The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1924-03-07
Ex-Vet Bureau Head
Indicted on Bribery Charge
CONTINUED from page d

has been asserted that official infer
nation was used for purposes of spec
ulation:
"That certain sums of money were
paid to two members of congress:
'That possession of a file of enc
of the departments for about asmOnth
was had by persons having no official
connection with such department:
BOOZE AND CLEMENCY
"That money was accepted by GER
tain individuals mot attoneys) fer
the purpose of obtaining clemency for
prisoners through their intimacy with
officials.
"That money was collected by GER
tain individuals mot attorneys for
obtaining through such intimacy per-
mis- fer Intoxicating liquor"
The indictments charged that
Forbes, while director of the veter-
ans bureau, received a bride of
$4,000 and certain additional emolu-
ments on agreement to award con-
trac for government work to the
contracting firm of Thompson &
Black for which Thompson and
James w. Black, deceased, were the
heads
The contracts were to be awarded,
it was charged, in connection with
the building and equipping of hos
pitfalls for soldiers for which the gov
eminent appropriated $12,OOO,OOO.
Charles F. Cramer, former general
counsel for the bureau, who commit
ted suicide after investigation of the
department was proposed, was named
in the Indictment as having accepted
a promise from Thompson and o hers
of 100000 in return for his APPROX
al of the contracts.
NAME MORTIMER
Elias Mortimer of PHILADELPHIA,
who appeared before the senate COM
mittee which Investigated the veter-
ans bureau and made bribery charges
and who also appeared before The
grand jury, was named in the in
dictments as having been retained as
d1e agent of Thompson and Black,
who, the Indictment charged, used the
Pontiac Construction company in
their operations
According to charges reported to
have been made before the grand
jury, Black and Thompson We're al
legged to have been promised prefer
ence in contracts regardless of wheth-
er their terms were most advantage
Gus to he government.
The Indictment charges that
Forbes, Thompson, Black, Cramer
and Mortimer, from April 1, 1922, to
January 1. 1923, at the city of Chi
cage, did unlawfully and feOlniously
conspire, confederate and agree to-
gether and Wi h divers other persons,
to said grand jurors unknown, to de
fraud the United States by fraudul-
emily, corruptly and unlawfully apply
ing and converting portions of money
so appropriated to the private and
personal Use of said ccnspirators,
Forbes and Mortimer, depriving the
United States Cf benefits accruing TO
it under said acts cf congress.
The tCEGTu ato.s, . thompson AID
Black, paid to the defendants, Forbes
and Mortimer, portions of money
which they should receive under such
contracts as compensation for their
actions in securing contracts for
Black and Thompson for expenses to
be incurred by them, the said moneys
to be wasted and misapplied and the
purpose Of said acts defeated"
Thompson Surrenders
Thompson, accompanied by Elwood
Goldman, surrendered here Friday
night and was released under $4,000
bond. He would make no comment
or the Indictment ether than to de-
clare that he was absolutely innocent
and would be able to prove it. Mr..
Goldman said that he would confer
with Washington counsel for Mr..
Forbes and make plans for him to
surrender. Colonel Forbes, he indi-
Gated, will probably come to Chicago
III a few days to furnish his bonds.
The jury which returned the in
dictments began its sessions here on
February 6 and heard the testimony
of A witnesses. Chief among them
were Attorney General Daugherty,
who appeared Thursday, Brigadier
General Sawyer and Mr.. Mortimer.
The jury in its investigation is I'M
derstCOd to have followed closely the
investigation Of the bureau last year
by special senate committee which
in its report charged fraud, corrup-
ton and mismanagement of the bu-
reau under Colonel Forbes.