Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-04-22
PROBE WITNESSES
TELL OF MORE LAPSES
IN DAUCHERTY REIGN

Washington, April 21-Allegations
Of liquor disappearance at the de-
partment Of justice, Of defaults in
antitrust law prosecutions and of
the privileges extended to million
aire" convicts at Atlanta, federal
penitentiary, were made today before
the senate Daugherty investigating
committee.
Speaker Gillett Of the house was
allowed to open the hearing by en-
tering an emphatic denial that any of
the liquor seized by che department
ever reached him, and Chairman
Houston Thompson of the federal
trade commission, who will be heard
to greater extent later, began an &C
count of that body's endeavor to in
duce the department of justice under
Attorney General Daugherty to insti-
tute criminal proceedings under the
anti trust law.
Speaker Gillette's appearance be-
fore the committee was brief al
though sparks few once or twice in
his personal exchanges with II. L.
Seattle, a former investigator for the
department of justice. who asserted
last week that liquor from seized
stock got into his hands. The only
basis for the story, MIR. Gillett said,
was that he did recover for constit-
tanned liquor back in 1919, but only
after the liquor vas removed.
F. NJ. Boucher, a clerk dismissed
by w. j. Burns. from the bureau of
investigation of the department of
itctioa in, 1901 officials hr,S1 1nar,
accustomed to keep good liquor from
seizures in their offices. for dispens-
ing to friends, while Alfonso E. Bunch,
who got a court order for the restor-
alton of over 100 cases of whiskey,
told story of long and fruitless eff
forts to get 1t back and asserted that
he had ''all been drunk up" Z. 3.
Mclean. Washington publisher, got
some of it, Bunch insisted, on the
word of y man who nauled it away
from department of justice store
rooms.
During one brief dip into the stu
alton surrounding the Montana in
dictment of Senator Wheeler, its
prosecutor" the committee was told
by Robert S. Glenn, of Nashville,
Tenn. that a justice agent had asked
him for facts as to Wheeler last
March. and had endeavored to induce
him to arrange personal conference
between the senator and Mr.. Daugh-
erty, ito call Wheeler off Of Daugh-
erty."
Chairman Thompson's testimony
first dealt with conditions in the to-
bacco industry during 1920 and en-
suing years. The commission had re-
commended to Mr.. Daugherty that
criminal prosecutions be instituted,
on the ground that combinations
existed both to hold up prices of
manufactured tobacco to consumers,
and to hold down prices of the raw
material from farmers. 1t was ten
months before the commission could
get an answer from Mr.. Daugherty
the witness said, and the answer did
not come until impeachment pro-
ceeedings had been Instituted In the
house in 1922. against Mr.. Daugherty
This was the first industry to be
taken up. but the trade commission
member said he had several other
cases affecting other industries to
present. He declared that no criminal
prosecutions had ben instituted on
the commissions information or re-
concentrations.
J. L. wilkins, prison guard and
school superintendent at Atlanta UNI
til April 16, when he was suspended,
was then heard and touched on drug
trafficking in the institution. George
Remus. an Ohio bootlegger,, Wilkins
said had private room and bath at
the prison and along with two or
three other wealthy inmates was
given special dining room service and
comforts designed to alleviate the
monotony. He said It was the i'm
preston that they were given consld-
Grafton because they had money. but
he did not know to whom the funds
so applied may have gone.
Adjournment. was taken at the call
Of the chairman.