The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-03-14
WAR CASE WAS
STOPPED, D,SAYS
INVESTIGATOR
Declares Firm Charged With
Overpayment for Aircraft
Gave Him 100000
DAUGHERTY'S FRIEND
Jess Smith Declared to Have
Received Huge Sums of
Money in Washington

Received Huge Sums of
Money in Washington
Washington, Mar. 14.-(By
the A. P.) Pandora's box -
brimming over with allega-
tions of corruption in the
Department of Justice - was
opened today before the SEN
ate committee Investigating
Acknowledgement Daugherty.
CASTOR B. Means, former
department of justice agent,
announcing that he expected
no quarter and would give
none, related an amazing
story of collecting money for
the late Jess w. Smith. Attor-
ney General Daugherty's
bumper and friend" on IN
Limitations calculated to pre-
vent his testimony and of
espionage of Senators.
Inc most sensational of Means
testimony if one sensation could be
named as greater than another wa.
a charge that he (Means) in Febru-
airy. 1923. received in the old Bell
view Hotel here in Washington $780,
ooo from Japanese representative
of the House of Mitsui and COMPANY
which he paid over to Smith and
which he said was for the purpose of
stopping government prosecution of
the Standard Aircraft Company from
which the government was claiming
over-payment of $6,OOO.OO0.
Also Fight Film Money
On behalf of Smith, Means further
alleged, he had received large sums
of money which he turned over and
which he said were for the purpose
that there would be no prosecution
for transportation and showing of
the Carpenter Dempsey prize fight
films In Interstate commerce.
In other instances Means declared
he received money for 'liguor rer-
mits" In all these transactions
which Means described he said he was
the money carrier"
Replete with details of his activi-
ties Means told story that for the
information of President Harding
through Smith and w. Underwood he
had conducted an investigation of
Secretary Mellon in connection with
liquor permits in New York.
"He slipped through our fingers
the first time," Means said, "but we
got him."
Enter LaFollette's Office
The office of Senator LaFollette,
Means testified, had been ransacked
by his agents soon after the Sena-
tor from Wisconsin began agitating
investigation of the Teapot Dome
scandal in an effort to find some
thing damaging"
Senator Caraway of Arkansas,
Means further said, also came under
espionage after he began attacking
Attorney General Daughcrty and Mr..
Harding.
Senator Bruce of Maryland, also Il
Democrat, and newly elected, Means
testified, came under espionage but
Means did not know how much OF it.
Senator Wheeler, Democrat, Of
Montana, interjected into Means tes-
timony at that point that he under
stood five men "were checking up on
him in Montana" and Senator Brook
hart of Iowa, chairman of the investi-
CATION, added that he understood
he was being looked after, too.
Washington, Mar. 14.-Secretary
Melons name was brought into the
Daugherty investigation today BY
CASTOR B. Means, former Department
of Justice Agent, who said that fo,'
President Harding he investigated
matters connected with certain per-
mits" having to do with violations
of the Volstead act.
Jess Smith wanted US to catch
Secretary Mellon and We caught
him" said Means. President Har-
ding wanted the information. The
first time he slipped through our fin
gers
1T had come to our attention,
Means said. that Secretary Mellon
had to furnish certain permits for
certain purposes.
Generally speaking you were in
vcstigating the liquor ring in New
York were you not 2" asked Senator
Wheeler.
We'll, it was into violations Of
the prohibition law"
Investigated LaF0llette
Jess Smith and w. T. Underwood,
said Means, gave him orders to in-
vestigate Senator LaFollette to learn
what information he had and any
thing to stop him.
Smith paid his expenses.
Means, however, could not state OF
his own knowledge that Smith was
following orders of the Attorney
General.
Underwood, he knew, represented
President Harding because he had
seen letter to Jess Smith from
President Harding authorizing an
under cover investigation, he said:
Senator Bruce, Democrat, Mary
land, also was investigated right
after election, Means declared. ss
The Investigations Of Senator
Bruce were ordered by Tess Smith
lContlnued on page 81