Evening star., 1934-01-22
PERSH|NG STATUE
PROMOTER IS HELD
Prominent Americans Said to
Have Been BiIked by A.
fed N. Layton.

Charged With Swndling more than a
score Of the most prominent men In the
country by capitalizing big names" In
an effort to purchase . bust of Gen
John J. Pershing for presentation to
President Roosevelt on behalf of the
American people. Alfred M. Layton of
the Kennedy Warren Apartments was
being held today on charge of using
the mails to defraud.
The evidence against Layton, who is
being held under s25,oo0 bond, will be
turned over to Leslie c. Garnett, who
takes Office today as United States at
torney. 1t was believed Garnett would
at once present the case to the grand
jury.
The proposal to raise money for the
purchase Of the bust, according TO Leo
A. Rover. retiring United States attor-
rey. originated with friends of Moses
Dykaar, the sculptor who made it. AL
though internationally famous, Dykaar
had become impoverished, and his
friends conceived the idea of raising
$40 900 to purchase the bust from him
for presentation to the Nation.
Dykaar Ends Life.
Dykaar committed suicide last March
by leaping under the wheels of a sub
way train in New York City Appar.
emily this was not known TO the spon-
sors Of the fund-raising campaign. as
the work went forward months after he
was dead.
Among prominent men alegedly
bllked by Layton were:
Alfred e. Smith, Charles G. Dawes,
former vice president; Andrew w Mel
lon, former Secretary of the Treasury;
w. w. Atterbury, railroad executive;
Paul D. Cravath, New York business
man; Daniel Willard, railroad presi-
dent; s. Parker Gilbert internationally
known businessman; William Randolph
Hearst, newspaper publisher; Adolph S.
Ochs, publisher Of the New York Times;
E. L. Cord. lie Roy w. Baldwin,
Charles M Schwab Alfred P. Sloan, jr.;
Ogden L. Mills George Gordon Battle,
George w. Wickersham, Harry Hark-
ness Flagler, Nathan L. Miller, James
W. Wadsworth, jr.; John N Willys,
James T. Loree. Roger w. Straus and
Adolph LewiSohn.
According to Rover. Mai Gen. George
o. Squire, at the suggestion of Dykaar,
engaged Layton to solicit funds from
approximately so men for the purchase
( OF the bust. Gen. Squire then left the
/ city.
/ Claim s11, 900 Obtained.
Layton, according to Rover, did not
| follow these instructions, but instead
formed the "Pershing Portrait Bust
| Committee and sent out some IS 600
letters soliciting funds in various Sec
tlons OF the country. 1t is charged that
IN tnese letters, he used Gen. Squier's
name without authority and succeeded
IN raising approximately S11 OO0 1t is
alleged Layton had his mail sent to a
fashlonable uptown hotel, where he did
not have an Office or room, and that he
arranged with the hotel authorities to
forward the mail to him.
investigators said that although the
money he received was deposited in a
local bank, the account was credited
with only $40 when examined recently.
When questioned by Gen. Suuier sew
eral days ago, Rover said, Layton ad-
mltted he had raised some $4,000 The
man was arrested yesterday by Detec-
tive Sergt. Earl p Hartman, who Is
assigned to the United States attorneys
office, and booked at police headquar-
terS.
Gen. Squier filed suit in District su-
preme Court today to recover all ar
tlcles USED by Layton in the campaign
Tor funds. He asked specifically for
the return OF all funds collected by
Layton, mailing list containing $4,000
names, signed subscription blanks,
books of accounts, stationery and SIM
liar articles The suit. filed through
Attorney James A Purcell gave lay
tons business address as 1916 K street.
Layton is scheduled for arraignment
before United States Commissioner
Needham c. Turnage at o'clock this
afternoon
Dykaar who was 4S. was born In
Russia. He attained early recognition
in this country and was given a studio
in the National Museum in recognition
OF his work. He is survived by his
widow and three children, who are said
to be living in New York.
Layton declared to arresting detec-
tives tht he could account for all of the
funds contributed and could explain
discrepancies between the amount said
to have been agreed upon as the pur-
chase pirce of the bust and the amount
ro11arfoI