Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-29
NORRIS WILL SEEK
PATRONAGE PROBE
Taylor Charges Are Before
Tennessee District Attor-
neys, Sargent Says.
BY the Associated Press.
Representative

BY the Associated Press.
The charges that Representative
Taylor, Republican, Tennessee, solicit
ed campaign funds from Federal office
holders have been referred by At
torney General Sargent to district at
torneys for Eastern and Western
Tennessee, Senator CouZens, Repub-
lican, of Michigan, was advised today
by the Department of Justice.
Senator Couzens is chairman of the
Senate civil service committee, which
inquired into the subject recently, and
the Attorney General advised him
that evidence adduced by the COM
mittee had been referred to the dis
trict attorneys for such action as
seemed warranted.
Grand Jury proceedings ba sed on the
same charges against Representative
Taylor were concluded in the Middle
Tennessee district severalsmonths ago
without an indictment being voted.
Senator Couzens then pressed the case
in the Department Of Justice on the
ground that testimony from the east
ern and western districts had not been
presented.
committee should be directed to In
vestigate Federal patronage distribu-
ton. as proposed in a resolution by
Senator Harris, Democrat. of Georgia,
senator Couzens indicated he would
submit the Taylor case.
chairman Norris of the judiciary
committee said today he was prepared
to press for a patronage inquiry soon
after the holiday recess.
senator Couzens made public re-
mort submitted in July by the United
States Civil Service Commission to the
Department of Justice and to the SEN
ate civil service committee.
q History sof Case. -
Fhe history of The case was thus
nresentedi in the sfeport of the civil
Service Commission: No -
III. will Taylor, now a. n7enber OF
Congress. ran against JudFs Jennings
in the campaign preceding the pr1-
mary election held on the first Thurs
day of August, 1922, for member OF
Congress from the second district OF
tennessee. In this primary deficit
of about 90. eco was incurred on behalf
of Mr.. Taylor's candidacy,
Attached to the report We're extracts
from the testimony of 10 tennessee
postmasters who said they had been
solicited by Taylor personally, OF
through persons who said they spoke
Tor MIN, IOF Sohti inusAoAS " - "
deficit.
When Taylor was questioned by
Couzens. the latter said today, the
Tennessee Representative replied That
the charges were the result of fac
tional warfare in the Republlcan
ranks in Tennessee. Tayior was
formerly chairman of the Republican
State committee.
John j. Graham, postmaster at
Knoxville, Tenn. under appointment
of December, 1923, was named in the
Civil Service Commissions report as
having given his personal note for sae
TO the Union Bank of Knoxville to be
credited on the campaign deficft.
mir. Taylor Endorsed the note, the
report added. at was dated month
or SO after Mr.. Graham became post
| master.
THE deficit of about $4,000 was
| taken up by giving the bank note
| for the full amount due, on whlch
Mr.. Taylor was the principal, with
several of his friends irdorsers, Mr.
| Graham being one of them. This
| note has been entirely paid OF In the
| last 6 or months. MIR. Graham
| note of $500 has been reduced By
payments by him from time to time
but a balance still remains due.
| mfr. Graham states that he wrote
| q letter to the Postmaster General
giving the facts in the case shorti,
/ after his appointment as postmaster
| i'm December, 1928"