New-York tribune., 1920-10-04
Funds for Aid
OF Near East
Spent for Wine
Allied Officers Guests at
Champagne Dinners, Says
Witness at Trial Of Six
Americans for Fraud
Turkish Dancers Present
Also Said Quantity of
Flour Was Traded for
Six Carloads of Whisky

CoNSTANTINOPLE, Oct. 81 (By
The Associated Press).-Details of al
legged thefts from tne Near East Relief
by officers and employees have been
brought out in hearings here Of six
Americans charged with having de-
frsuded the organization.
Davis, one of the defendants, tes-
tilted Tuesday that Lieutenant
Colonel Coombs. director of the
Near East Relief, visited him
in prison and promised him i'm
munity if he would "ten all he knew
about those higher up who were trying
to get him (Coombs)." Davis also tes-
tifed that F. ". Macallam, a member
of the executive committee of the Near
East Relief, had visited him in prison
and given him message from Charles
Y. Vickrey, general secretary of the
organization. that he (Vickrey) was
sorry Davis was IN such a position.
Mr.. Vickrey was at the time in Switzer-
land the defendant testified.
Admission was made on the witness
stand by Lieutenant Colonel Coombs
that many expensive dinners to high
Allied officers had been given with
money belonging to the Near East Re-
lief. He declared the arrangements
were made by Davis, and that cham
pagne and wines figured in the menus
One bill for a dinner last July
amounted to $3.50 At this affair there
were Russian singers and Turkish
dancers
Lieutenant Colonel Coombs denied
any knowledge of the trading at Batum
carloads of whisky. He said that
Batum was outside his jurisdiction.
Welcomes Full Investigation
The defense for the prisoners rested
its case to-day, after having called as
witnesses ". ". Peet, chairman of the
administrative committee; H. NJ. Day.
Trades Corporation, and other persons.
The argument of the defense was that
the affairs of the committee had been
so conducted that it was impossible to
prove the alleged shortages.
Mr.. Peet said the Near East COM
mittee had nothing to fear from an
investigation and welcomed informa-
tion in an attempt to show dishonesty
Questioned by Julian Gillespie, for
mer captain in the United States
Army, counsel for the accused, Mr..
Peet denied having knowledge that
parts OF shipload OF merchandise to
the Foreign Trades Corporation in
July, 1919, did not pay customs to the
Turks.
MacaIlam denied knowledge that for
a three days conference at the end of
August for fftythree relief workers
held in Robert College, the cost of au-
tomobiles was more than 81 200 He
said he knew however, that the meals
were supplied by expensive hotel ca
terers.
Discharged for Dishonesty
Coombs said that two employees in
bakery which furnished bread for
the poor, Lad been discharged for dis
honesty in their accounts. He ex-
planned the sale of merchandise valued
at SS50000 to the American Foreign
Trade Corporation was arranged by
Major Arnold, his predecessor, who
he said probably had this merchandise
on hand IS q result OF bad Judgment or
the part 1f the New York office of the
committee regarding requirements. This
sale. he added, was mostly in the nature
OF an exchange for goods which the
American Foreign Trade Corporation
had in its possession and which were
Of more use to the committee.
Blamcs Men Taken from Army