San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-03-19
LOTTERIES IN
|. TEXAS OCCUPY
PROBES TIME
Home Builders Concern
Mentioned in Daugher-
ty Inquiry.
WHEELER is SICK
Only Minor Witnesses on
Stand Pending His
Recovery.
w HELLER is SICK
Washington. ID. c.. March 1s.-The


Daugherty investigating committee had
a brief. dull. drab session today be-
cause Senator Wheeler. the committee
prosecutor had a bad cold and re-
manned at home.
Will A. Orr, former private secre-
tary to former Governor Whitman Of
New York, was waiting to be grilled
further about the film deals and
whisky deals on which he testified
yesterday. but the committee turned
aside from Orr TO hear briefly again
Maco Stewart Galveston, Texas.
lawyer, who complained in his testi-
mony yesterday that the Department
of Justice had been remiss in prose-
cutting lotteries, and TO hear briefly
also T. d. Dawkins, Texas postoffice
inspector.
Attorney General Daugherte's coun-
sci brought out on cross-examination
that the government had been prose
cutting the concerns Stewart COM
fplained of but the witness insisted
they had not been prosecuted under
the lottery law, as ne contended they
should have been. y
The attorney generals counsel an
nounced they did not wish TO cross
examine Orr and he was excused in
definitely
Texan Takes Stand.
Thomas ID. Dawkins. Texas postof-
I flee inspector was called.
Il, c. Baldwin. captain OF Texas
rangers and former agent of the De-
partment Of Justice, testified previous
" that various federal officers in Tex
as tried to "blackmail" oil promoters,
and named Dawkins as a person able
to confirm his charges.
II conferred with my superior Off.
Ger about this blackmail allegation
Dawkins testified He is George NJ.
Sutton. inspector in charge. He told
me there was no evidence TO justify
Baldwin's belief. He went on to ex-
plain that he had investigated the
United Home Builders and that Henry
Zweifel, United States attorney in
Texas, conferred with him in the
work.
1--WE brought in officials Of those
concerns for conference" he went
on. land few days after that | was
ordered to proceed to Washington with
all the data.
POSTMASTER General Hays referred
the matter TO Joseph Stewart, special
assistant to the attorney general. Mr..
Stewart gave the postmaster general
an opinion that the loan companies,
by eliminat ting some sections Of their
contracts, would not be Objectionable
to the postoffice department. That
was at once capitalized by the loan
companies"
In answer 70 a question from Chair
man Brookhart. Dawliins replied: Il
have no instructions to investigate the
loan COMPANIES
so far as the Postoffice Depart
ment is concerned there's no indica-
ton that its unbroken custom was
violated in this matter?" asked Sen
ator Moses, Republican, New Hamp-
shire. A"No. SIR Dawkins replied.
Case Was Dropped.
an April. 1922. had conference
with Mr.. Zweifel, (about the United
Home Builders) and he said he did
not feel he should institute a prosecu-
ton without instructions from the
Postoffice Department in Washington.
The solicitor of the department told
me the Stewart decision had nothing
10 do with the United States Home
Builders. and that Mr.. Zweifel should
proceed if the case had merit.
in April, 1923. however. Mr.. Iwei-
Eel told me that il had been decided
that the case should not be pursued,
that officials in Washington had come
to that decision"
do you know whether he had con-
fefred with Attorney General Daugh-
erty?". asked Chairman Brookhart.
Il do not know with whom he con-
ferred"
Dawkins asserted. however, that the
records showed plenty of overt acts
well within the statutes of limitations
to justify Zweifel TO prosecute"
The committee recessed until 10
o'clock tomorrow morning.