Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-03-20
FIGHT FILM DEALER
DEFENDS DAUCHERTY
UNDER WARM FIRE
Admits He Helped Attorney
General Pick N, y, Ap-
pointees = Holly Resents
GriIIing by Wheeler

WASHINGTON, March 1S.-The
tangled trail of the senate commits
tees investigation of Attorney Gen.
eral Daugherty and the department.
OF justice swung back and forth to-
day between the now famous fight
picture deal and IDEALS" in
whisky cases. Then it made brief
detour into the fields of lotteries
ard what the department Of justice
has done or has not done to suppress
them. /.
Will II. Orr, former private secre.
tary to former Governor Whitman,
was the principal witness. Orr was
a reluctant, hating witness, who
protested against the committee go-H
inc outside the scope of the inquiry
| to develop that he had once been
indicted on a conspiracy charge in
| connection with violations of the
| prohibition law.
Orr previously has been identified
in testimony as one of those engaged
| in the deal to arrange showing
| oe the Carpentier-Dempsey fight
| films without extensive prosecution
| while various goats" were fined
small sums by prearrangement.
Although Orr testified that he
was to receive one-fifth Of the fund
involved, he failed under cross-ex-
| animation to satisfy Senator Wheel,
| err, the committee prosecutor, what
| he did to warrant the payments, al.
/ though he did testify he helped get
| past the censors.
Shields Jess Smith
Much of Orr's testimony conferred
around liquor Withdrawals. Senator,
Wheeler tried to develop that one
Howard Warrington, who occupied
a desk in the little green house on
| X street." had received large sums
of money in connection with liquor
| cases and had been obliged to give
it back because his efforts in behah'
| Of clients were not successful. Orr
! could think of collections aggregate
| ing some $4,000, which he persisted
were in the nature of retainers, but
he disclaimed any knowledge of Jess
Smith, the attorney generals bump
| er and friend" being obliged to re.
turn money.
/ Specifically, Orr testified that he
|
six or seven" wholesale drug COM
Apanies in connection with liquor
Withdrawals, and that among them
were the Central Drug company,
the Emmerland Drug company and
the Alps Drug company. In some
cases the plan was to have the
liquor released ostensibly for export
Subpoenas were issued today for
secretaries Mellon and Weeks.
The purpose of the committees
subpoenas for the two secretaries, 1t
| was learned, was to ascertain the
manner in which confidential infor-
nation is exchanged by their depart.
! ments with the department Of jus.
/ tice.
| Prohibition Commissioner Haynes
| and Internal Revenue Commissioners
Blair also were summoned, presum-
ably for qt estionipg about Means
assertion that he got" Secretary
Mellon in an investigation of the
issue Of permits for Withdrawals Of
! whisky.
| Alfred r. Uron, a lawyer, named
in the alleged film deal also was
] subpoenaed as was Ell. Ii. Votaw, SUI
! perintendent Of federal prisoners and
| a relative by marriage Of the late
| President Harding.
Among others subpoenaed we're
Assistant Attorneys General Grim.
Anderson and Johnson. James A.
Finch, pardon attorney of the de-
partment of justice, and Elmer Dover,
former assistant secretary of the
treasury.
Referring to the statement of
Postmaster General New that Presi-
dent Harding and Daugherty were
not at the exhibition of the fight
films at the Mclean home,i Senator
Wheeler said today that if there
was any dispute regarding the spec
tators there, particularly Daugherty,
he would have no hesitation in cali
ing both Mr. New and Secretary
Hughes who have stated that they
were present