The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-01-26
.P0RT AMENDMENT OFFICIAL PROBES .REsUbM|SS|ON TO.ALLEG[D SCANDAL
 BE DECIDED LATER IN 4DRY' LEAGUE.
Anderson, Called Before Dis- triCt Attorney for QueS- tloning, Makes Charges
 Against His AccuSerS
By Associated Press

NEN otNA, Jan. So.-LOuS SHloul- derlng rumors of misrepresentation and malfeas sance, of blackmall and extcrtlon. today burst into flame W hen William II. Anderson, super intendent of the New Yory state branch of the Anti-Saloon League and nationally known dry cru- sader, was summoned to the district attorneys office for examination.
 The district attorneys aides main tained sealed lips and sealed records eoncernirs wiia5 took place at to- days questioning. But Mr. Ander- son himself, in a statement issued tonight, revealed that an investiga- ton of certain financial transactions within the league, and involving funds donated by it's supporters, had been started by District Attorney Banton.
 The specific accusations, alleged by the Evening Mail to have been made by o. Bertsall Phillips. who, until last year, was chief financial field representative of the league were:
 That the chief for many months carried out a private arrangement whereby he split fifty-fifty com missions on donations solicited by Phillips.
 Alleged False Accounts
 That Anderson falsified the off cial accounts of the league, which is corporation, thus committing a felony.
 That Anderson after publicly re- fusing, in 1920. an increase of 10000 salary, drew compensation" at s15,- coo that year; that he obtained the board of directors authority to draw from the treasury to himself s24OoO for unauthorized and u tenn ized publicity"
 That, although the league pro- fessed to pay no commissions or bonuses to solicitors of contribu- tions, Phillips regularly received 20 Fer cent comm ssion up to S25,00O collected annually, and 10 per cent on collections exceeding that amount; and that Anderson secretely shared | these commissions. recording Phil l lips compensation as salary"
 To which Anderson replied with counter charges that he was being the victim of attempted extortioa ! and blackmail which had already cost the league, under the guso ot a settlement" $2.5O0, paid Phillips { by the board of directors last De- cember
 Names Co-cOnspirntor
 He named Robert G. Davey. all leged member of the staff of the | Lords Day Alliance. as a co-con- i spirator with Phillips but withheld | the name of a third person .e de- clared was involved.
 These charges" he said, are the joint product of desire for revenge on the part of three discharged em- ployes and an attempt to extort money. The man making the charges was discharged for cause after some unpleasant financial transactions and demonstrated disloyalty had | exposed the shady transactions .. another. The third man helped the one making the charges wrongfuily to secure some money. restitution of which was made when we discov- cred 1t.
 For seven months the threat of these charges has been held oyer me 10 make me pay money to this man that was not owed to him. I was offered two chances to avoid the charges by making payments.
 The demands, wbich included the which have been dis torted into the basis of these charges. were before the board cf directors and were included in the settlement (the s2.5O0 paid Phh lips) IS shown by documentary evi- denee. although the board refused to recognize them as basis for fixing the amount and paid or}v about half of an amount claimed to be due for compensation. which. contested. was straIebt claim.
 "I have done nothing improper. -nlawful or unethical," Mir. Anderson said again.