Evening star., 1934-04-27
Conviction on Conspiracy
Count Would Carry 2-Year
Sentence and Fine.
PROSECUTOR CHARGES
FUNDS WERE MISUSED
Pleads for Guilty Verdict on
Ground Bishop and Woman
Took Election Money.

The fate of Bishop James Cannon,
jr., and his secretary, Miss Ada L.
Burroughs, rested today with a Dis
trict Supreme Court jury. If con-
Victed. the maximum penalty is two
years Imprisonment and a $4,000 fine
for each.
The case against the Virginia
churchman and Miss Burroughs,
charged with conspiring to violate the
Federal corrupt practices act. was
given to the jury at IL 80 pm. by
Justice Peyton Gordon after United
States Attorney Leslie C. Garnett
finished his final argument, conclud-
ing the trial which started three
weeks ago.
Garnett closed with an impassioned
attack on the ''ward-heeling' activities
of Bishop Cannon during the 1928
campaign against Alfred E Smith in
Virginia
The bishop" Ga-nett declared.
was actuated by two motives in con-
spring TO violate the election laws.
One was to reimburse himself for
trust funds he had taken. The other
was to keep VirginiarS from knowing
he was going from town TO town and
precinct TO precinct like a ward -heeler
passing out money to campaign work.
ers from the pocket of his bishops
robe"
$4,000 Gift Is Charged.
The Government contends Bishop
Cannon received S65,3 300 for compaign
purposes from E. c. Jameson of New
York, and that he conSpired with Miss
Burroughs not to report all of the
contributions so he might use a part
OF it in paying personal obligations.
What pitiful spectacle it is to
see this great churchman playing
politics and spending political money
IN the name of the Lord the prose-
cutor shouted. Such a man should
at least keep his skirts clean-his
honor unsullied.
Referring to Bishop Cannon,s testi-
mony that he could not remember"
the $4,000 cash contribution from
former Senator Joseph S. Frelinghuy-
sen, Garnett declared: The bishop
was like rat caught in a trap. and
he took refuge in that time -honored
evasion, I can't remember" "
Relates Joke TO Jury.
The prosecutor seized upon Bishop
Cannons subsequent revision of this
testimony when he said he did recall
the Frelinghuysen contribution after
consulting his records to tell the jury
one of the little jokes" in which
he delights
Once upon a time" he said. there
was colored lawyer who placed a
witness on the stand and then was
taken by surprise when the witness
testified contrary to his expectation
Didn't you see this witness before
you put him on the stand?' the Judge
asked him. Yes the lawyer replied.
but he's been sawn since l saw him A."
Garnett said this story applied to
the Bishops testimony on the Freling-
huySen matter.
The prosecutor told the jury to
acquit the defendants if they did
not believe Miss Burroughs had par
ticipated in the conspiracy.
But he continued. IF We have
demonstrated to your satisfaction
that she listened to the solemn voice
of the Bishop and conspired with
him. don't let the fact she is a
sweet little woman deter you from
your duty
Double Activity Charged.
He said Bishop Cannon's financial
activities during the campaign re-
minded him of the story of a man
who went hunting with a double
barreled gun
The Bishop" he said, loaded the
right barrel with the big money
from New York and fired it into his
own Golfers. The left barrel was
loaded with little money collected
from the trusting people of Virginia
and fired into the campaign"
He ridiculed Bishop Cannon's story
that he transferred his personal ac-
count in the Continental Trust Co. to
an account designated as James
Cannon, Jr., chairman"
You will note" the prosecutor said,
that he didn't designate himself as
chairman of the anti-Smith Demo-
Gratis. 1 submit he maintained this
account as chairman Of the Cannon
Personal Aggrandizement Commit
tee"
Robert H. McNeill closed for the de-
fense yesterday with the assertion
that this case has not been tried on
the charge in the indictment. but on
the theory that Cannon must be
ruined at all costs"