Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-06-17
CHARGES INVOLVING
STATE REPUBLICANS
CALLED FRAME up
Pointed Statements Issued
by ]. L. Phillips, C. W.,
Parker and C, C. Coy1e,
Witnesses Here 10 Testify

Investigations by the federal grand
jury of alleged enforced collections
Of money from Republican and Dem
ocratic officeholders in the state by
| high officials of the Republican
party, brought pointed statements
| Thursday from J. Louis Phillips,
state chairman of Georgia for the
Republican party; C. w. Parker,
vice chairman and C. c. Coyle, Sec
rotary of the state Republican COM
| mittee, in which it was charged
that the whole investigation was a
political frame-up on the part of
disappointed officeseekers and Dem
ocratic partisans to destroy Phillips
as chairman and gain control Of the
party machinery"
Statements from various federal
employees summoned as witnesses in
the probe were to the effect that the
probe is not frame-up but will re-
veal the cold facts in the case which
will show that money not only has
been collected from Republican Of
fice-holders and off1ceseekers but also
from Democrats, who could not pos
sibly be expected to have any inter-
est in the support of the, party ma
chinery."
Mr.. Phillips Statement
Following is Mr.. Phillips state
ment as contained in telegram to
The Journal Thursday morning:
"In reply to your telegram I de-
sire to say that not one dollar has
been paid to me or to our committee
for making or recommending any
federal appointment in Georgia, ana
the false charges being circulated are
made by Democratic partfsans. az
well as by disappointed office-seek'
ers, and particularly by an enemy
faction in our own party led by
Clarke Greer, and Adamson and
Hastings, who, ever since the re-
organization of our party on a re-
spectacle basis last year, have
fo''.-zrc 60 destroy me as chairman in
T order that they might obtain con-
| troll of the party machinery and ap-
pointments and the control of the
liquor traffic for their own selfish
ends. l have complete confidence
that our people who believe in hon
or and justice and law enforcement
will not permit themselves to be
used for such base purposes"
Parker Silent
Mr.. Parker arrived in Atlanta
Thursday morning and made the fol-
lowing statement:
Il have nothing to say at the
present. If am under fire l am
surprised. No specific charges have
been made as J. understand it, but
mere intimations and general talk.
If specific charges are made involv-
| ing me, l will have something to
say"
Mr.. Coyle ridiculed the whole in
vestigation as political tempest in
teapot, declaring that it was moth
| ing but a furore created by few
disgruntled office-seekers. He de-
clared the funds alleged to have been
collected do not come to the Repub-
lican state committee, but are used
by the Republican Educational So
ciety to disseminate party litera-
ture.
Fred D. Dismuke. federal prohibit
| ton director for Georgia, who was
charged with having made Ycontribu-
tions to the fund in a statement from
Clark Greer, former agent Of the
department Of justice who stated
that he started the investigation, de-
clared he had nothing to say at the
present.
Rose Denies Charge
Josiah T. Rose, collector of internal
revenues for Georgia, who, Greer
charged, agreed to pay the sum OF
5000 year to the fund. issued the
following statement:
IL have signed no papers OF any
kind which obligated me to turn
over any set amount to the Repub
licaE state organization, | am frank
t. say that vixen / took this office
l took it for granted that I would
be expected to give something for
| the support of the state organization
and I expected to do so. I was
never, however, approached for q
contribution, and anything 1 give
will be entirely voluntary. l want
to help support the party because
am a loyal party man"
Clark Greer, who is one of the
principal witnesses in the probe
made the following statement Thurs
day morning:
Il started this investigation wher
I was a special agent for the depart
nent of justice. l turned up mum
Der Of cases, some of them worse
than this. When I turned up this
one; Involving Phillips, the state
chairman, he had me fired. I didn't
knew l was supposed to protect
Phillips. l had no instructions from
Washington to that effect. / wa.
simply discharging my duty as ar
officer.
Democrats Fleeced"
This is absolutely not a frame
up. The collection of money wa:
not confined to Republican office
seekers, who might possibly be eX
pected to support the party, but wa!
extended to Democrats. many Of
whom were intimidated and fleecet
worse than the Republicans.
I'm some instances l found tha
the Republicans had Eaid small
sums. They knew they might ex
pect the appointments anyway, tina
it would be natural for them to gee
them, but the Democrats knew tina
if they got jobs they had to pay fol
thpm and the result was that the,