SER
geants-at-arms and attaches of the dis
bursting and other similar offices of the
House. They are not official process
servers. Many of them are relieving
each other in New York, several parties
having gone over there to remain a day
or two. coming back to attend their
duties in the House.
At the disbursing Office of the House
today it was said that no account of the
actual expense of the attempt to serve
Mr.. Rockefeller can yet be given. as the
disbursng office is advancing money Tor
railroad fares and expenses for the men
going to New York. and for Mr. Rid
delrs use for the detectives he is employ
ing in New York, which will be account
ed for later on when Mr.. Rockefeller Is
served or the attempt given up.
House officials today were inclined TO
the view that the best procedure to adopt
i'm the effort to reach Mr.. Rockefeller
would> be to have the judiciary COM
mittee Immediately report, and the House
adopt resolution instructing that an
attachment be served on the financier.
Can Find Few Precedents.
There seem to be few presidents. If
summons actually had been served on
Mr.. Rockefeller there would be no doubt
as to the right of the House to serve
on him a criminal warrant on the ground
that he is a contumacious witness.
There is a statute which provides pun
ishment for any person who, having been
summoned as witness. makes default
or declines to answer questions, but there
is nothing in the law at present which
will permit officials of the House or any
into a domicile for the purpose of serv-
ing subpoena.
House leaders today were dubious as to
just what should be done in the effort
to support the PujO committee in its de-
sire for Mr. Rockefellers presence.
Sleuths in New York Baffled.
NEW YORK, January 2.-Baffled in
their attempts to serve William Rookie
xt,.iva Il fff,
to testify before the Pujo committee
investigating the so-called money
trust, forty deputy sergeants-at-arm
of the House of Representatives and
private detectives awaited today word
from Washington that they might
enter Mr.. Rockefellers 5th avenue
mansion. by force if necessary. and
serve him there.
The heavy guard which has surrounded
the oil millionaire's home from the streets
and housetops during the past few days
was not diminished during the night.
Every possible exit was under guard this
morning. Charles F. Riddell sergeant
alarms of the House, in charge of the
squad of process servers. said he felt
sure Mr.. Rockefeller was within.
Mr. Riddell said that he expected
something important to happen today
as the result of the visit to Washington
Of Jerry South. chief clerk of the House,
who left here last night. II was under
stood that Mr.. South would ask the Pujo
committee to issue an attachment for Mr..
Rockefeller's apprehension.
Unusual Stir Within House.
For the first time since the vigil began
the shades at the windows of the man.
sion were thrown up today There seem
ed to be an unusual stir within. Some of
the process servers believed that Mr..
Rockefeller might accept service volun-
tarily today.
Mr. Rockfellers brother. John ID. Rock
efeller, drove up to the house In tour
ing car during the forenoon and stopped
for a moment at the curb opposite the en-
trance, but did not alight. Just as Mr..
Rockefeller was about TO get out of his
machine a newspaper reporter recognized
him and stepped forward to greet him.
Mr. Rockefeller turned to the chauffeur
quickly and the car shot away before the
door had been opened.
Search Costing 81 900 Day.
Search for Mr.. Rockefeller is costing the |
government a thousand dollars a day. |
The eighty federal agents and detectives |
employed in constant guard at his Tar |
rytown and 9Th avenue homes figured |
TODAY that their ten-dollar-a-day pay, |
plus travelling and incidental expenses. |
amounted to this total, and that, since |
the guard had been kept up for a week. |
at least $1,000 had been spent in the en-
deavor to serve Mr.. Rockefeller with a