Evening star., 1924-03-14
Means Says 500, 900 Paid Smith
TO Stop Aircraft Prosecution

from Jap Muma. acting for the Mitsui
4, Company" The 100000 was received
at night and given to Jess Smith,
Means testified.
Snys smith Got Monev.
Jess Smith came along and got it
that same night" Means said.
Smith came to his hotel room for
the purpose of getting the 100000.
Il didn't know what it was for at
that time"
Smith had told him he was to get
the money and to count it, Means de-
clared.
Senator Wheeler brought out that
one of the charges against the Attor-
ney General in the recent impeach-
ment case was in connection with the
Standard aircraft case.
Prosecution of the aircraft case,
Means testified, was withdrawn by
the War Department from the Depart
Means said he was assigned by
Burns to assist Capt. Scaife in the
war fraud cases and Scaife had as
signed him TO the aircraft case.
Means said he was "baIk ed" at first
in his investigation by Harry Mingle,
an official of the aircraft corpora :
ton. Mingle, he said, later expressed
willingne $ to make a settlement"
The 100 $1,000 bills" Means re-
iterated he received in February,
1922
Mingle told him, the witness said,
that the Standard Aircraft Company
owed the government two or three
millions"
Burns told you to so to Mingie
and he'd come through Means was
asked.
mo. he led up to him very easily"
said Means but declaring Burns was
absolutely honest and would kick
anybody out of his office" at any
suggestion Of graft.
Reads From Reports.
Means told of seeing the treasurer
and other members of the aircraft
| firm and read from copies OF his re-
ports on the case. He also presented
from his files a copy OF letter
reciting the accounts between the
Standard Aircraft Company and
Mitsui & Co. a difference of s2,ooo.Ooo
or $4,000 00o was involved.
4 copy of the extensive report by
Capt. Scaife to the Department Of
Justice on the case also was sub
mitted by Means Scaife, who sat at
Senator Wheeler's elbow. helped in
Identifying his report. which related
that MitSui & Co. were Japanese
bankers and fiscal agent of the japanese
government.
Quotes Aircraft Man.
The German government paid him
once or twice, before Japan got into
the war, Means said. through MitSui
d Co.
Harry MinGle, president of the air
craft company, tod him that the COM
pany did owe the government :, couple
of millions or So," Means said Later
. he added. the aircraft company. as he
understood it. employed the firm Of
Wickersham. Taft Il Cadwalder as coun-
sci. When the aircraft case was taken
out of his hands, Means said. he told
Burns that Capt. Scaife threatened TO
blow the roof off the place"
Scaife was outraged because his in
vestigation of the case was stopped
, Means said, and he warned them re-
peatedly' of Scaife's feelings.
Did Not Report to Burns.
Means said he did not report to
Burns on the 100000 deal with
Jess Smith because Smith told him
to say nothing about it.
II stood pat and watched" said
Means Smith told him particularly
to say nothing about it to Burns.
But l discussed il with Jess Smith
before he killed himself" said Means.
Then he told of relating the story to
Senator Wheeler about a week ago
"A friend of mine asked me to come
to see you,' said Means, addressing
himself to Senator Wheeler.
Refers TO Indictment.
Means said. referring to his recent in
dictment: When the department was
saying | was in Europe, ! was in nv
house They told me to lie low and | did
j phoned over to assistant Attorney
General Grim and told him ! was
ready to see him, but they said oh.
no, we don't want to see you
In the aircraft case investigation
Means said he looked into sale of
American models to the japanese
government by the Standard Aircraft
Company.
But the sale was after the war.
Senator Jones, republican, Washing
ton, brought out
Senator Wheeler emphasized to the
committee that the record of the
Daugherty impeachment case, brought
at the Attorney Generals alleged
failure to prosecute the aircraft case
Overpayment by the government of
over s6,500.000 was alleged
Means could not not say whether
the aircraft case was withdrawn by
the War Department from the De-
partment of Justice before or after
the 100000 payment to him.
Learned Source of Money.
After payment of the 100000 in the
aircraft deal" Means said he learned
the source of the money from Jess
Smith, who asked him if he had told
any one about it.
He seemed to be very uneasy to