Evening star., 1934-04-08
CANNON ON TRIAL
WITH SECRETARY
HERE TOMORROW
Charged With Conspiring to
Violate Corrupt Prac-
tices Act.
PREPARATIONS MADE
TO SPEED TESTIMONY
Bishop Desires Verdict Before
Church Conference Passes
on Character.

The spectacular venture OF BlSnOp
James Cannon, jr., in the political
wars of 1928 will be aired once more
in District Supreme Court tomorrow,
when he and his secretary, Miss Ada
Burroughs, go to trial on charges OF
conspiring to violate the Federal cor
rupt practices act.
The trial is Of two-fold importance
to the bishop. for, in addition to
facing the criminal charge, his char
acter must be passed upon under the
routine procedure of the General Con-
ference of the Southern Methodist
Church, which meets April %.
With this in mind, Bishop Cannon
has urged that the trial be concluded
before the conference, and it appeared
likely yesterday that this would be
possible. His attorney. Robert H. Nc
Neill, was closeted for several hours
yesterday with Assistant United States
Attorneys John ]. Wilson and Roger
Robb, who will try the case for the
Government, and it was understood
they had agreed to admit a consider
able quantity of evidence without for
NAL proof. 1t was expected this would
materially shorten the case.
Items of Evidence.
Principal items of evidence said to
have been agreed upon were that the
Anti-Smith Democrats Headquarters
Committee at Richmond was a
political committee within the mean
ing of the law and that the commit
tee operated in at least two States.
They are also understood to have
agreed upon the Identification of
large number Of checks and similar
documents.
Before the trial can actually get
under way tomorrow, Justice Peyton
Colon, who will hear the case, must
dispose of a defense motion for a bill
of particulars, setting forth more spe-
cifically the charges in the indict-
ment. 1t was expected, however, that
this motion will be disposed of early
in the day.
The charge against the bishop and
his secretary centers around a con-
tribution of $65 300 made by E. G.
Jameson. New York capitalist, to the
political committee headed by Cannon
in his fight against Alfred e. Smith
in the South during the presidential
campaign Of 1928 The indictment
alleges they conspired not to make
proper report of this contribution
to the clerk of the House of Repre-
sentatives, as required by the corrupt
practices act.
Thirty Witnesses.
Assistant United States Attorney
Wilson said he would need about a
week to present the Governments case
and that he expected to call 80 wit
neSSes. The first of these will be the
Rev. DR.. Arthur j. Barton of Will
mington, N. c., who was associated
with Bishop Cannon during the early
negotiations for the campaign against
Gov. Smith. Other witnesses will in
clude Jameson, South Trimble, clerk
OF the House, and E. j. Armbruster,
expert accountant of the Justice De-
partment's Division Of Investigation.
1t was understood the defense will
also consume approximately a week,
but the identity of the witnesses was
not disclosed.
Cannon and Miss Burroughs were
indicted in October, 1881. The bishop
charged at that time and has since
maintained that the indictment was
inspired by his political enemies. The
legal sufficiency of the indictment,
originally in 10 counts, was attacked
and the fight carried to the United
States Supreme Court. That tribunal
threw out eight of the counts because
they failed to charge that the alleged
wrongful acts were done knowingly,
but sustained the two conspiracy
counts.
It is expected that United States
Attorney Leslie c. Garnett, named by
Cannon as a political opponent" will
also participate in the trial of the
case. Garnett probably will be en-
gagged In another case during the early
part Of the trial.