Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1918-10-31
JURY EXONERATED
TRUMAN NEWBERRY
Clean Bill of Health Given the
Republican Nominee for L.
-. Senate.
MEANS HANDS ARE CLEAN
Candidate Against Ford Faces the
Public with Record that il
Unblemished.

Commander Truman IL. Newberry,
L. :. ~, has been given a clean bill
by the special grand jury convened
in New York to probe the Michigan
primary election for United States
senator
After weeks of testimony, inspec-
tion of records, and viewing Of tele-
grams and letters, the jury, less than
four hours after the conclusion of
the hearings, voted 10 10 against
an indictment. News of the action
of the jury transpired shortly after
the conclusion of Tuesdays session
No official announcement of the vote
was made, however, but IL was an
nounced that the jury would not be
formally discharged until November
is.
There is thus far no ground for
believing that the grand jury 10 be
convened November in Detroit will
take up the Newberry case although
efforts are being made there 70 give
the impression that the case is not
over but will be reopened in. Detroit.
As long as the special jury in New
York retains it's lease on life il is Of
course possible for the federal Off
GERS to reopen the case or renew
activities. but in view Of the decisive
vote of the jury in New York. 1t is
not believed that attempts will be
made. The special thing the grand
jury in New York was charged 70
determine was the truth or fals'ty
Of Mr.. Newberry's affidavit that he
had no knowledge and had given no
consent for the expenditure Of money
in his behalf. The events that fol-
lowed the beginning Of the jurys
work, however, showed that the
government sought to go into the ex
penditures themselves, apparently
the aim being to probe the disposi-
tion 81 the campaign funds. The
question of how much money was
spent by the Newberry campaign
committee composed Of Detroit and
Michigan business men was not ger
name TO the issue in New York al
though the misunderstanding over
this feature of the case was general
Few political campaigns in the
United States have devcloped such
unusual features as are incident TO
the attempt to prevent Commander
Truman II. Newberry from becom-
ing an actual candidate for the
United States senate after ne had
been nominated by an overwhelming
plurality over Henry Ford and Simp-
son. For the first time in the coun-
try's history the federal department
of justice was brought into play
against candidate before the cleo
tion and for the first time an investi-
cation Of the kind took place in a far
removed state where the laws Of
Michigan in nowise applied. The de-
partment, apparently under orders,
took extraordinary and unprecedent-
ed steps. 1t relieved the regular
United States grand jury from duty,
RECORD-TWELVE
a special grand jury was carefully
selected, two attorneys from the at
torney generals Office in Washington
were put IN charge and Democrat
judge from Alabama was assigned TO
preside over the deliberations. No
formal accusations were made
against Truman II. Newberry. I'm
der the procedure he could not pre-
sent a defense as a grand jury may
hear and bar what il chooses. The
star witnesses were the sleuth re-
porters Of the Detroit News, which
has carried on hysterical campaign
against Commander Newberry. The
exoneration of the Commander is
therefore all the more complete.