Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-12-16
FORBES CONF |DENT
MORT|MER'S STORY
WILL De D|SPROVEN
Government Will Try to Sub
stantiate Story of Graft
In Veterans Bureau

CHICAGO, Dec. 14.-Loose ends in
the story of graft and corruption re.
lated by Elias II. Mortimer, ch1el
government witness in the toroes-
. Thompson fraud trial, will be pick
ed up bv secondary government VIII
nesses this week.
Although John W. II. Grim, chleL
prosecutor for the government, re-
fused to reveal the identity OF ms
witnesses, he admitted most OF lhein
will be used to corroborale Mort-
mer's testimony.
Colonel Charles r. Forbes, once
head of the United States Veterans
bureau and John w. Thompson,
millionaire st. Louis contractor, VINO
are on trial for alleged conspiracy
to defraud the government through
the building of veterans hospitals in
1922, both expressed today their CON
fidence that they will not be found
guilty.
Il think any normal jury will UNI
derstand that this fellow Mortimer
has been lying because he has a
personal feeling against me,
Forbes declared. Il am confident we
will be acquitted.
80 many of this fellows stories
have been jumbled, l don't see how
anv Jury could believe him." Thomp-
son said.
''In on the Plot" He Says
Mortimer testifying that he was
''in on the plot as the paid agent
of Thompson to get government con-
tracts from Colonel Forbes, splitting
his graft money with Forbes, was
-, ctopI fl III DAVIS cIbn1jt-
ting to the rigid questioning of both
government and defense attorneys.
One of the chief parts of Mortl-
mer's story, as told to Grim on dl-
rect examination had to do with the
passing of $4,000 in cash in a Chi
cago hotel on June 20, 1922.
On that date, Mortimer testified,
he called at Thompsons office and
gave him "a note for $4,000. Thomp-
son, it was understood. was to give
Mortimer $40, 000-half of which
Forbes was to get-and then pay
Mortimer $4,000 more for personal
obligations.
The contractor, according to Mortl-
mer, left his office and went out to
get the money. Mortimer returned
in the afternoon and after couple
hours together, they went to the
hotel where Forbes and Mortimer
were stopping.
At the hotel they found Forbes
ana Mrs. Mortimer shooting craps
ia the bedroom" Mortimer declared.
.eparting from the fraud story to
tell in bitter terms ''hoW Forbes car
lied on with my wife"
After they had been there some
tifton hp Wi I-~4tF
called Mortimer into a bathroom and
gave him $4,000 in new $500 bills
Mortimer asked the contractor about
the other 5000 and was told he
would get it the following day.
This transaction completed, Forbes
was then called into the bathroom
and was given his half of the $10,-
000.
THAT'S fine-let's have a drink
on that Forbes said when | gave
him the money" Mortimer testified
Gross Examination
Under fire of cross examination by
James Easily Smith. counsel for
Forbes, and Randolph Laughlin,
chief counsel for Thompson, the wit
ness stuck firmly to his story. add
ing some bits of color when the cross
examiners became harsh.
Laughlin tried to confuse Morti-
mer concerning the location of the
bath room and asked him whether
it wasn't located on the opposite
side of the suite.
We'll, | don't know how it is
now" Mortimer replied. "Thomp-
son is a stakeholder in that hotel
and | wouldn't put it>beyond him to
remodel the place just to trip me
+. up in my honest story. And that
goes for you, too Laughlin.
EasbySmith devoted the bulk of
his time to portraying Mortimer as
man of many aliases, a profess
Sional witness, a hanger on, and a
'four-Iusher'. The witness several
times was angered by Easily Smith S
line of questioning, but refused stub
! bornly to be shaken IN his story.
Mortimer, insisting vigorously that
Colonel Forbes alienated the aztec
tons of his wife, was ever ready to
bring this matter into his testimony.
despite the efforts of government
counsel to have him keep it in the
background. Grim and his asSo.
GATES feared Mortimer's evident per,
sonal feeling against Forbes would
destroy the effect of his tales OF
graft and for this same reason
Laughlin and Easby-Smth were
more than willing to allow Mortimer
to testify along that line, although
they never queried him on the sub
ject.