Evening star., 1924-03-01
FORBES, INDICTED,
To GIVE BAIL HERE;
WILL DENY GUILT
Bitterly Scores "Conspira-
tors" Who Attacked His /,
Honor-WeIcomes Trial.
PRESIDENT TO BE TOLD
OF GRAVE REVELATIONS
Congressman Accused of Receiving
Money-Defense to Call Forty,
Including Mrs. Votaw.

Col. Charles r. Forbes, former di-
rector of the Veterans Bureau,
planned to appear voluntarily before
United States Commissioner George
Fl. Macdonald within a day or two to
give bond for his appearance In Chi
cago, where he will shortly plead mot
guilty" to charges of bribery and other
charges contained in grand jury in
dictments handed down there yester-
day.
Col Forbes and his counsel, James
S. Easby-Smith, were prepared to give
pear voluntarily before the commits
sioner, but it was understood the gov
ernment case was not ready as yet.
This was announced by Col. Forbes
counsel. James S. Easby-Smith, who
made public a lengthy statement. in
which he denied guilt of any kind and
declared that the charges against me
are as false as heirs own brood"
Col. Forbes was In communication
during the day with his counsel from
time to time. 1t was thought that
they might leave early next week for
Chicago. The time of their departure,
however, had not been determined early
today.
Forbes attorneys made plans to sum-
mon about forty witnesses for the de-
fense, including Mrs. Caroline Votaw,
, sister of the late President Harding.
They would not indicate what evidence
would be sought from her.
JUa1P icfr 20 :,
a clear conscience" said Col. Forbes
statement, because they will permit
| me to present my case before a fair
court of justice and a jury Of my
peers. Throughout the Senate in
vestigation / was not permitted to
| present the facts of the case, and, as
l told the committee, my destruction
| was sought by perjury, subordination
| of perjury and the suppression OF
| documentary and other evidence
which would have fully exonerated
me. The federal grand jury at Chi
! cago has seen fit in its wisdom to
| exclude from indictment Elias H.
Mortimer, a confessed criminal, who
| is the only witness against me.
VIII Go Voluntarily.
'I am firm in the belief that these
| indictments will give me an oppor-
| tunity to reveal before an impartial
court, a fair jury and a just press a
| hell-engendered conspiracy against
my honor and integrity. I shall in
| terpose no technical objection to q.
| trial there under these conditions.
/ but. on the contrary, shall go to Chi
cago voluntarily as the first step to-
ward my complete vindicauon.
II am not going to Florida. l am
! tional rights and refuse to testify.
| While other men now charged pub
licly with crimes against the govern
ment have been reported as hiding
! behind the screen of i'll health, II is
! a matter of official record that left
a sick bed on the Pacific coast to
| cross the country in order to attend
| the Senate investigation. In the mis-
| taken belief that il would be fair, l
| welcomed that investigation, just as
| I now welcome the court proceedings
| in Chicago.
| There will be this difference.
though The Constitution gives me
| the right to present my complete3 de-
tense before the Chicago tribunal and
/ intend to exercise it to the limit.
Charges Bribery In Probe.
"There was not one iota OF truth
\ in any of the testimony given the
Senate committee which reflected
upon my honor or integrity. Evil
| dence taken before that committee
late at night on November z, 1923.
tended to show that one of the COM
| mittee's counsel (now an assistant
director in the bureau at salary OF
| $1,000 a year, attempted to bribe ]
| witness to commit perjury. Ther4
upon this testimony was SuppressS
| by the committee.
by most despicable and dishonor-
| able means witnesses were subjected
] to browbeating and unfair treatment.
! These same forces were at work on
! the grand jury which returned the
| indictments in Chicago.
| II unuualifiedly deny the statement
that certain employees of the Veterans
Bureau during my incumbency were
regarded as ring The same men
were there when l entered office and
! they are there today. They are nne.
/ outstanding examples of the American
soldier and gentleman, and any at
tack upon their loyalty or integrity
| is an outrageous reflection upon the
| American world war veteran.
Scores His Accusers.
"I gave almost two years of my
| life in an honest endeavor to advance
| the interests of ex-service men. The
! political pressure upon the Veterans
Bureau is force for evil. Were
permitted by my counsel, I should
| now give the complete details and
names of individuals involved in this
attempted political corruption happily
| foiled. I shall make this information
! public later. 1 am convinced. that
| for the want of a more convenient
political goat, was selected as a
| victim and sacrifice.
"Yhese indictments are as false as
the lies of Mortimer. as vindictive as
J the vil1ainous conduct of Organ and
| Arnold. as cowardly as the so-called
| second preliminary !, report of the
| Senate committee. who had not the
| courage nor the. fairness to hear my
defense, who shirked the duty of
| formulating an honest report, and
| who have attempted to escape deserv-
ed criticism by scurrying behind the
barricade of Organs malignant
| verbosity and by meekly crying out.
I, Some of it we believe; some of 1t we
don't believe. please take your choice
knowing all the time that the charges
| against me are as false as helrs own
| brood"
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