San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-03-29
CAPITAL HAS
LARGE COLONY
OF witnesses
Cost U. S. Coed Sum but
Individual Cost Cen
siderably More.
GET $3-PAY OUT Sc
Witness Collects $87 for
Expenses-HcteI Bill
Alone $3.50.
GET $3-PAY OUT Sc
BY ROBERT r. SMALL.

Copyright ny The San Antonio Light
Washington, ID. C., March 30. -
Washington has on its hands an ever
increasing witness colony. The mem
bers of the colony have been summoned
here from the far corners of the coun-
try and some have been Kept wait
ing weeks for an opportunity To be
heard. One witness has been under
subpoena from the oil committee since
early in January.
While this small army of witnesses
il costing the United States a pretty
penny, that cost is rs nothing com
pared to what the witnesses them
selves are paying out. One witness
who considered himself rather lucky
in collecting $S1 FROM the government
for traveli * expenses and witness
fees at SIS a day. found 10 his dis
may that his hotel bill alone had
cost him more than SlG0 during his
stay in Washington.
Gets So; Pays Out 90.
What does it profit witness to re-
ceiye So day from the government
aud pay out SO day for room
alone? That is the question wnlcn Is
worrying the "army." to say moth
ing Of the loss .of time at home.
1t has been the policy of the in
vcstigating committees to issue an I'M
mediate subpoena for an.s person. wnJse
name is brought into the various in
quiries regardless of the time when
they will be expected 70 testify After
the subpoenas have been issued new
"slants" have taken the committees
far afieId, and some of the attending
witnesses have been all but forgotten.
4 good deal of the crowded condition
in the committee hearing rooms is due
To the presence of 50 many witnesses
waiting for their turn on the super
heated grill.
PrObers Need Assistants.
1t is explained by members of the
committee that the proceedings cam
not be conducted like an ordinary
presentation OF lawsuit or "a rrimi-
mel case where the facts ere Known IN
advance TO the prosecutor and he can
arrange his schedule of testimony ac-
cordingly. While some witnesses nave
been anxious to tell all they know.
like CASTOR II. Means and Roxiaftin-
son. other witnesses have proven re-
anu lfiutlUlll. NVllllIlil-
tees have had % work hard, TO get
them to disclose anything and this
fact. it is said, has made the work
Of the Investigators appear ragged and
haphazard.
hot" scents have been struck from
time to time, say the investigators.
and they have had to run these down
at once and then go back to where
they left off when the trail was I'M
covered. The committees also claim
that they have lacked competent in
yestigatOrs. Senator Walsh of the OF!
committee. has complained rather bit
terly of the fact that he has had to
do virtually all Of his own gum shoe"
work.
Cannot Spare Means.
Senator Wheeler. who is conducting
the Daugherty prosecution. has been
perhaps more fortunate. Frank A. Van
derlip has volunteered to help MIN
and has taken over fashionable home
here for his headquarters during his
campaign to "drive gr?ft and scandal
from the heart of the nation.
Senator Wheeler is appar entity re-
ceving the help of that master Of all
the Investigators. Mr.. Means himself.
In any event Mr. Means has been
telling several of the prospective WI
nesses that he is working with Sena-
tor Wheeler and has been advising
them to "come clean or suffer dire
consequences. Mr.. Means has admitted
himself TO be such versatile investi-
gator that the prospective witnesses
do not know whether he is with them
or against them. Probably both.
This activity on the part Of Means
may explain why Senator Wheeler has
toId the United States authorities he
cannot spare Means to permit him 10
go to trial in New York City next
Monday. 1t is certain that the De-
pariment of Justice officials are 60
ing to 90 their level best to convict
Means this time. although that placid
Individual continues 10 smile and to
consider himself well within the
law"