Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-08-03
UNCOVER GRAFT
IN ship BOARD
Evidence Connects One Mi
nor Official With Alleged
Contract Conspiracy
OBSTRUCTION OF DRAFT
By the Associated Press

"hsUiUg'ou. Aug
Evidence connecting at least one minor
oficisl of the shipping board with an
alleged conspiracy to obtain contracts
from the shipping board at extra high
prices has been gathered by Government
secret agents, it became known today.
This was disclosed as a result of the
arrest in Washington of Edward l..
= Travis. former law partner of Represen-
tative Kitchin, of North Carolina, ma
jority leader in the House and man.
/. aRer Of Senator Overman's campaign for
election several years ago. and Slim b.
Joseph and Leon NJ Green formerly OF
+be staff of Governor Cole l.. Blease. IF
South Carolina.
The technical charge against the men
Il that of ccnspiring to obstruct the
draft by getting job for Green which
would place him in deferred classinca-
J. tion. More generally. however. IL Is
charged that they. acting in connection
with Government employees. promised 10
get orders for between eighteen and
twenty-four ships at a price of Sl95
ION which Is considerably higher than
most contracts provide, with view OF
dividing the bonus. Several Govern
mani employees are under suspicion of
having agreed to be associated with
the men.
The ship contracts, which never were
actually negotiated. were to nave been
given TO the Perth Amboy Drydock Com
nanv of Perth Amboy, y. j., which
aided the Government in running down
the men after they We're said to have
made proposals which seemed improper
to the company officials.
The Proposed scheme
Joseph, it is charged, appLoa Wat a
drydock company with the s.9.s ,,,hn he
close friend of his in Eew Gahinet mem
said. was a nephew of Cao.,;,u,i Ca;,,ions nf
Sar in position to get Wah'ohs ~ ~,
.Soiiars' worth of contracts iro'" u"
sbinping board at high prices. ,nert
The company notified the S,oI,ard T.
secret agents, VINO asStSeP IN perth Nmboy
romoany in AN effort to discover .aS
,nens, game, He was said to nave louI,u
that the alleged "Cablnet Iad II
<~nephew" was Green. 1t was P.opUi ye
was said. that Joseph was TO RECEIVE
a. so a ton on each ship for which oI
: ders were obtained at prices apoIe s.' 81.
\ average, while Green was 10 set Ell. .i. !,
cepts a ton and in addition posiI,ol
with the shlpbuilding compans a go az mads is
salary. This position would nay Tr,f, tf,"It II
him virtually exempt from the u'"i'' II
is charged.
! Green referred the Perth AmboY com
uany's supposed representative u
Travis in Washington. who was salo 'e
have posed as having great inhuehce
with the shipping board. He also men
toned his former connection with Rep
resentative Kitchin and Senator over
man, it Is charged
Commission Plan Unsuccessful
Several months ago, it was said the
three men under arrest were involved IT
another effort to get ship contracts on q
fee basis, but were unsuc
cessful.
For his latest efforts Travis was tc
have received fee of Sloo'ooo' II Is
charged.
Information leading to the arrest OF
y the men was obtained originally by the
Navy Intelligence Department wn'cf
later was assisted by Department o:
Justice agents.
other shipbuilding contracts are beinf
investigated.
In connection with activities of con
tingent fee agents it has been reported
q. for some time that secretaries of mem
bers of Congress acted as information
agents of the commission fee men, al
though as yet no evidence warrantint
- prosecution has been developed agains
these secretaries
The three men were to be arraignet
9Ntoday before a United States commits
siOner.