Evening star., 1924-12-11
MORTIMER DENIES
FIGHT ON FORBES
Declares He Did Not Start
Campaign to Ruin Accused
Official in 1922.
6y the Associated Press,

by the Associated Press.
CHICAGO, December 11.-Elias ii.
Mortimer, the chief Government wit
ness, began his fourth day of cross
examination in the Forbes-Thompson
conspiracy trial today with further
testimony touching upon alleged
bribery payments to Charles R
Forbes, then director of the Vet
Grams Bureau, in August, 1929.
The witness repeated his charge
that he gave Forbes 1000 in cash on
August IL as his share" OF bribs
paid for a hospital contract at Tupper
Lake, n. Y. The money was given
to Mortimer by William McCauley,
Washington representative of the
Sutherland Construction Co., which
received two separate contracts for
the Tupper Lake foundation, he de-
clared
Mortimer was closely questioned
about the nature of his work in the
interest of the Sutherland company at
a time when, according to his previ-
Gus testimony, he was under agree
ment to represent Thompson &
Black Construction Co, a competitor
of Sutherland. in the bidding for
Veterans hospitals.
He denied he had determined in
July. 1892, upon a Campaign to ruin
Forbes"
Denies Saying He'd Get Forbes.
Mortimer denied he had told DR..
George B. Tullidge, his father-in-law,
in August, 1922, that he would get
Forbes" if he had to swear himself
into Jail to do ii.
He reaff1rmed his testimony before
the Senate Veterans Bureau investi-
eating committee that his hostility
toward Forbes" prompted him to give
his testimony before the committee.
Mrs. Mortimer begged me not to
go before the committee and testify
against Forbes" he said.
Recounting his visit to his father
in-law's home in Philadelphia, the
night before he took the stand before
the Senate committee, the witness
told of Mrs. Mortimer's effort to bring
Forbes and himself together for q
conference.
Forbes was in one room and Mortt-
Iner in another and Mrs. Mortimer urged
her husband TO go into Forbes room and
talk with him.
of us will come out" Mortimer said
he told his wife.
Says He Split $3.50.
commissions on hospital contracts.
Mortimer said his agreement with
Forbes was for d "50-50 split"
Randolph, Laughlin, counsel for
Thompson. read from Mortimer's
Senate testimony a statement that
his profits were to be divided with
A. NJ. Mcdonald of the Patterson
Mcdonald Shipbuilding Co, Seattle,
Wash
WAS +bera apv mention IN ,ou-
Senate testimony of division with
Forbes?" he was asked
The deal with Forbes was not put
through at that time" Mortimer an
swered.
The defense endeavored to intro
duce in evidence a letter from Nor
timer to his father-in-laW written in
August, 1922. in hich Mortimer said
charges of improper conduct on the
par of Forbes and Mrs. Mortimer
were without foundat tion in fact
The court permitted questions based
on the letter. but refused to allow it's
introduction during oss-examina-
ron. The defense served notice il
would be- offered again as evidence
"hen the Government rests.
Many Discrepancies.
An intense Ire of questions yester-
day revealed several discrepancies be-
tween Morttmer's story in the present
case and as given by him in a Senate
committees inquiry last year
Mortimer. somewhat worn by the
Today ordeal on the witness stand.
told the jury his former testimony
was his best recollection at the time.
Il don't remember" he answered
several times during his five-hour
examination yesterday when asked 20
explain conflicting testimony.
Mortimer, the first witness for the
prosecution in the trial of Forbes
and J. W. Thompson, st. Louis con-
tractor, on charges of conspiracy to
defraud the Government in the grant
ing of hospital contracts, probably
VIII be under oss-examination
another full day.
Says He Offered Bribes.
Despite emphatic warnings from
the court against introducing ex-
traneouS matter In his answers, Nor
timer put into the record yesterday
several additional references to the
friendship which developed between
Mrs. Mortimer and Forbes during
1922, when Mortimer was represent
ing Thompson's contracting firm be-
fore the Veterans Bureau in contract
bidding.
II gave him a thousand dollars in
cash, and he would have got more If
ne had left my wife alone" the wit
ness said at one point, explaining how
he paid Forbes his share of an al
legged bribe from contractor.
At another point, the witness fixed
the time of a certain incident in it's
relation to the time when he had
caught him (Forbes) in Fairmont
Park in Philadelphia with Mrs Nor
timer
Mortimer said he had offered Forbes
six separate bribes of various
amounts, some of which were re-
fused.
Besides, 1 paid his hotel bills and
bought his liquor" he added.
Experience. In its strict sense, ap-
niles 10 what has occurred within a