The Washington times., 1924-03-15

Senate committee until the COM
pletion of the committees work.
In view of the fact, however, that
Roxie Stinson. the divorced wife
Of Jess w. Smith, deceased. was
reported i'll and unable to appear
before the committee to conclude
her statement this morning, my
right Of cross.examination upon
her statements Of the two pre-
ceding days. feel, therefore.
that ought to make a general
reply while her statements are
fresh in the public mind.
She is a disappointed woman,
who blames me because her d.
vorced husband did not make her
sole legatee under his will: an
angry woman because the courts
have decided against her in litiga-
ton over the estate of her d.
vorced husband: a malicious wom-
an because the friends Of the
Attorney General have brushed
aside and disregarded all her
tentative efforts to capitalize her
silence.
Incompetent" In Court.
Every lawyer who reads the
statements made before the SEN
ate Committee by Miss Roxie
Stinson will know at a glance
that they were wholly incom-
petent and no court Of record in
the United States would have ad-
mitted any portion of them for
any purpose in any judicial pro-
ceeding. The public, however, un-
skilled in matters Of this kind,
may not distinguish between COM
petent evidence and the gossipy
conversations between Miss Roxie
Stinson and her divorced hus-
band, now deceased.
1t appears that Senator Wheeler,
a member Of the committee of
investigation of the Department
of Justice, who is in addition to
his duties as judge, also desig-
mated as the prosecutor. left the
city, proceeded to Columbus, Ohio,
and personally visited and sub
poenaed this ex-wife of the late
Jess w. Smith. and for two days
and half the publicity emanat.
ing from the investigating COM
conversations as related by the
said Roxie Stinson to have taken
place between herself and her
divorced husband. the late Jess
w. Smith.
Gossip Is Malicious.
This gossip, incompetent and
malicious, has been heralded
throughout the country in head
lines as though it were competent
testimony to establish a contro-
Verted fact. Any inference, direct
or indirect, that ever partici-
pated in any way with the late
Jess Smith, or any one else, for
a consideration. either monetary,
political or social, in any dis
honorable way in connection with
the administration of the liquor
laws, or any other laws is false
and untrue, and with all the
emphasis I am able to command
] resent the inference, and If a
positive charge should ever be
made by any responsible body I
now deny the truthfulness Of such
charge.
positively deny that / had any
interest whatever with Colonel
Darden in his promotion of some
western oil company and knew
nothing about any such promotion
or interest therein on the part of
Jess w. Smith. The inference
attempted to be drawn from the
statements of Miss Roxie Stin-
son that I, as Attorney General
of the United States, or person
ally, was a party to any specula-
ton to make money out of viola
ton Of the law and permit the
showing of prize fight films con-
trary to law, is false and untrue.
Senator Wheeler has in his pos
session a full report Of the activi-
ties Of the Department of Justice
showing that the law was en-
forced most strenuously, and he
also has a list of the parties ar
rested, prosecuted and fined, fur.
nished him under date Of February
10, 1924, at his request which he
has withheld since that time.
The department is today releasing
the full report for the first time.
Certain statements made by
Miss Roxie Stinson to the effect
that there was a large amount
of money from the East deposit
ed in the bank at Washington
Courthouse as the result Of my
illegal connection with prize fight
films Is absolutely false. had
no connection Herewith, directly
or indirectly, except as an officer
Of the law strictly enfoI cling the
same.
Points to Unfairness.
AS an illustration of the I'M
fair inference which can be drawn
from general statements by per-
sons wishing to do So, it Is per-
fectly apparent that this whole
fabric of alleged illegal collec.
tions grows out of the simpe
fact that the alien property GUS
todian Of the United States, in
order to have inactive funds in
circulation and earning for the
Government reasonable rate
of interest, had at different times
caused to be deposited certain
sums Of money in the bank Of
which my brother is president at
Washington Courthouse, Ohio,
this being one of the banks, some
800 odd, throughout the United
States, that were used as deposit
tories for public funds. These
moneys thus deposited and amply
secured, drawing 8 per cent in.
terest, amounted at one time to
$175,000. The amount now on
deposit there is 100000, secured
by bonds with the approval of
the alien property custodian and
drawing 3 per cent.
Clears Weber Case.
With reference to the intimation