Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-12
BANKERS TESTIFY
IN CANNON HEARING
Bishop to File Letter Stating
That No Criminal Act
Has Been Committed.
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
After eliciting from witnesses thai
some Of the funds deposited to the
credit of the Virginia anti-Smith Com
mittee in 1928 were transferred to the
personal account of Bishop James Can
non, jr., the Senate Campaign Funds
Committee today remained undecided
whether further hearings would be held.
The Nye group yesterday questioned
a number of bankers investigating po-
litical activities of the Southern Meth
odist prohibition leader. 1t was acting
upon complaints filed by Representative
Tinkham. Republican, Massachusetts,,
that Bishop Cannon violated the cor
rupt practices act through failure to re-
port expenditures of funds contributed
to the campaign against the Democratic
presidential nominee.
The bishop came to the hearing in q
wheel chair, still crippled by arthrttiS
from which he has been suffering for
some time. At the outset letter from
him was read asking permission to file,
as soon as his health allowed, sworn
statement to prove no criminal or dis
honorable act" had been committed.
Chairman Nye granted the request.
Richmond Banker Testifes.
Perry Seay, vice president of the
American Bank and Trust Co., Rich
mond, Va, told Nye that Cannon's
anti-Smith Committee opened an ac-
February II, 1929, three checks were
deposited totaling $1e,6O5. One was
for $17,364. The same day this exact
amount was transferred to Bishop Can
mons personal account. 1t was not
traced further nor was its source dis
closed.
william Tyler Page, clerk Of the
House, testified that the report Of the
Cannon Campaign Committee was not
filed, as required by law, on January 1,
but was presented February is, 1929.
However, he pointed out the physical
impossibility of making a cumulative
report of the years transaction on the
first day of the year legal holiday.
Mr.. Tinkham's complaint charged
specifically that Bishop Cannon re-
ceived $65,S00 from E. c. Jameson Of
New York, for the campaign, but &C
counted for only $4,000 in reporting
previously had advanced the conten-
ton that the law did not require &C.
counting of the full amount.
Transactions Are Told.
Another transaction which held the
attention of the committee was the
transfer first from one bank to another
anu LIlEu 10 q SGCOI1Q Tie
latter bank of an $4,000 check received
by the bishop. The check was identi-
fed by Senator Nye as bearing the
number of one which records of last
years Senate Lobby Committee showed
came from Mr.. Jameson.
Correspondence bearing upon several
transactions was read into the COM
mittee record and Mr.. Nye said photo
stat copies would be made Of letters
and deposit slips. He assured the
bishop, however, that correspondence
bearing on private bank dealings would
be zealously guarded and not Haunted
publicly"
Bishop Cannon's letter to the COM
mittee had asserted Mr.. Tinkham
must expect to prove from these bank
records making a public revelation Of
all my private business that I have
| either violated the Federal corrupt
practices act by false statement of
campaign expenditures or by fraudu-
lent conversion to private uses of funds
contributed for use in the 1928 CAM
paign"
He followed this up with the offer
Of statement to prove the propriety
of the transactions.