New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-03
House Committee Asks
Why Tanner Trial
Is Delayed.
ATTORNEYS SILENT
ON BUCHANAN CASE
Wood and Sarfaty Refuse In
formation on German Plot
Indictments.

The subcommittee o. the House
Judiciary Committee which Is inyes-
tigating tho official acts of II. Snowden
Marshall. United States District At
tornev. spent a large part OF yester-
days session trying TO fsthom the rea-
son for Mr. Narshall's delay in bring
inc the Rae Tanner indictments TO
trial Whom The Oliver Osborne skelc-
ton led b. on r1t back into tho tlo'et
tcmno.ar,'v tie inqui itcrs had at
,..rcd ONLY tho explanation that the
Federal prosecutors staff had been
tod I'd with more pressing matters
since tho indictments were returned
last fall.
Chairman Carlin put the question
suddenly TO Roger p. Wood, an as
sistan. district attorney, whom he had
b,en examining concerning his private
in.are,t IN the Bard and Keen film
case:
"why haven't you tried the Rae
Tanner csse?"
"Well." answered Wood, hesitating'
there have been so many other cases
Of importance that We have been IN
able 70 get 70 IT,"
"IIaven't you tried cases that came
later"
Neutrality Cases First.
ayes simpler cases. Mr.. Osborne
was busy in the New Haven trial. ana
besides VIC had trouble In getting one
witness. We have been trying neu-
trality Eases Of importance which the
authorities have been anxious to have
settled"
Roth Wood and Raymond 4. Sarfaty,
one Of his fellow assistants. told me
subcommittee they had been m
structed b. Mr Marshall to answer no
questions In relation 10 proceedings
before me grand jury which led 70 the
Indictment of Congressman buchanan
i'm the German plot cases.
Sarfatv. who had charge Of me De
cember grand jury the one tnat IN
dictcd Buchanan repeated his IT.
gtructions. when he took the stand.
lie nrovcd a nervous witness and more
than once permitted himself to be
drawn into admissions. When the
chairman asked him If any complaint
had been made against Buchanan
Schultheis and others before the case
was started he replied;
Not sworn complaint. but inior-
nation. II came "a tho result OF an
other case. No complaint was made 70
mo against those men
II hone YOU will be in New York for
the next few days said Chairman
Carlin. significantly. We may nave
some interesting information for you.
Asks Another Chance.
Some OF those present thought the
chairman's remark was a hint that con-
tempt proceedings might follow Sarfa-
tvs refusal 10 tell all he knew. Pos
sibly Sarfaty himself was one Of them,
for later in the day he announced him
self ready TO answer all questions, eX-
planned ne had misunderstood Mr..
Marshalrs instructions and requested
another chance as q witness. lie was
CURLY informed he would be sent FOR
when further testimony was desired
from him.
District Attorney swami, lrlehd o.
Mr. Marshall for twenty years. said he
believed Marshall an ideal man for his
post. lie brought with him and turned
over 30 the subcommittee the min
utes OF tho Federal Grand jury in the
Bard and Keen case. Mr.. Wood. who
admitted having turned the minutes
over 10 Nr. Swami w.,ea II was decided
the film case was not one FOR Federal
prosecution. denied he had permitted
any personal interest IN the case 10
3. rfff