The Indianapolis times., 1932-01-09
PROBERS LASH
INJUSTICE IN
MOONEY TRIAL
SCathing Attack Made on
Laws Method in Report
Given Senate.
PROCESS OF PERJURY
FIagrant Violations Barred
in Findings of Special
Investigators.
PROCESS OF PERJURY
BY LYLE c. WILSON
United Press staff Corre.nondcni

WASHINGTON, Jan. 9. - San
Francisco's 1915 Preparedness day
bomb has exploded again, in the
form Of a hitherto suppressed re-
port to the Wickersham commits
sion. In that report, conviction of
the alleged bombers was denounced
as a process of perjury. concealed
evidence and fragrant violation of
California laws.
Thomas J. Mooney and Warren
K. Billings are the convicts. Mayor
James j. Walker of New York re-
Gently made a spectacular trans
continental trip in their behalf.
They appear to have found more
friends in the senate, which has
received the Billings report
which the Wickersham commission
refused to receive.
1t was prepared by zechariah
Chafee Jr., Carl S. Stern and Wal
ter H. Pollak On motion of New
ton D. Baker, the commission re-
solved that consideration of it
would be beyond its province. AS
late as last Monday, Jan. 4, Chair
man George w. Wickersham of the
now expired commission wrote At
torney General Mitchell, suggest
ing that publication of the report
would not be in the public interest.
Judge Urges Pardon
With the report to the senate
came A letter from Judge Frank
lin A. Griffin, who tried Mooney.
The Judge urged a pardon and de-
nounced the witnesses who swore
Mooney and Billings into cells.
1T now is conceded by all" Crit
fin wrote Judge w. S. Kenyon, a
member of the commission, that
three of the four witnesses who
testified to MONEYS participation
in the crime, testified falsely. In
my opinion they we're willful and
deliberate perjurors."
Griffin said the fourth witness was
John Mcdonald, who recently, he
said, was described by the senate
pardon board as pathological
liar. CllUlCAoAll wac CAAA-
phasized by the three Wickersham
experts, who directly accused the
prosecution of falsely presenting
testimony.
Witnesses Are Lashed
Summing up the whole problem
with regard to witnesses produced
at the trial" they said, and the
character of their testimony, we find
that the basic witnesses to events
occurring in broad daylight, in or
near crowded strets, were these and
these only:
Mcdonald, 'psychopathic liar.
Crowley, whose testimony, when
defending himself unsuccessfully
against prosecution. was condemned
by the judge who tried the case
"OXman Crank C. OXman), who
testified falsely
Mrs. Edau, who was victim
Of hsllucinations
Sadie Edau whose testimony
followed her mothers and falls with
The testimony Of Estelle Smith
and Mcdonald was modified as to
the vital issue of time between their
appearance before the grand jury
and their appearance in the Bill
ingS case"
Called Distorted Justice
A detailed citation of allegedly
distorted justice is contained in the
conclusions of the three Wicker
shaw Investigators. They made no
recommendations.
The prosecutions was charged by
the investigators with having pro-
duced witnesses under conditions
such las to make their mere pro-
duction a vouching for periured
testimony"
The report has been referred TO
the senate judiciary committee.
Chairman Norris told the United
Press that nothing the senate
could do would have an effect on
a state court. But the committee
will examine the record and may
pass its own judgment on the
prosecution. In the end, the sem
ate may be asked in a resolution
10 express its sentiments.