Evening star., 1935-09-10
LONG TAX PROBE
TO Be DROPPED
Government, However, Will
Continue Inquiry of Friends
and Associates.
RY REX COLLIER.

The income tax investigation OF
Huey Longs financial affairs today
came to an abrupt close, but the
death of the Louisiana Senator will IN
no way affect the Governments iE-
quiry into alleged income tax evasions
by friends and associates Of Long.
In fact, the dropping of intensive
investigative activities in connection
with Senator Longs income OF the
past several years may tend to speed
up collateral investigation Of finances
of some members of the so-cal!ed
Long machine" in Louisiana. This
acceleration would result from release
OF agents assigned to the Long in
quiry and their transfer to other
pending cases.
The intelligence unit of the Inter
nal Revenue Bureau has about 80
special agents conducting the income
tax investigations in Louisiana, and
many of this group have been con-
centrating on Senator Long.
Seven Under Indictment.
The inquiry already has resulted
in the indictment of seven OF Longs
close supporters, including Seymour
Weiss, treasurer of the Long political
organization. One of the indicted
men, State Representative Joseph
Fisher. was convicted several months
ago and is serving an l8-month SEN
tence in the penitentiary.
Abe L. Shushan, intimate associate
1f Tann 1,rociIont of tho Nou,
Orleans Levee Board, will be the
second of the indicted group to face
trial. The Shushan trial has been
postponed several times, but is ex-
pected to begin in the October term
Of Federal Court in New Orleans.
Others under indictment for alleged
violation of Federal income tax laws
are State Senator Jules Fisher, uncle
of State Representative Fisher and
one of the SignerS of the famous
~round robin" against impeachment
of Long while Governor. and John
p, Henry B. and Willis w. Nelson,
brothers, holders of State highway
contracts during Longs regime as
Governor.
The Federal grand jury in New
Orleans meanwhile has been held in
readiness for examination of addi-
tional witnesses and evidence mar
shaled by the corps of Investigators
operating under direction of Elmer L.
Trey, chief of the Intelligence Unit,
and A. D. Burford, agent in charge
OF the New Orleans field Office of the
unit.
indicative of the weight attached
to the Louisiana cases was the ap-
pointment within recent months of
two special assistants to Attorney
General Cummings to collaborate in
the prosecutions. Former Gov. Dan
Moody of Texas was made special
assistant to aid the United States
attorney at New Orleans in the trial
of Representative Fisher. and several
weeks ago Cummings appointed Amos
W. w. Woodcock, former prohibition
director, as a special assistant to
join in the forthcoming trials.
There have been reliable reports
that further indictments of persons
in Longs Inner circle" are antici-
pated in official quarters. Bank rec
ords of several prominent Louisianans
are said to have been subpoenaed by
investigators, and many prospective
witnesses have been interviewed.
The inquiry into incomes received by
Long and others of his empire" began
during the last year of the Hoover
administration, but it marked time
during the transition from that regime
to the Roosevelt administration, when
1t was resumed with vigor.