Evening star., 1924-08-29
WHEELER RENEWS
DAUGHERTY FIGHT
Senator RidicuIes Affidavit
Made by George Remus,
Bootleg King, in Prison.

Senator Wheeler of Montana, prose-
cutor of the Daugherty committee
and La Toilette candidate for Vice
President, today publicly renewed his
war on the Daugherty gang" in pub
lie Office.
In formal statement Mr.. Wheeler
dealt at length with an affidavit said
to have been made in Atlanta Peni
tentiary by George Remus, once the
Ohio bootleg king. repudiating the
sensational testimony he gave last
Spring before tho Daugherty COM
mittee.
"Testimony before the investiga-
tion," the Senator's statement con-
tinued, disclosed that the present
warden of Atlanta Penitentiary is a
close friend and political associate of
Harry M. Daugherty. The incident
makes 1T clear that President Coolidge
still has some house cleaning to do.
because some remnants of the Daugh-
erty gang are still in Office under the
Federal Government"
Repudiate~ Testimony.
According to information reaching
Senator Wheeler and other members
of the Daugherty committee, the new
Remus affidavit directly repudiated
Remus' testimony that he had paid
about $250,000 to the late Jess Smith,
Mr.. Daugherty's companion. for pro-
lection from prosecution. On the con-
trary. Remus said in the affidavit he
had never met Jess Smith or COM
municated with him directly or in
directly. Testimony to the contrary,
it is added. was given before the COM
mittee in the belief that II would aid
him to secure his release from prison.
Senator Wheeler's statement de-
scribed in some detail the circum-
stances under which Remus' origi-
nal testimony was adduced.
Got Anonymous Messages.
The committee" he said, got sew
eral anonymous kilograms, which in
my judgment Remus himself sent
during its hearings, demanding that
he be called as a witness, and sug-
gesting that he had valuable infor-
nation We sent an agent down to
see him. He volunteered to come
That any promises were made to him
OF any kind is absolutely untrue
and, OF course, the assertion that
either Chairman Brookhart or myself
had any influence that would enable
US to offer pardon, considering our
attitude toward the executive branch
of the Government. is and was
highly amusing"
The Senator added that before Remus
had left the witness stand information
reached the committee which led it to
proceed very cautiously in its further
relations with the witness, who shortly
afterward was returned to prison.
In another statement today Senator
reiterated that ne was ready
to go to trial at any time fixed by the
prosecution on indictment pending in
Montana charging improper legal
activities after his election to the
Senate.
II have instructed my attorneys not
to ask for a continuance" he said. Il
have repea tedly asked that the case
be set for trial. / wanted it disposed
of before the campaign started. Il
could get no satisfaction from the
Attorney Generals office in Wash
ington nor from Mr.. Slattery, United
States attorney in Montana 1t was
only after / consented to run on the
Progressive ticket for Vice President
that it was even intimated when the
case would be set for trial I am
ready to go to trial on the misdemeanor
charge in Montana now or at any
other time-knowing as I do that
there is no truth in the charge"
Senator La Toilette is being urged
by some of his advisers to follow
Senator Wheeler into New England for
at least one campaign speech.
Mr.. Wheeler will begin a stumping
tour Labor day with an address on
Boston common. In quick succession
he will deliver speeches in at least a
dozen other New England cities be-
fore invading New York and probably
other eastern states.
Senator La Toilette also will speak
Labor day, but not to a visible au-
dience, arrangements having been
made to have a dozen radio stations
broadcast his address. Still of the
opinion that he should not launch
his active campaign before mid
September. he expects to get under
way with a curtain raiser in New
York city.
Gilbert E. Roe. in charge of eastern
headquarters, who is here
with Mr.. La Toilette. is
one of those advising him to make a
personal appeal for support in New
England after his New York speech.
He says there is a favorable trend in
New England to the La Toilette
Wheeler ticket, and is recommending
that every effort be made to roundup
votes there.