Evening star., 1934-04-24
TESTIMONY ENDS
IN CANNON TRIAL
Prosecution Tries to Show
Churchman Tampered
With Record.

Final testimony was taken today In
the conspiracy trial OF Bishop Jsmes
Cannon, jr., and his secretary. Miss
Ada L. Burroughs, after a heated
morning session In which the prose-
cution tried to show the churchman
had tan,pered with a record produced
by the defense.
Opposing counsel will start their
closing arguments in District Supreme
Court this afternoon and the case will
be given to the jury tomorrow by
Justice Peyton Gordon.
The jurors will have to decide
whether the defendants conspired
during the 1928 political campaign
against Alfred z. Smith to file with
the House Of Representatives an i'm
proper report Of $65 800 contributed to
their cause by E. C. Jameson Of New
York.
Recalled to Stand.
Bishop Cannon was recalled to the
witness stand to explain circumstances
surrounding the disappearance of i'm
portant records covering the financial
transactions of the Headquarters
Committee Of anti-Smith Democrats.
Miss Burroughs testified earlier that
all of these records, with the excep-
ton Of one ledger book. had disap-
peared after she turned them over to
Bishop Cannon In 1881.
Assistant United States Attorney
John j. Wilson, however, seized upon
the churchman's return to the stand
In an attempt to show that he had
removed pages from the ledger while
preparing his defense.
The defense also called former
Senator Joseph S. Frelinghuysen to
relate the circumstances surrounding
$4,000 cash contribution he made
during the campaign to Bishop Can
non. The churchman first testified
he could not remember this contribu-
ton, but changed his testimony after
consulting his records.
Wilson asked Bishop Cannon IL the
ledger book was in the same condition
now as when he received it from Miss
Burroughs
Yes" he replied. II think So"
Asks About Folding Sheets.
The prosecutor then pointed out
that the ledger sheets had been folded
in the middle and asked the church.
man why this had been done.
"Oh, they were taken out of the
binding for Miss Burroughs con-
venience."
Who took them out?"
Either Miss Burroughs or l."
"When?"
Il think about so days ago"
Miss Burroughs testified yesterday
she had not seen the ledger until
April Z, two days before the trial
started
Then" Wilson resumed, "if Miss
Burroughs didn't see the ledger until
April 7 and the sheets were removed
so days ago. 1t must have been you
who took them out"
We'll" the churchman replied. 81
don't know"
He also said he didn't know who
put them back or when it was done.
He testified he turned the records
sent to him by Miss Burroughs over
to the Board Of Temperance and So
cial Service Subsequently, he said.
their Offices were moved. and. al
though he searched two or three days
for the records, he could only find the
ledger.
Changes Testimony.
Wilson then pressed the witness as
to when he received the records from
his secretary, and Bishop Cannon said
it was about February 20, 1880, when
he was In Sibley Hospital. After 1t
had been pointed out that Miss Bur-
roughs testified she sent the records
here in 1881, the churchman changed
his testimony to say he received them
in that year. He said his statement
that he received them in 1880 was
lust a mistake"
Wilson then read to the churchman
the following excerpt from state
ment made by him in 1881:
II am not going to take these
records to California with me. They
are too bulky. But I wouldn't care
about leaving them around where
anybody can get hold Of them"
did you make this statement"
the prosecutor asked.
Yes"
Former Senator Frelinghuysen, who
said he is now in the insurance busi-
ness, testified he met Bishop Can
non through c. Bascom Slemp, Re-
publican leader of Virginia.
He said he agreed to contribute
$4,000 to be used In furthering the
candidacy Of Herbert Hoover in Vir-
ginia. THAT was my only purpose.
/ had no interest in the prohibition or
religious issues"
He said Bishop Cannon came to his
New York office on Saturday and
telephoned him at his home in New
Jersey. The churchman. he said. was
anxious to get the first $4,000 Of the
contribution in cash at once. Il said
it would be inconvenient." Freling-
huysen testified. "but when he said he
needed 1t at once I told one Of my
clerks to cash q check and give him
the money"
Greeted by Cannon.
Cannon had testified he was some
what uncertain as to the manner in
which the money reached him, but
that he thought it came through
Jameson's office. Frelinghuysen said
he had always presumed" that Cam
non had telephoned him from his
Office. but admitted he might have
been In Jameson's Office.
AS the former Senator left the
stand he was greeted by Bishop Can
non. Frelinghuysen bowed stiffly and
shook hands with the churchman.
Il am very sorry to put you to this
inconvenience Senator" Bishop Cam
non said. Frelinghuysen made no re-
ply.
Miss Burroughs admitted this morn
ing she had made another mistake in
preparing her report to the House. 1t
appeared from the report that she had
paid herself $56 directly for her own
services, but Wilson brought out that
she had checked the money to Cannon
and that he had reimbursed her.
Questioned concerning the items
making up several checks turned over