Evening star., 1925-04-19
WHEELER DEFENSE
FUND TO Be RAISED
Group of Senator's Friends
to Prepare for Trial in
Washington.
RY G. GnrIn LINCnI.N-

Hn6s 10 a10 IN the defenSe of SEN
ator Burton X. Wheeler of Montana,
In his trial in the District of C9lum-
bia for alleged conspiracy to defraud
the Government. in connection with
permits for the exploration of oil
lands in the West, will be raised by a
group OF Senator Wheeler's friends
here and elsewhere. 1t was said last
night Norman Hspsood probably
VIII be chairman of the committee
which Is to obtain the contributions,
and Basil NJ. Manly, director of the
Peoples Legislative Service, will be
a member of the committee, 1t is said
The movement for the collection of
the FUNDS TO assist Senaotr Wheeler is
! just getting under way, ii was said.
Inc money is to be expended only on
| legitimate legal matters connected
with the trial, including the bringing
| Of witnesses TO Washington. the en-
| ployment of second-line counsel, and
for such Investigations as may be
found necessary.
Senator Walsh OF Montana counsel
for Senator Wheeler in his present
| trial in Montana, has already volun-
| teered his services in the trial of the
| case brought against Senator Wheeler
in the District
-APpCdh w
Undoubtedly an appeal will be made
! TO the public for the funds. it was
said. No estimate has been made OF
| the amount which will be required or
which will be sought to be raised, but
! II was said that several thousand dol
lars" would be needed for the legiti-
| mate expenses of the trial.
The movement has been started.
Mr. Manly said last night, by persons
who have believed that the cases
| brought against Senator Wheeler BY
the Government were due to animos-
ity aroused by Senator Wheeler when
he attacked the administration of the
Department of Justice. He said thai
| this opinion was borne not only by
so-called liberal minded persons, but
| by conservatives as we'll
The expenses Connected with the
| Wheeler trial, it is expected. will be
| heavy. Senator Wheeler's friend
| point out that he is not wealthy
] man-in fact, that he would scarcely
| be able to bear the legitimate expen-
/ ses required by the defense, including
the bringing CT witnesses to Wash.
| ington from long distances.
Those who are promoting the col.
! lection of Wheeler fund admit that
/ II is an unusual course to be pursued
| in the case of man who has been
indicted for alleged offenses against
the Government and laws of the
United States. But they insist that
! the cases have been shown to have
a political bias as indicated both dur
| ing the investigation of the charges
against Wheeler by the special Senate
committee a year ago. and during the
debates in the Senate since that in
vestigation.
Members of the Senate, including
both Republicans and Democrats, viii
contribute to the fund, it was pre-
dicted last night.
Particular stress is being laid by
Senators and others. however, on the
fact that it is not a senatorial fund"
Senators who do contribute will con-
tribute merely as individual citizens
and entirely apart from their Office
| as Senator.
Letter of Inquiry.
| Senator Borah of Idaho, chairman
of the Senate committee which in
/ Vestigated the charges against Sena-
tor Wheeler and submitted a report
| exonerating, him, said yesterday that
he had heard of the movement of
friends of Senator Wheeler to raise
funds for his defense. Other Senators
have discussed the matter informally.
| and it is believed that a number of
them will contribute to the fund.
Senator Borah said he had received a
letter asking him TO whom contribu
| tions should be sent, and that he had
replied he supposed they should be
| handled through Senator Wheelers
| office.
| When the idea OF raising funds to
aid the defense of Mr.. Wheeler was
| first preached, suggestion was made
| that Senator should head the COM
~ - ~ 4
| of Nebraska and Borah OF Idaho were
suggested as proper to head such
! committee. But it was deemed un-
| wise to have a Senator head it or take
| an active part in the raising of the
| proposed fund.
Senator Wheeler. as other persons
| charged with violation of the law. has
| the right to ask the Government to
! subpoena witnesses and to pay the
| expenses OF their coming to the trial,
! but in so doing the defense must not
i only reveal all the names of It's wit
| nesses, but must tell the prosecution
what 1t hopes to establish through
| the witnesses. In other words, it
must turn over to it's opponents, the
| prosecution, the entire plan of de-
| Tense.
Facilities Of Prosecution.
The Government has unlimited
funds to bring it's witnesses to Wash
ington, and for that reason, the
friends of Mr.. Wheeler contend, steps
should be taken to see that Mr..
, Wheeler has every opportunity to de-
fend himself. They say frankly that
they have no doubt the Government
in it's attack upon Mr.. Wheeler will
! leave no stone unturned TO obtain a
conviction.
Just when the trial of Senator
Wheeler will be held in Washington
is still matter of conjecture. The
fixing of the date undoubtedly will
hinge somewhat on the outcome of
the present trial of Senator Wheeler
in Montana on the. charge of having
violated the Federal statute which
says that no Senator or member Of
the House shall represent clients be-
fore the executive departments of the
Government No public appeal for
funds probably will be made until
after the conclusion of the Montana
trial. according to those interested in
| rn ioipe the fund