The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-04-04
CREAGER ASKED DAUGHERTY AID AGAINST INQUIRY c. O. P. Committeeman Sought Delay In Texas
 Land Fraud Cases POST OFFICE HEAD
 ALSO APPROACHED Nervousness Over Trend Of Investigations Indi-
 cated By Telegram

WASHINGTON, April 3.-A tele- gram sent to Attorney General Daugh- erty by R. B. Creager, republican na- tional committeeman from Texas, to have him delay action against land companies in the Rio Grande valley was read into the record of the Senate investigating committee today by James R. Page, of Kansas City, unofficial prosecutor"
 The telegram, dated November IA, 1921, from Brownsville, Texas, said the attorney general would recall a con- versation with Creager about attacks on land companies in the lower Rio Grande valley. Creager said he had called on the Postmaster General and in his telegram requested Mir. Daugh- erty to withhold action until Postoffice Inspector Williamson had presented his report, which would give these com panies full and clean bills of health"
 Creager has been charged by Senator Meflin, democrat, Alabama, of being in- volved in the alleged fraudulent sale of Texas lands.
 Asks Summons for Grim
 After the reading of the telegram, George A. Hill, Creager's counsel, asked the committee to issue subpoena for John W. H. Grim, former assistant attorney general and now special prosecutor in the veterans bu- reau cases.
 The telegram sent by MT. Creager to former Attorney General Daugherty. dated November 4, 1921, at Browns vile, Texas. read as follows:
 You will recall conversation I had with you over attacks being made on land companies doing business in lower Rio Grande valley of Texas. A great deal of animus and venom has marked these attacks and parties back of them have enlisted support of postoffice In- spector Donaldson at Kansas City. You were out of city while I was in Washington in October, but I called upon and fully explained situation to Assistant Attorney General Grim.
 Called Upon Postmaster General
 Il have called upon Postmaster Gen eral and at my special request he in structed chief postal inspector at Washington to conduct careful and full investigation as to the two com panies in which 1 am interested. These companies are Alamo Land and Sugar company and c. G. Swallow Land company, both with main offices at Lineolns Neh. Postoffice Inspector Williamson was assigned to make this investigation and he recently spent a week at Lincoln at my request, with full access to all records, correspond ence and files of the two companies. He was to make full report to Wash ington of the result of his investiga- tions the latter part of this month.
 Il am positive his report must and will give these companies clean bills of health. It was understood all proceed- ings at Kansas City would be held in abeyance pending the Williamson re- port, and l am confident Inspector Donaldson at Kansas City has been so instructed. Nevertheless, I am reliably informed he has had a number of wit nesses summoned and is making all preparations to present cases to the grand jury, which convenes in Kansas City the 14th. There are ten or twelve land companies in all operating in this section, and it is. probable his present activities are in connection with some of these others, in which have no in- terest. l cannot be positive of this, however.
 Sought Delay in Action
 Therefore desire request you imme- diately communicate by wire with Dis trict Attorney Madison at Kansas City advising him that special investigation of the two companies above named is being made and requesting he present no action against either of these two companies or any of their officers un- til the full report is in and further ad- vised by you. I am informed action is threatened against W. F. Zumbrunn, who is president of Farm Mortgage and Loan company, Kansas City.
 "Zumbrunn has had no opportunity to be heard or present his side of the case and I know ends of justice would be served if you would insist on full in- vestigation of both sides of the case be had before prosecution is permitted. I have no character of financial or other interest in Zumbrunn's company, but I know great deal about it's business and am positive it is legitimate and not unlawful. There are many honor able men of high standing connected with others of these companies which are being threatened. l feel a great wrong will be done number of good men if blanket indictments are pre- sented without full opportunity being given those accused to present their sides of the cases. Please immediately wire district attorney at Kansas City and advise me by wire here."
 More Letters Read
 More letters were read into the rec ord today from persons who complained they had been defrauded in land sales, after MT. Page and Mir. Hill had com pleted their examination of postoffice files at the direction of the commit tee, from which files the letters were taken. The validity of the letters was attacked by Mir. Hill, who said more than 90 per cent were not sent upon initiative of the purchasers.
 Inspector Donaldson's report dealt at length with the methods of land
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