Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-28
Reed Committee Meets and
Considers insult, Grove
and Cunningham.
ACTION is POSTPONED
TO SESSION TOMORROW
Recalcitrant Witnesses May Be
Turned Over for District Su-
preme Court Action.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

The Senate is about to launch it's
first attempt to make recalcitrant wit
nesses testify before the Senate COM
mittees since the Nal Daugherty de-
cision, upholding the powers OF the
Senate, was handed down by the Su.
preme Court
At a. meeting of the Reed slush fund
committee today drafts of a report
and an accompanying resolution deal
ing with the cases OF Samuel insult
of Chicago Robert Z. Grove, States
attorney in Chicago, and Thomas w.
Cunningham of Philadelphia were un-
der consideration. The committee post
poned action until tomorrow, hoping
then to determine on it's procedure
against these witnesses, who refused
to testify in the Illinois and Pennsyl-
vania primary Investigations last sum-
mer.
Undecided on Course.
The committee was undecided today
whether 1t should cite these witnesses
for contempt and turn the matter over
to the United States Attorney Of the
District of Columbia to take before the
District Supreme Court, or whether
the committee should ask the Senate
to summon the witnesses before the
bar of the Senate.
If the latter course were pursued.
the witnesses would be given an oppor-
tunity to purge themselves of con-
tempt by answering the questions, or
if they failed to do so, the Senate IT.
self would undertake to- punish them
either by jail sentences, fines or both.
The law in the matter is being investi-
gated so that the committee may have
full information before 1t acts tomor-
row.
Samuel insult, public utilities mag.
nate, was a heavy. contributor to the
campaign fund of COL. Frank II.
Smith, Senator-designate and Senator
elect from Illinois, whose case is now
before the Senate committee on priv
ileges and elections under appoint
rent by the Governor Of Illinois to
I'LL the Mckinley vacancy.
VIII Be Cited.
Mr.. insult also contributed a. large
part OF the campaign fund of George
e. Brennan. the Democratic Candidate
for the Senate. in Illinois. States At
torney Grove participated in the CAM
paign. Both insult and Grove de-
clined to answer questions put to
them by the Reed committee. Cum
campaign of William S. Ware, Senator
elect from Pennsylvania, also refused
to answer For some time the. commit
tee was unable to find Cunningham.
and he, too, has declined to answer
questions. A
The Reed committee has fully de-
termined,, it was said at the meeting
today. to cite these witnesses for con-
tempt. Members of the committee are
confident that, armed with the deci-
sion of the Supreme Court of the
United States in the Nal Daughtery
case. it will be able to force these
witnesses to testify or to punish them.
will Seize Ballots.
The Reed committee today ordered
the sergeant-at-arm of the Senate TO
seize the ballots cast in the Pennsyl-
vania senatorial election in Pittsburgh.
1t has already taken possession OF the
ballots cast in Philadelphia in this
election, and is proceeding under the
direction of the Senate for an investi-
cation of the Wilson contest brought
against Mr." Ware. Former Secretary
of Labor Wilson. the Democratic can
d1date in Pennsylvs MIA, against Mr.
Ware, has charged corruption In the
general election. Jerry South, former
clerk of the House while the Demo
Gratis were in control, will accompany
Sergeant-at-Arms Barry in the quest
for the Pittsburgh ballots.
While the Reed committee is consid-
ering what shall be done regarding
Mr.. insult, attorneys for Col Frank l..
Smith are to appear tomorrow morn
ing before the Senate privileges and
elections committee to argue the right
of Col. Smith to be sworn In as Sen
ator under appointment Of Gov. Len
Small. James M. Beck, former Solioi-
tor General of the United States. is to
argue the case of Col. Smith. Oscar
Carlstron, attorney general of Illinois,
also Is expected to appear before the
committee and demand on behalf Of ,
the State that Smith be seated.