Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-03-24

elters Mf. MCCONNELL lerC MS nome t0f
Florida snR within dAy or 20 OF his
departure Mr.. Coles advised me thai
Wash nstom had telepaoned asking thal
scttoe N the Mcconnell case b de.
fcrred. Subsequently, this conversation
NAL, reply was drafted. I suggested
that the Attorney General should be
informed with particularly of the seri-
BUSINESS Of his request. A letter was
then written which emphasized the ne
cessity OF prompt action.
1T was suggested on several occa
siOns that we 20 to Washington and los
the matter before the Attorney General
or one of his assistants, but was ad-
vised that no interview could be ar
ranged.
''The matter driftcd on. The Grand
Jury met the. week Of February %.
Our case was not presented. The jury
adjourned to meet the following Wed.
nesday, for n three day session. II
would then adjourn for the term. The
next Grand Jury would not meet for
three months, about June 1. drew
Mr.. Coles attention to the fact tLat
the biggest case on the list, one In
which the assistance Of the Grand Jury
was materially needed In developing ad.
ditional evidence, was being crowded to
the last minute. To my surprise he
told me that there was no present ne.
cessity for proceeding with the case.
Still More Delay
"On Saturday, March 4, II. T. Jones
and Morgan G. Smith arrived from tho
Attorney Generals Office to discuss tho
case. / spent the major portion Of the
afternoon going over the evidence in
volving Mcconnell lthey manifested no
interest in any one else). At the con.
clusion Of this discussion asked II they
were satisfied with the evidence. ! was
them advised they had no authority to
settle the question, but must report back
to Washington. I asked that deci.
sion be revealed promptly.
IT was then told that we were not
expected to proceed at the present time
in any event. I was not surprised at
this in view of Mr.. Coles previous sug-
gcstion to me, nor was surprised when
Mr.. Coles Immediately agreed to the
proposal. But I was indignant.
81 told them in brief that the case
had been hanging five or six months.
That it was the most flagrdnt conspir.
acy to defy the law that had come into
the Office. The case had been slipped
past the Grand Jury in December to
save the Attorney General from embar.
rassment. That II 1t was shufHed past
this Grand Jury, / was through with
that Office.
"They expostulated that Washington
was interested in the case. told them
Washington had five weeks to satisfy
its interest md had now come in at the
last moment to ask that no action be
taken. There was the law and there
was the evidence, and Washington
could change neither. l added that It
was the first time In my experience that
Washington had ever attempted to hold
up n prosecution and ! concluded by
telling them that if wasn't fired before
Wednesday / would start the case be-
fore the Grand Jury.
Insisted on Showdown
IT was emphatic. Five weeks Of tel.
ephoning and correspondence between
District Attorney Coles and the Attor.
ney General had failed to release the
dead hand grip Of the orders from
Washington. 1t was my only chance.
The Attorney General was being used
to accomplish discreditable end. 1t
was my duty to get him awake. and !
passed out the stiffest jolt ! carried.
"The representatives Of the Attorney
General, together with Mr.. Coles, left
me. l understand they telephoned
Washington. Monday morning Mr..
Jones returned. He asked me to pre-
pare a report on the case. told him
/ not only would do that but l would
myself take 1t to Washington. On
Tuesday morning saw one Of the as.
sistants to the Attorney General and
came back with authority to proceed.
Certain evidence already gathered was
presented to the Grand Jury Thursday.
Friday a court order was secured espe .
cially continuing the Grand Jury beyond
the regular term, which ended Saturday
in order that complete investigation
might be made.
"On Saturday I saw Rush Holland
assistant to the Attorney General, in
the Office. He was closeted with Mr.
Coles for an hour or more. did no,
meet him. nor was ! told the purpOst
of his visit.
Further evidence was presented t.
the Grand Jury when 1t convened II
special session on Monday. 1t then ad.
journed until Friday to give us an op.
pbrtupity to follow up new leads.
Eager to Uncover Crooks
''The Investigators with whom wa!
working and myself were eager to un.
cover the whole crooked mess. At /: