Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-09-16
CHECKS FOR $4,000
ARE |NTRODUCED|N
DAUCHERTY'S TRIAL
Prosecution Promises to Link
King Papers With Official
and Miller.
PAYMENTS TO OHIO G. O.P.
DETAILED BY DURKIN
Declares Deficit Met by Gifts Made
to Attorney General and
Jess Smith.
By the Associated Press

NEW 1OISh, september 10 Three
checks amounting to S29.14375. which
the Government alleges was part of
the fee Rickard Merton, German metal
magnate, paid John T. King, late Re
publican National committeeman
from ConneCticuc for rushing"
claims through the alien property
custodian's office. were offered as evi-
dence in the trial of Harry Nj.
Daugherty and Thomas w. Miller
today
One of the checks is for s25 900. 1t
is dated August l., 1921. 1t bears the
signature of King and is made out TO
cash. The Government alleges this
check was split" of the $50 900 Mer-
ton said he paid King and that Jesse
Smith, Daugherty's man Friday"
got the money. The date of this check
apprOximates that on which Merton
said he gave King a $50. 900 advance
commission" Objections by defense
attorneys kept this check from becom-
ing government exhibit
The other two checks are for
$3,643.75 and for $500. The first is
payable to Smith. The second is pay
able to cash" Both are dated Oc-
tober Is, 1921, and are signed by
King. The Government alleges the
total of these two checks-$4.1 4.143.75-
est, of $685. 900 of Liberty Loan bonds
of $21.25 each. October Is. 1921, is
13 days after the date-October ..
1921-that Merton said he gave King
1891 900 in Liberty Loan bonds.
Checks Are Admitted.
All the testimony relating to these
checks was admitted on promise of
United States Attorney. Emory r.
Buckner that he would connect them
with Daugherty and Miller.
A check for $4,000 drawn by King
to the order of Daugherty and which
John ID. Durkin. secretary to King
who identified all the checks, said
was cOverage of a deficit in the Ohio
campaign funds of the Republican
party was offered in evidence by
Daugherty's attorney. 1t had previ.
ously been excluded as irrelevant
when offered by the Government
This check was dated April 10. 1920,
about year before the beginning of
the alleged conspiracy for which
Daugherty and Miller are on trial
Durkin's memory was not clear on
the transactions relating To the dc
post of the liberty bonds or to the
making out of the checks.
Two other checks. Durkin said.
were payable to Smith. who committed
suicide in Washington.
The first witness of the day was
Walter ID. Miller, former butler for
Daugherty and Smith.
Mclean Butler Testifies.
The Government today turned it's
attention to establishing proof of its
allegations that bank records it CON
tends would show that Daugherty
t1,;,N t<I - So 49,
SAL 900 paid for refund of $7.000,00O
of American Metal Co. shares. We're
purposely destroyed. The fee was
paid to King, Richard Merton, the
Governments chief witness. has
testified. Most of the records the
Government alleges were destroyed
were in the Midland National Bank
at Washington Court House, Ohio,
of which Daugherty's brother, Nal
$. Daugherty. is president.
Daugherty and Miller. the Govern
ment charges. deprived the United
States of their intelligent and un-
biased services" in paying to Merton.
agent for the Societe Suisse Pour
Valeurs de Metaux $7,000.O00 of
shares of the American Metal Co.
seized in 1917 under the trading with
the-enemy act.
w. ID. Miller was the first witness
called. Miller testified the Mclean
house at 1909 II street, Washington.
of which he was butler and general
utility man, was occupied in March,
1921, by Daugherty and Jesse Smith,
aide to Daugherty, who later COM
mitted suicide. Smith was named
in indictments superseded by the
one on which Daugherty and Thomas
w. Miller are being tried.
Smith Paid Bills.
w. d. Miller testified that all house
hold bills at the II street house were
paid by Smith. all checks being signed
Jess w. Smith, extra.
Guests at the house in 1921, he said,
included King, who came there
often: William j. Burns. then chief
of the Bureau of Investigation: Col.
Forbes, Guy ID. Goff, now Senator
from West Virginia. but at that time
first Assistant Attorney General. and
Thomas w. Miller.
Early in 1922. he said, Daugherty
and Smith moved from the III street
house to an apartment in the Ward
man Park Hotel. which was obtained
from Senator Golf. At this time. Mil
Ter said, he ceased to be butler for
Daugherty and Smith and took job
in the filing division of the Depart
ment of Justice, where he worked
for about a year before going back
to serve Daugherty as butler.
"Who gave you the job in the De
partment Of Justice?" Assistant United
States Attorney Kenneth f. Simpson
asked.
Jesse Smith"
Taken by Smith.
On objection of Max ID. Steuer.
counsel for Daugherty. this statement
was stricken from the record.
well who took you to the De
partment of Justice when you were
sworn in?"
Jesse Smith"
The Government in outlining its
case asserted it would show that
Smith was never an actual employe
of the Department of Justice. but that
he maintained an office in the bureau
and that employees there took orders
from him.
did you see Smith in the Depart
ment of Justice office" Simpson asked.
Yes" Miller replied. Il saw him
there often without his hat on. He
had an Office there
In response to questions. the witness
said that lone was apt to run into
| Jesse Smith anywhere in the Depart
ment of Justice Building" Sometimes.
Continued on PaSs 2 Caiee-~ 81