The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-15

don s leadlnS millinery OeSlSnerS Ou tue side.
 A woman cousin, perturbed at Churchill's new bid for election to Par lament, let out the secret.
 Two years ago the cousin opened a hat shop in Bond street. It was almost connection-with the showing of the arpentier-Dempsey fight pictures
 How was it sent:"
 "In cash always"
 By messengerW
 "No. Yes-No boy would come. I didn't know how. There would be an interval of two weeks, three weeks, he would come down and ask me to hold the money. For instance it would be 900, $5,000. When Jess Smith came around just handed it to him. Jess would always tell me what the amount ought to he, and would just take it. I didn't know it was for those fight pictures at that time, not until they go to raising Cain up here on the hill about the situation. Then I began to know what the monies were for" Questions about the money involved in whisky transactions came next, Senator Wheeler asking: Money has been paid 10 you on whisky transactions and others that was turned over to Jess Smith,
 After a reply by Means in the af- firmative. Former Senator Chamber lain of Attorney General Daugherty's counsel asked how much money had passed through Means hands lon ac- count of these."
 'Oh, l don't know" Means replied. Il guess the largest sum I ever had in my hands at one time was six or seven thousand dollars in connection I with the pictures
 Merely A Guess
 Senator Jones asked what the az gregate receipts from the pictures were, and Means replied: That would be a guess"
 Make it as near as you can" com handed Senator Jones.
 "Thirty-five thousand dollars, $40, 900, maybe $50,OOO."
 Means then described the investiga- tion which he said he and W. T. Un- derwood made of Attorney General Daugherty for President Harding. He said Jess Smith introduced Underwood to him and they worked in New York city and elsewhere.
 For whom were you working?' asked Senator Wheeler.
 Well. at the time I have reference to specifically, the President of the United States, President Harding"
 Did you investigate Mir. Daugherty or did you furnish the President any confidential reports on Mir. Daugh- ertyy asked Senator Wheeler. "Is it not a fact you did furnish some con fidential reports to MT. Harding on Mir, Daugherty at his request?' "Not Fact Then" | Yes. l gave those to Mir. Under. wood. They were accusations that were made against the Attorney General that were not based on facts. They were fal off the mark, those particular ones you have reference to"
 And by whom were they made?"
 'The Attorney General is kind of like myself-they have accused him of everything in the world"
 But by whom were you paid when you were doing investigation for Pres ident Harding:'
 T was paid by Jess Smith and MT. Underwood"
 Do you know who MT, Underwood represented?"
 Il know that he represented the President"
 How do you know that?"
 Because of letter to Jess Smith signed by the President. That was in July, 1922. It simply said that the Fresldent wanted to have certain con. fldential under-cover investigations made and he wanted Jess Smith to han dle them. and with Gaston B. Mean. and MT. Underwood"
 Smith told him, Means added, sthat his selection by the President followed 6 recommendation by Gutzon Borglum the sculptor.
 Asked for the details of the inyesti cations made by President Harding ir New York, the witness brought in the inquiry testimony involving Secretary Mellon.
 Mellon Brought In
 The prime investigation" Mean. said. was leading up from the infor nation we had in Washington concern ing an arrangement that the Secretary of the Treasury, MT. Mellon had gone into, to furnish certain permits fol certain purposes, and we didn't catcf him that time. He slipped through oul fingers. and l went to New York tc catch the La Montagnes."
 Generally speaking. you were in vestlgatlng the whisky ring in New York" suggester Senator Wheeler.
 For violating the Volstead act was the response, finding out where this whisky was being released, ana who was responsible for it."
 Means said his expenses in those in vestlgatlons were paid sometimes bJ smith and sometimes by Underwood Pressed regarding his "under-cover in vestigatiOn." Means said this was fol President Harding.
 Jess wanted to catch Secretary Mel Ion, and we caught him." said Means They wanted us to investigate Sec. retary Mellon, the President wanted the information in regard to him-to catch him and we caught him."
 Secretary Mellon, later today when ht saw Means testimony published in the newspapers, said he would make nc statement. further than to characterize it as vicious piffle."
 The last time he saw Underwood Means testified, was at Palm Beach last February, where he met also E B. Mclean and McLean's man Duck. stein. Underwood wanted to learn what testimony Means was threatening tc give in Washington. Ducksteifi, Means said, had called him to Palm Beach by long distance telephone. A man named Sydney Thompson, Means added brought message asking him to go to Palm Beach. Thompson, he described, as a man who carried messages between Underwood and myself after Smith died"
 He was go-between after Smith died?" asked Senator Wheeler.
 "A go between and money carrier, Il said Means. Although many persons had advised not to give up his in formation, Means said, he could not be intimidated and was not afraid, he said.