Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1924-03-15

totaling millions of dollars, which
had been filed against the Gov
eminent and in behalf Of these
shipbuilders. More than $1,000
100000 was appropriated for
shipbuilding. Much of it was
squandered. Many of these du-
bious claims were awaiting adj
judication. The Shipping Board
must pass on them. 1t was under
these conditions that the firm of
McAdoo, Cotton & Franklin open
ed its offices for clients. And
who came?
We are not advised as to but
a few of these clients. What
total employment this firm re-
ceived from firms holding claims
against the Government is known
only to the members of the law
firm. However, we may get an
insight into the nature of such
employment by considering a few
cases which have become matters
of record.
The American people have
heard much concerning a gentle
man by the name of C. w.
Morse. He is the gentleman
whom our Democratic colleagues
please to refer to as the man
whose pardon was secured by
Attorney General Daugherty
when Mr.. Daugherty was engag-
ed in his private practice. They
have unsparingly described
Morse as a confirmed and hard
ened criminal The testimony
taken by the Walsh investigating
committee of the House of Rep
resentatives and the testimony of
Mr.. McAdoO, when called as a
witness in the Morse trial last
summer, throw much light on this
man Morse and his dealings with
the law firm of McAdoo, Cotton
& Franklin.
Morse had several corporations
building ships during the war pc
riod. He secured favorable con-
tracts. He had millions by way
of claims filed against the Gov
eminent. As soon as McAdoo
retired from the Cabinet he was
employed as an attorney for the
Morse interests.
Mr.. Morse was later indicted
and placed on trial. In volume
go at page S576 We find the
testimony of Mr.. McAdoo, called
as a witness by the defendant,
who testified under oath ,as
witness in this case of the Unit
ed States of America against
Charles w. Morse ct al. 1t was
tried in criminal division No. 1
in the Supreme Court of the
District of Columbia during the
summer of 1928. In that testi-
mony Mr.. McAdoo admitted that
a $4,000 fee was paid him by
the Virginia Shipbuilding cor
poration, one of the Morse cor
porations, under a contract ne
gotiated in September, 1919.
While on the witness stand Mr..
McAdoo admitted that the Gro
ton Iron Co., another Morse cor
poration, also retained him at a,
stipulated fee Of $4,000.
While on the witness stand Mr..
McAdoo was questioned regard
ing his employment in connec-
ton with certain coal contracts.
Had you forgotten those con-
tracts? Morse organized the
United States Transport Co. He
was its president. When he re-
signed his son succeeded him as
president. This coal corporation
had a number of coal-carrying
ships.
This corporation wished con-
tract for the sale and delivery
of coal to France and Italy. Mr..
McAdoo, as Secretary of the
Treasury, had negotiated vast
loans from the United States
Government to the Governments
of Italy and France. He re-
signed more than two years be-
fore that administration ended.
After he resigned from the Cabi-
net and became attorney for this
Morse Coal Co., it is evident that
he rendered invaluable service in
securing favorable contracts with
both France and Italy.
Mr.. McAdoo, on the shipments
of French coal alone, had a con-
tract with this Morse Co. which
provided for payment to his law
firm of a commission of between
100000 and S450.000. His
testimony is little vague as to
the exact amount contracted for
with Italy, but it is a fair de-
duction from the record that the
amount there contracted for was
at least 100000 tons.
There was introduced in the
Morse trial the resolution of this
Morse Coal Co. authorizing the
employment of the firm of Nc
Ado, Cotton & Franklin, fixing
their commissions and confirm
ing their employment. On these
two contracts alone it appears
that Mr.. McAdoo and his law
firm We're under contract to re-
ceive from this Morse Coal Co.
at least 100000 in commissions.
This is not the price of the coal,
but the commissions of McAdoo
their lawyer.
Reading the testimony of Mr..
McAdoo and Mr.. Doheny togeth-
er, it is conclusively shown that
until the day following the testi-
mony of Mr.. Doheny before the