The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-05-03
GROUP
TO TAKE JAJJNT
TO Rio GRANDE
Despite Heflin's Protest,
Committee Postpones
Immediate Action

WASHINGTON, May 2-Over the
protest of Senator Helm, democrat,
Alabama. committee prosecutor, the
Senate committee investigating alleged
land fra uds in the lower Rio Grande
valley of Texas voted today to visit at
an early date that section to pusue its
inquiry after examining several more
witnesses in Washington.
The decision to shift the scene of
the inquiry followed an executive ses-
sion at; which Senator Sheppard and
Representative Garner, Texas. demo-
Gratis, appeared to urge that the COM
mittee inspect first hand the lands in
volved in the alleged fraudulent sales.
The committee decided to c0nfine fur
Their testimony here to that bearing on
alleged misuse of the mails, and under
present plans will conclude that phase
after hearing three more witnesses, in
Guiding VIII Hays, former Postmaster
General. :.
Heflin Protests
Senator Heflin entered vigorous OBJ
jections and served notice he would
carry his fight to the full post offices
and post roads committee, of which the
investigating body is subcommittee,
and, If necessary, to the Senate floor.
Declaring the committee members
would mot be able to get TO the val
ley until JuEs for July, Senator Hef-
/ lin served notice that ssTha going 10
fight to hayestbis case heard here and
at Kansas City, before we go TO the
| valley"
The senator explained he desired to
move the inquiry to Kansas City first
because he had letters from witnesses
who say they would testify il permit
ted to testify elsewhere than in the
valley"
Further objection entered by James
r. Page of Kansas City, unofficial
prosecutor who asked why are we
going to hear the other side in the val
| lev first?' brought the ret0rt from
Chairman Moses. republican,, New
| Hampshire, that Senator George 1.-THE
other member Of the committee) and
myself decided that the general fraud
question shall be considered In the val
ley.
Page Rebuked
II don't consider it in the purview
| of the courtesy of the committed" the
chairman added, for you TO inquire of
the committee what it's going to do"
The decision cut short the testimony
of ]. NJ. Collins, former general agent
Of G. ii. Swallow and Company, when
he began to tell about taking pros
pective land purchasers in special trains
to the valley. Chairman Moses re-
minded him the committee had decided
it could '.find out about what had hap
pened in the valley when it got there. ;"
Collins waived immunity on taking
the stand when Chairman Moses called
bis attention to the possibility of fraud
action against him.
He told the committee that contracts
of Rio Grande valley land sales were
sent through the mails and money col
leeted by that means. In answer to
questions BY Page, he said that Q. III.
swallow and r. ID. Creager, Texas ma
tional committeeman. whom senator
Helm has charged was implicated In
the alleged land frauds, were members
of the firm with which he formerly was
connected.
The only other witness--O. l.. Will
kius, former secretary of the lower Rio
Graride Valley Landmen's association
was on the stand only long enough to
identify minutes of the association
which Page previously had introduced.