The Washington times., 1923-10-26
Forbes DENIES
CHARGES Of
GRAF |
Asks Suspension OF Judgment
Until He Is Heard Prom
ises Exposures.
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Continued from First Pagel
make any statement in advance OF
the fun and complete testimony
which I shall give under oath on the
witness stand.
However. at the insistent urging
of my friends and In response to
inquiries from the press, / cannot
refrain from saying that every
charge ana every word Of testimony.
especially that Of Elias FL, Morti-
mer, reflecting on my personal or
official integrity, are utterly and
absolutely false and without tho
slightest foundation.
THE story OF the receipt by me
Of q 5000 br1be was not only false,
but 80 absurd az to be ridiculous.
Asks SuspensGon Of judgment.
1.-THE only thing / ask Of the pub
lie is to withhold judgment until
my witnesses and / are heard and
the full documentary evidence pro.
duced.
"In reply to inquiries az. to when
I VIII testify, I do not know, as
that il entirely within the discretion
or the committee,
while Forbes was issuing his
denial Of the corruption charges, of.
ficials Of the Department Of Justice
began the consideration Of evidence
already submitted to the Senate
committee with O view of launch
ing criminal prosecutions IL 1t can
be corroborated. No action, how.
ever, will be taken until more sub
stantial proof Of graft is shown
than has as yet been revealed, it
was said officially.
The Veterans Bureau scandal"
already has been the subject Of a
White House conference between
President Coolidge and Attorney
General Daugherty. The matter
was thoroughly discussed by the
President, who is reported to have
instructed the Attorney General to
AXE whatever legal steps he
thought the situation warranted.
THE Department Of Justice al
ready has started Verification OF
the bribery charges made before the
Senate investigating committee"
said Daugherty. IF we can estab-
lish these charges in the form Of
evidence they will be submitted to
a special grand jury Cor whatever
action such a body sees fit"
More Sensations Coming.
While the Senate staff of investi-
gators were preparing further sen.
sational evidence for presentation
to the committee when 1t recon
venes Monday, friends of the &C.
cused director were rallying to his
support.
It was learned Forbes will sub
stantiate his personal denial Of Nor
timers charges of graft and corrup-
ton by a mass of documentary evil
dence and by the direct testimony
Of the other men implicated. Two
of these, John w. Thompson, Of st.
Louis, and d. c. Hurley, Of Seattle,
were reported to be ready to come
to Washington Immediately to deny
"in toto" Mortimer's entire state
ment. y
In addition, the former director
was expected to call in as corrobora.
tive witnesses a number Of the ma
TONS best known political leaders
and other prominent persons. The
publication Of the names Of these
witnesses alone, it was said, will
cause even a greater sensation than
the original charges against Forbes.
Besides these. 1t was certain the
names Of a. score of the nations
highest political leaders will be
mentioned frequently in testimony
when the director takes the stand.
Would Fight ANY Gag.
Reports that Forbes will not be
permitted to present a complete de.
Tense until after the Senate in.
vestigation has covered all other
angles of the Veterans Bureau
situation has aroused the former
directors friends. They declared
today they would carry their case