Evening star., 1924-03-13
Mortimer, Central Figure in
Veterans Bureau Inquiry,
One of First Witnesses
Called for Questioning.
MRS. WILLEBRANDT ONE
OF FEDERAL COUNSEL
Woman Assistant Attorney Gen.
erals Presence Laid to Allegation
of Liquor Withdrawal Irregu-
larities-House Investigation Is
to Get Started by Week End.

Grand jury proceedings were be-
gun here today in the case Of the
two members OF Congress referred
to in recent Chicago grand jury
report as having improperly accept
ed money.
One of the witnesses called was
Elias H, Mortimer, who was a cen
trail figure in the Veterans Bureau
investigation here soVe months ago,
and who also appeared before the
Chicago grand jury.
Counsel for Government.
Assistant Attorneys General Davis.
Wiliebrandt and Seymour appeared
aided by j. W. H. Grim, special as
sistant to the Attorney General. in
charge Of the case. in presentation of
the evidence
Mrs. WilIebrandt one of the assist
ant attorneys general called into the
case. is in charge of prohibition pros
ecutions, and it is understood that
some of the evidence previously pro-
Gueeu al Cnicaso related to alleged
Irregularities in liquor Withdrawals.
There was every evidence that th.
Department of Justice was prepared
to ask for quick grand jury action.
Attorney General Daugherty has re-
fused to disclose to the House the
names of the men accused. and he
apparently is fastening legal proceed
lngS so that they may not be handi-
capped by concurrent hearing by
a House committee on the same eyi-
dence.
House Inquiry to Begin.
While the case was being placed
before the grand jury here, another
inquiry to determine officially the
mentioned in the Chicago grand jury
report and the nature of charges
against them is to start soon by a
special House committee.
The committee, headed by Repre-
sentative Theodore E. Burton, repub-
lican, Ohio, was appointed late yes
terday under a resolution by Repre-
sentative Garrett, the democratic
leader, which reversed the vote of
the House Tuesday to leave inyesti-
cation of the matter for the present
Justice.
Others on Committee.
Other members of the committee
as announced by Speaker Gillett are
Representatives Purnell, Indiana, and
Kitchener, Michigan, republicans, and
Wingo, Arkansas, and Moore, Sir-
ginia. democrats.
Attorney General Daugherty, in re-
fusing last week to disclose the in
formation sought pending study OF
the case by Department of Justice
officials, suggested that he was ready
to turn over all evidence now avail
able and suspend the departments IN
quiry to give House investigators
free hand.
The committee does not expect to
get its inquiry under way before the
end of the week. 1t was decided to-
day to hold public hearings, but first
the committee, in executive session.
plans to go over the evidence and to
determine what witnesses should be
called.
VIII Call Mortimer.
Although declaring the committee
intended to examine witnesses in the
open, so that there could be no
charge of "star chamber proceed
ings, Chairman Burton today said 1t
might be found advisable to question
in private, to determine whether they
could present any evidence bearing
directly oil the case.
One of the witnesses to be called
probably will be Mortimer.
Lack Formal Notice.
What effect the initiation of grand
jury proceedings may have on the
House inquiry is not yet apparent
Members of the committee had not
been informed today of the move
taken by the Justice Department, and
they still were hoping Attorney Gen
erai Daugherty would send to the
Capitol ali the facts in his possession.
Chairman Burton pointed out that
while the department was interested
in the punishment Of any crime COM
mitted, the House wanted the evil
dence in order to decide whether the
accused members should be deprived
of their seats-a question over which
no grand jury has jurisdiction.
IhPnR GOVERNMENT