Evening star., 1924-05-15
.BR|BE ACCUSATION
AGAINST z|HLMAN
HELD ONSUSTA|NED
House Committee Reports
Evidence Does Not Estab-
Iish Truth of Charge.
DEFERS LANGLEY CASE
PENDING HIS APPEAL
Kentuekian Serves Notice He Will
Not Attend Sessions Unless
Name Is Cleared.

The House committee authorized to
investigate the charge made before a
Chicago grand jury that Represent
atlve Zihlman, Republican, Maryland,
accepted a bribe, reported today that
taken as whole in the opinion of
the committee, the evidence does not
establish truth of the charge"
Coincident with submission of the
report to the House, Representa- tive
Langley, Republican, Kentucky. who
also was mentioned in the Chicago
report and who was convicted several
days ago of violating the prohibition
law. notified Speaker Gillett that
pending final action on his appeal he
would abstain from attending House
sessions or participating in proceed
ings of the House public buildings
committee, of which he is chairman.
Will Defer Action.
The committee in its report said
such an arrangement was satisfac-
tory, and suggested that no further
action be taken with regard to Mr..
Langley until his case has been dis
mittee report was unanimous.
After pointing out that it was in
structed by a House resolution passed
early in March to ascertain the
identity of two members mentioned in
the Chicago grand jury report, and to
establish the truth or falsity of the
charges that they received money for
improper use of official influence, the
committee said it had ascertained that
the members referred to were Mr..
Zihlman and Mr.. Langley.
Agreement on Langley.
"It was agreed by the committee"
said the report, that in view of the
indictment and probable immediate
trial in the District of Columbia of
Representative Langley, the commit
tee would first consider the Zihlman
case. Since then Representative Lang
ley has been indicted, tried, convicted
and sentenced in the federal court
for the eastern district of Kentucky.
1t is understood that he has initiated
appellant proceedings, and therefore
1t would seem proper that further
action by the committee in respect
to him be deferred for the present,
IT being assumed that until the final
no part whatever in any of the busi-
ness of the House or its committees.
THE committee has considered the
Zlhlman case. 1t has secured the
testimony of all persons supposed to
have any direct or indirect knowledge
of the charge against him. 1t has
examined twenty-five witnesses and
a number of documents, and the
printed records containing some S2S
pages accompany this report. The
evidence is conflicting and sharply
contradictory, and the question of
the credibility Of individual witnesses s
has frequently arisen.
Taken as a whole. in the opinion
of the committee, the evidence does
not establish the truth of the charge
against Representative Zihlman and,
accordingly, the committee recon-
mends that so far as he is concerned
no further action is required or should
be taken by the House."
Letter From Langley.
Mr.. Langley announced his inten-
tion of remaining away from the
Capitol in the following letter to
Speaker Gillett:
Assuming you and the other mem
bers of the House to know the result
of my trial just concluded in the
United States district court at Cow
lngton, KY, on the charge Of having
violated section 81 of. the penal code,
1 beg. to inform you that my attor-
neys have taken the necessary steps
to have the case reviewed by the cir
cult court of appeals and pending fur
the proceedings therein 1 shall ab-
stain from attendance upon sessions
of the House or of any of the com
mittees thereof"