Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-16
CANNON IS PIVOT
OF MANY ATTACKS
Bishop Has Been Storm Cen.
ter of Controversy Since
Al Smith Campaign.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
A whirlwind OF controversy has CEN
tered about Bishop James Cannon, jr.,
since he rallied his forces against the
presidential candidacy of Alfred E
Smith in 1923.
Political and ecclesiastical attacks
have followed in tewildering succession.
He has faced bot.l Senate and church
committees investigating his activities
The 66-year-old Southern Methodist
figure when he headed the Virginia
anti-Smith Democratic Committee. In
that campaign, the additionally Demo-
cratic State lined up in the Republican
fold in support of Herbert Hoover. \
During and after the campaign, he
was assailed both without and within
the church. He was accused of oppos-
ing Smith because the latter was a
Roman Catholic. Senator Glass of Vir-
GINA described Bishop Cannon as the
Methodist Pope"
Bishop Fought Vigorously.
The bishop fought back vigorously
He commended his long fight against
liquor was the basis of his opposition
to Smith.
It was discovered, too, that Bishop
Cannon had bought stock through a
New York brokerage house which later
became bankrupt. His foes charged
him with gambling.
In May, 1880, he was summoned be-
fore the General Conference of the
Southern Methodist Church to answer
charges centering about his political
activity and stock market dealings.
After he had faced the conference
with tears in his eyes, confessed that
he had made a mistake in his stock
market venture and promised not 10 &C
it again, he was exonerated.
Returning Immediately to Washing
ton, he was summoned before the Sen
ate Lobby Committee and questioned
about Sos, 300 that E. c. Jameson, New
York capitalist. had given him Tor the
Virginia political campaign.
Defied Senate Committee.
Walking on crutch, due to an at
tack Of arthritis, the churchman re-
fused to answer questions and hobbled
ITOI1l IIle IOOII OOAAlC VA 49,
members talked of citing him for con-
tempt. but no action was taken.
Bishop Cannon went to London in
July, 1880, and married his former sec
rotary, Miss Helen Hawley McCallum.
Soon after that his name appeared
again on the front pages Of newspapers
as a result of a S5,000000 libel suit he
filed against William Randolph Hearst,
the publisher. Bishop Cannon charged
he had been libeled in news stories pub
lished by Hearst papers about his per-
Sonal affairs.
Meanwhile. the churchman was pre-
pairing a defense against charges filed
against him by four Southern Meth
odist ministers. The trial was held in
February, 1881, and ended in his &C
cuittal. The charges were not made
public.
A few weeks later he was called be-
fore the Senate Campaign Funds Com
mittee, which had been inquiring into
his political activities. especially the
disposition of the money contributed by
Jameson.
Tinkham Accuses Bishop.
Representative Tinkham, Republican,
of Massachusetts,, had charged him with
violating the corrupt practices act by
falling to report all of this money to the
clerk of the House of Representatives.
A hearing was held before the Cam
paign Funds Committee, at which Miss
Ada L. Burroughs of Richmond, his
treasurer in 1923, refused to answer
questions. The committee Informed her
she might be cited for contempt, then
adjourned.
At a later session both she and ].
Sidney Peters of Newport News. the
bishops 1928 secretary, refused to an
swer questions. In the meantime Bishop
Cannon had filed a 100000 libel suit
against Tinkham.
In the last few days Senator Glass
and Bishop Cannon have been hurting
charges and counter charges against
each other.
Asks Probe of Parole.
Glass wrote Attorney General Mitch
ell. asking whether Harry l.. Goldhurst,
who was connected with the brokerage
firm with which Bishop Cannon dealt
had been paroled from Atlanta Federal
Penitentiary lin pursuance of blame
worthy agreement made by Department
of Justice officials in New York and
elsewhere"
1T was stated" the Senator wrote,
that Goldhurst. in order to avert the
necessity of summoning Bishop Cannon
as witness in his case and thus re-
vealing the prelate's gambling transac-
tons, had consented to alter his plea
and confess his crime upon the promise
Of a nominal sentence TO be reduced
afterward to parole or outright re-
lease"
The Justice Department has started
an investigation of a parole recently
granted Goldhurst after his conviction
for using the mails to defraud. Bishop
Cannon denied any knowledge or con-
nection with any agreement in the case.