The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1920-11-08
ANDERSON IS
STARTING HIS
INVESTIGATION
Federal Judge Begins Probe
of Palmer's Connection in
Coal Case at indianapolis
Today.
CASE IS CONTINUED

oLlo, 1NoF- o.--ttI
the request of the government the con-
spiracy case against 125 soft coal min
ers and operators of Indiana, Illinois,
Ohio. and Western Pennsylvania WAS
continued when called in the United
States district court of Judge A. b.
Anderson this morning.
Judge Anderson then Immediately
started up his investigation of Attor-
ney General Palmer's connection with
the case at one til e declaring, Il am
going to find out whether the attorney
general can ham-string case in this
court" Dan w. Simms of Lafayette,
Ind, who recently resigned as special
assistant district attorney, in the case
was the first witness called in the in
vestigation.
Jurisdiction Doubtful.
The government based it's plea for
continuance for the fact that not all
of the defendants had been brought
within the jurisdiction of the federal
district court for Indiana and also, on
the resignation of Mr.. Smms who, fol-
lowing his resignation, declared his
action was due to instructions from
Mr.. Palmer that certain evidence be
not used. These instructions" Mr..
out of the case"
Simms Testifies.
Mr.. Simms, in testifying today in
the investigation declared that no
agreement of any sort had been made
by the attorney general or anyone else
within the presence of Judge Ander-
son or out of it in regard to the evi-
dence to be used. EB. Ames, former
chief assistant attorney general, ap-
pearing as a friend of Mr. Palmer, de-
clared, however that the attorney gen.
erals instructions had been msunder-
stood generally and that evidence he
ordered excluded was that relating to
period of time not covered by the
conspiracy indictment.
Mr.. Ames, interpreting Mr.. Palmer's s
letter said that the attorney general
intended only to give instructions re-
garding the contempt and added that
'inadvertent use of language caused
a different Interpretation being made
by Mr.. Simms and an associated coun.
SELL q
Anderson Challenges.
Asked why the attorney-general did
not want evidence that was the basis
for the contempt proceedings used in
the present cases, Mr.. Ames said that
this was because the miners sub
mitted to Judge Anderson's orders di-
recting cancellation of the strike or.
der last year. This was challenged
by Judge Anderson who asserted the
miners "fouted" his order, but sub
mitted to negotiations with Mr.. Pal
mer.
Here are two armies" continued
the judge, referring to the cases, "the
general of one agrees to hold back his
strongest division. Can he do it, He
may. But he would be court martialed
if he did"
Denies Suppression
Mr.. Simms. l.. Ert Slack. special
prosecutor. and District Attorney Van
Nuys testified that no agreement for
the suppression of any evidence was
made last year with the attorney gen
! eral. Mr.. Ames, who attended the
conference at which Mr.. Palmer has
] been quoted as saying the aggreement
was reached volunteered similar
| statement and flatly denied that any
sort of an agreement was made by
Judge Anderson.
Just before the investigation ad
journed to be renewed later in the
day Judge Anderson declared "I am
going to find out if this government
centers in a few individuals in Wash
ington," and he added that he would
learn whether he was "a puppet tC
! be controlled by strings pulled from
| Washington"