The monitor., 1928-07-27
PERRY HOWARD UNDER
CHARGE OF SELLING
FEDERAL POSITIONS
Mississippi Political Leader Claims
Innocence of Wrong Doing But
Victim of Lilly White"
Enemies
NEGRO LEADERSHIP MARTYR
Powerful influences Have Been En-
listed to Eliminate Race Prestige
In Southern Republican
Affairs

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the charges preferred against him by
the Senatorial Investigation Com
mittee were unfounded, Perry w.
Howard, former special assistant to
the Attorney General of the United
States, characterized himself as a
martyr to Negro leadership in the
South, and the investigation as
means of overthrowing the power of
Negroes in the Republican party in
the South, in statement released re-
Gently.
Mr.. Howard was indicted on
charges of peddling federal patron
age, along with several other prom
inent republican leaders in Mississip-
pi including S. D. Redmond and his
brother. Mr.. Howard made bond
here in Washington and the leaders
who are residing III Mississippi were
granted change of venue last week.
The statement made by Howard was
as follows:
"The only information / have with
reference to my indictment is what
| have in the daily press.
II am martyr to the cause 1 rep
resent-Negro leadership. Persecu-
tion is the price of martyrdom. Pris-
on walls to martyrs are like palaces
to the nobility. 1 am perfectly will
ing to be offered up and pay the price
of martyrdom. A cause is certainly
far greater than the individual. l
have been pursued politically and in
the civil courts, and now my political
enemies seek to have me crucified in
the criminal courts.
II have no idea what the charge is.
Whatever it is, know that it is the
back fire from the current of right
eous cause, and this cause will go on
whether / am temporarily incarcer-
ated or not. am guilty of no wrong
doing, directly or indirectly.
Confident as to Outcome
"My lily white adversaries have
enlisted the aid of powerful influ-
ence, material, political and other
wise, and | am not surprised at what
has happened. For seven years |
have been the most bounded and in
vestigated man in the United States
"No man in the nation has done
more than to prevent anything that
even smacked of the purchase and
sale of public offices. I required of
applicants for offices in the state of
Mississippi affidavits declaring that
the applicant has given or promised
to give no consideration of any kind
for the office. This was at the in
ception of my administration and
prior to the enactment of the statutes
requiring the filing of affidavits to
that effect with the Comptroller Cen
era.
81 appeared before the House ju-
At~AAAy NViAiAAASSCNj eAo bitt ACNOAho Va
that committee will show, and urged
the enactment of law requiring all
appointees to make an affidavit stat
ing that they had not given or prom
ised to give any consideration for
their appointment.
II repeat that l have done no
wrong. / have been merely accused
as the result of an exparte hearing.
No one in public life is safe from ac-
cusations by his political enemies, and
all fair-minded Americans will throw
around me the presumption of in
nocence until | have been proven
guilty.
II have no fear of the outcome of
a trial in Mississippi"