The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1924-05-23
Wheeler Exonerated By
Senator Investigators
CONTINUED from Page Onel


violation of section 1882 of the revis-
ed statutes of the United States and
mas That he neither received nor &C
ceped nor agreed to receive or accept
any compensation whatever, directly /
or indirectly, for any such service to-
be rendered to any persons, either by |
mmse1 or another, IN relation TO any |
proceeding claim controversy charge, |
arrest or other matter or thing IN
which the United States was a party |
or directly CIR indirectly, interested, |
before any department, court-martlal,
bureau Office or any civil, military or
naval commission whatever.
"The committee further states that
in its opinion Senator Wheeler was
careful to have it known and Under
stood from the beginning that his ser
vices as an attorney for Gordon
Campbell, or his interests were to be
confined exclusively to matters OF lltl-
cation in the state courts OF Mon
tana and that he observed at all times
net only the letter but the spirit of
the law"
A DIFFERENT CONCEPTION
Senator Sterling said he had diff
ferent conception OF the functions OF
the committee than did the other
members; that in his Judgment the
/ investigators were not to undertake
to pass upon either the guilt or in
nocence eli the senator, but to deter
1 mine whether the grand jury was JUS
! tilted in returning the Indictment on
/ evidence presented to it and whether
! the indictment was the result of a
! 'frame-up."
Senator Wheeler charged in the
senate on April 8, the day after The
Indictment was returned, that it was
the odtgrowth of a "frame-Up" and
later witnesses were brought here
from Montana to support his charge.
Chairman Borah refused however, TO
go into this phase of the matter, hold
ing that it was irrelevant since the
committee was to decide solely the
question of the senator's fitness to
hold Office.
SEVERAL WITNESSES HEARD
The committee heard the number
of witnesses, both from Montana and
Washington, as to the purpose of
! Wheeler's employment by Campbell
and as to whether he did In fact APP
pear before the interior department
to prosecute claims fear Campbell. 1t
also examined documents including
letters and kilograms, furnished by
the department of justice and which
were presented to the grand jury
which voted the Indictment. While
the hearings extended over three
weeks. they were brief and yesterday
the committee voted to close them
and to make its report.
Department cf Justice officials de-
clined TO comment on the report filed
by Chairman Borah, or to indicate
what, if any, effect this might have
upon their plans to bring the senator
to trial in Montana. A warrant all
ready has been served on him here
and he was furnished bond fer his
appearance at Great Falls, Montana
for trial.
Senator Wheeler declined to com
ment on the report, other than to say
that it spoke for itself. He remained
in the senate while it was read anC
later received the congratulations c1
his friends on the outcome of the in
vestigation.
MAJORITY REPORT
After reviewing the statute under
which the Indictment was returned
and setting forth the sole question
which it was held the committee was
authorized to investigate, the MAORI
ty report says:
"Your committee finds:
First, that during the months Oh
January and February, 1928, after
his election to the senate, Senator
Wheeler entered the employ of Cor
don Campbell as his attorney, the
said contract of employment. includ
ing the firm Of lawyers under the
name of Wheeler q Baldwin.
Second, that, according to thu
terms of employment by which h,
entered the service Of Campbell a!
his attorney, the said firm of Wheel
er & Baldwin was to receive a re
tainer's fee of $4,000 per annum
that $4,000 thereof was paid Januar!
9, 1923, and $4,000 thereon on Feb
ruary 16, 1923, and that the balanc
is still unpaid.
Third, that it was fully under
stood and agreed between all partie
to said contract of employment tina
the services of Senator Wheeler an,
his firm related alone to the litiga
ton then pending or to- be broGgh
an OliS 0IclIe courts Ol NIOHbdId. sal
Campbell being at that time inter
ested in a number of lawsuits. som
10 or 20 at least, in number.
ACTIONS STRICTLY HONORABLE
Fourth, that said Burton K
Wheeler did not at any time agre
to receive compensation for service
before any department, courtmartia
bureau, officer or any civil, militar
or naval commission.
Fifth, that, on the other hand, tn
sole contract eff employment whic
he had with Campbell related to mat
tiers of litigation in the state court
of Montana; that Senator Wheele
did not at any time appear for sal
Campbell, CIR his companies, befol
any of the departments in Washing
ton under agreement to receive con
pensation. and did not at any tim
receive compensation for any appear
ance or services rendered before sal
government departments.