Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-04-03
HEFL|N AGAIN RAPS
committeeman FOR
METHODS IN PROBE
Threatens to
Take Protests to Senate
Floor in Sharp CoIIoquy
With Chairman Moses

WASHINGTON, April Cor
respondence in the files of the post
office department relating to com
plaints Of Texas land frauds was
produced before the special senate
committee investigating that subject
| today over the protest OF counsel
for r. B. Creager.
| The letters were brought before
the committee at the instance OF
James r. Page, the Kansas City at
torney who is aiding Senator HELM,
Democrat, Alabama, in presenting
the fraud charges before the com
mittee. George A. Hill. Jr., Of Hous-
ton. acting for Mr.. Creager, who
has been named as implicated in the
frauds, objected on these grounds:
"One-The false utterances are
not made under oath, with the con-
sequent immunity to the libellants
from prosecution for perjury.
"Two-No opportunity for cross
examination is afforded the persons
DETAINED, by their resort to which
such falsities could and would be
exposed and the absurdity thereof
Gen Jnstrated.
"-hree-Such declarations are
self-serving and prompted by mo-
tives Of self-interest and constitute
an attempt to align the postal au-
thorities ON their side in furtherance
Of the civil suits of some OF them
"Four-Such statements would
not be received in evidence in any
court Of justice in the United States
under rules of evidence.
All "Defamers" Failed
"Five-Such of these defamers as
have instituted suits have each and
all failed, in each and every court
of justice in which they have sought
to establish such false statements,
to substantiate the same by legal
evidence, or to Vindicate their own
veracity as we'll, and have been I'M
able to convince either a court or a
jury OF their countrymen that they,
or either of them, were entitled to
judgment against the Alamo Land
and Sugar company, or c. Fl. Swal-
low and company.
"Six-Such false statements are
in many particulars in direct contra
diction to prior and subsequent ad-
missions and statements and wholly
icfn nf f,f
said persons themselves made, and
had in relation to the same matters
and are therefore obviously not en-
titled to credence.
Seventh is undisputed that said
letters were written in response to
inquiries of a leading and strongly
suggestive character submitted to
said compliments by the post Office
department, inviting confidential re-
plies, which, although expressly dis
claiming such, necessarily conveyed
the imputation of the existence Of
fraud, with the resulting temptation
to the comparatively few who were
dishonest and disgruntled, to claim
fraud"
Floor Fight Threatened
These objections. after discussion
NClS ONSIIulS ny the committee.
Chairman Moses and Senator Helm
then had another serious disagree.
ment over procedure, and finally
Senator Heflin again served notice
that il the committees methods
were not changed he would take the
question to the floor of the senate
and might move that a new COM
mittee be leected
The chairman insisted that Page
read a single letter and then exam
inc the witness, chief post office in.
spector Rush in the Simmons re-
garding it. Senator Helm wanted
the letters read as a whole, without
interruption.
IF this committee has got to sit
mere and hear all this stuff read into
the record and go down to the valley
and hear 500 or 500 people in per.
son" said Chairman Moses well
never In the world get through This
committee will find itself without a
quorum and there will be three va
cancies if we have to sit here listen.
ing"
II this committee wants to have
vacancies, I'll have a committee that
VIII investigate appointed in the
senate remarked Mr. Heflin.