Evening star., 1924-05-14
DECLARES PHILLIPS
BURNED EVIDENCE
Witness Says Georgian Took Rec
ords From Him in Raleigh
Hotel.
BURNED IN THE BASEMENT
Employees at Building Affirm De-
struction Story.

John l. Phillips. chairman Of the
Republican state committee of
Georgia, was accused today Of de-
stroying incriminating records which
James I. NJ. Wilson of Philadelphia
had brought with him when Wilson
was summoned in June, 1922, to
testify before the grand jury which
was investigating the alleged fraud
In connection with the sale of surplus
lumber from Army cantonments.
wilson, a government witness, had
known Phillips for ten years when
both had been employed by lumber
concern and admitted he had borrow
ed $1,000 from Phillips, whom he ac-
cused yesterday of exacting $4,000 as
a bonus to close a sale of a portion
or the lumber to the Mueller Lumber
Company of Philadelphia.
The witness said he had not been
called by the grand jury on the date
or his arrival in Washington and so
took his records with him to the
Raleigh Hotel where Phillips also had
a room. Phillips visited the room of
tents of the satchel in which the wit
ness had brought the documents.
When he came across certain records
PhiiHps, according to the witness,
took the papers and announced his
intention of destroying them.
Made No Objection.
On cross-exam amination the witness ad-
mitted he made no objection when
Phillips took the papers and did not re-
port their taking to the hotel authori-
ties. On the next day, Wilson said,
Phillips told him that the papers had
been burned
The government then summoned en-
pioyes Of the hotel. one a bellhop and
the other a colored fireman, who cor
roborated the burning of papers by Phil
lips. 1t developed that Phillips called
for the bellboy and inquired where he
that they might be put in the boiler.
The bellboy said he went with Mr.
Phillips. who carried a bundle wrapped
in a newspaper, and when they reached
bundle to the fireman with the request
that it be burned. and the bundle was
placed in the fire The fireman cor
roborated the bellboy but neither could
say what was in the bundle.
Testimony Barred Out.
Justice Bailey in Criminal Division 2
yesterday afternoon refused to admit
testimony concerning a conversation
with Phillips in reference to a division
of a fund of $4,000. which Wilson had
declared Phillips had exacted as bonus
for selling him quantity Of the Army
surplus lumber.
Wilson testified that there was a
shortage in the quantity of lumber
contracted for, and on complaint
Phillips returned $3.50 or the $4,000.
Phillips, he stated. gave him $1,000
in money, and he had one of the bills
changed, and, after taking the $3.50,
gave the remaining $3.50 to Phillips.
Received No Money.
The witness was CrosS-examined by
Attorney Douglas and admitted that
he knew Phillips was a government
agent and the witness was an agent
for purchaser of the lumber. Will
son said he was not in the employ Of
Mueller e. Co, which bought the lum-
ber, did not receive one cent of COM
pensation and did not expect any
payment for acting as agent Of the
company. He never saw the money
which he declared he paid to Phil
lips. the witness admitted. An en-
velope was handed to him in Phila-
delphia, he said. and he gave it to
Phillips in Washington. The witness
asserted he did not count the money
nor did Phillips in his presence.
Asked by Attorney Douglas how 1t
was that he knew there was $4,000,
the witness said he was later told
about the amount