San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-04-02
SAY DAUGEHRTY,
WEEKS GUILT
Of: CONSPIRACY
Witness Says He Had Suits
Ready But They We're
Blocked.
CITES AIRCRAFT CASE
Witness Names Others He
Thinks Should Be
. Indicted.
Washington. D. c.. April Com.

Washington. ID. C., April 2.-Con-
tinuing his complaints about failure of
the Justice Department TO prosecute
various war fraud cases, H. J.. Scaife,
once a department investigator, told
the Daugherty investigating commit
Tee today that in his opinion, Harry
NJ. Daugherty, Secretary John W.
Week. and others ought 10 be indicted
in the Wright-Martin aircraft case.
The witness came 10 the Wright
Martin case after he had renewed his
charges regarding sale Of the Bosch
Magnetic Company and had declared
that on the very day the army air
ship Roma was destroyed at Norfolk
in 1921. he had tried to start De-
partment of Justice inquiry into that
subject but had been blocked by VIII
liam J. Burns.
1t was his judgment. Scaife said,
that the Wright-Martin case was one
calling for indictments" Pressed by
Senator Moses. Republican. New
Hampshire. he named Secretary
Weeks. former Attorney General
Daugherty. Charles Hayden. chair
man Of the Wright-Martin board. and
Guy ID. Golf. former assistant attorney
general, as those who should be indict-
ed.
The indictments. the witness said.
should De drawn up ION charges of
conspiracy 10 defraud the United
States government"
"Rit all these facts" Senator Moses
intervened. concern things which took
place in 1918 and 1919. when Mr..
Weeks was not secretary Of war;"
But these letters were written aft
er that" said Scaife, referring to cor
respondence about proposed prosecu-
lions.
Seattle said his investigation into the
Wright-Martin case was completed
and the matter ready for suit before
he left the Department of Justice but
that 'they refused to bring suit
Seattle Again on Stand.
Taking the stand for the third time,
Seattle continued his long story about
obstacles encountered in his efforts TO
institute proceedings against airplane
manufacturing concerns charged with
receiving over-payments during the
war.
Capt. Luke McNamee, head Of the
navy intelligence service. was quoted
by the witness as saying the Mitsui
company, japanese concern, by their
ownership of the Standard Aircraft
Corporation. bad obtained plans and
built experimentally almost every
type of military plane. Scaife also re-
peated his charge that the government
had sold the Bosch Magnetic property.
seized from German owners during
the war. TO Martin Kern for a grossly
inadequate consideration. He said A..
Mitchell Palmer. first alien property
custodian, and later attorney general.
had been employed as a lawyer for
Kern.
George W. Wickersham. attorney
for Mitsui and company. got Especial
favors" and exercised undue influ-
ence" with the Department Of JUS
tice Seattle asserted. He put in n copy
of a letter from wickersham, TO
James NJ. Beck, now acting attorney
getting the Supreme Court to set
letter, Seattle observed. showed the
bI anu
the Operations of what l call the
invisible government.
Matter Was Dropped.
The charges as to the Standard
Aircraft Corporation, were taken up
nearly two years ago, in the House
impeachment proceedings against
Harry NJ. Daugherty and Paul How
land, counsel for Mr.. Daugherty. ask
ed today to have it noted in the rec
ord that the House committee exon
Grated the former attorney general
from any findings of wrongdoing
Scaife insisted that the House COM
mittee had expected prosecutions to
proceed against the concerns men
toned, but that instead the whole
matter had been dropped.
Scaife wandered into an account
OF aircraft disasters during and after
the war. which he said he considered
a good field for investigation.
W. J. Burns chief of the Bureau
of Investigation. had disagreed with
his suggestion. thus betraying Scaife
said, that the Department Of Justice
policy resulted in "crooks not being
investigated unless they were willing
to he investigated.
On the day of the disaster TO the
army aircraft Roma at Norfolk, Va.
in February, 1921. the witness said
he had prepared telegram TO the De
partment's agent Mt NorfOll; instruct,