Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-09-29
CASTOR Favors Regulation
Liquor Law in Acceptance
JUDGE AND COUNSEL
IN CONFERENCE over
DAUCHERTY CASE

New York, Sept. 2S.-(P)-The
government today rested it's case
against Harry NJ. Daugherty and
Thomas w. Miller, charged with de-
frauding the government of their
best services as attorney general
and alien property custodian, in per-
hitting the. release. in 1921 of ST.
100000 impounded assets of the
American Metal Company.
AS soon as United States Attorney
Buckner announced that he had
completed his case Judge Mack eX-
cused the jury for the day, adjourn
ed court until tomorrow and then
went into conference in his cham
bers with attorneys for both sides
to discuss motions concerning the
dismissal of the trial and admissible
ity of much Of the governments evil
dence.
The principal witness was Richard
Merton, the German metal magnate,
who came to this country and gave
John T. King SAL 900 to help and
speed" release of the $7.OO0,O0O as
sets. 1t is the governments con-
tention that great part of this
SAL 600 found its way into the
hands of Daugherty and Miller and
was the inducement which caused
them to conspire against the gov
eminent.
Merton was Intercepted by both
William S. Rand, attorney for Miller,
and Max d. Steuer. counsel for
Daugherty. concerning testimony he
gave when he was called by the
prosecution as the first witness in
the trial. He went over in detail
his coming to this country. his con-
versationS with government officials,
and the German enterprises inter-
ested in the metal company. Buck
ner Joined in the questioning. which
lasted several hours. No new evil
Gence of importance was adduced
from the witness and he finally was
told that his mission in coming
from Germany to testify in this trial
had been completed and that he
might return.
Ward n. Toland of the attorney
generals office and Mrs. Myrtle No
Ian of the district attorneys office
we're called to testify as to investf-
cations carried on in an effort to
trace ownership of coupons from a
500, 900 batch of the Merton bonds.
The government charges that the
interest on these bonds formed a
part of the money which it alleges
went to Daugherty.
Among other things, Toland testi-
fled to discovering that $4,000 of
the Merton-king bonds had been
sold by Jesse Smith. Daugherty's
political handy man. who is al
legged to have acted as a Go-between
in the American Metal release trans
action.
Bucllner rested his case at 500. This
was the signal for the expected mo-
tions by defense counsel for dismissal
of the trial. which have been forecast
by their steady stream of objections
throughout the trial.
Judge Mack in eXcusing the jury for
the day warned them again not to
read aboSt the case in the newspapers,
and then apparently was ready to hear
any motions. Instead of making them,
defense counsel walked to the bench
and whispered to the judge, Buckner
joining them.
1t was then announced by the court
that adjournment would be taken I'M
til tomorrow and all the attorneys
| went with him into his chambers.
This meeting lasted about two
hours. William Travers Jerome of
counsel for Miller announced at the
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