Evening star., 1935-05-23
Convicted of Soliciting Loan
of $4,000 and of Giving
False Testimony.
CLEMENCY IS URGED
BY MILITARY COURT
Former Assistant Quartermaster
General Is Acquitted of Charge
Alleging Sum Received.

Col. Alexander E. Williams, former
assistant quartermaster general of the
Army. was found guilty today by an
Army court-martial and sentenced to
be dismissed from the military service.
Col williams was found guilty Of
soliciting and obtaining loan Of
$4,000" in connection with War De-
partment contracts from the repre-
sentative Of an automobile tube con-
Germ and of giving false testimony by
denying the loan before House COM
mittee.
Announcement by Army.
The War Departments official an
nouncement said:
THE War Department announced to-
day that a general court-martial had
reached findings of guilty Of two of the
three specifications on which Col.
Alexander e Williams, Quartermaster
Corps. had been on trial for the last
three days at the Army War College
and had sentenced the officer to be
dismissed from the military service.
The members of the court unani-
mously joined in a recommendation OF
clemency on account of the long and
faithful service of Col. Williams.
"The specific allegations on which
Col williams was found guilty were
the soliciting and obtaining Of loan
of $4,000 while he was a brigadier
general and assistant to the quarter
master general in charge OF the
transportation division of the quarter
master generals Office in November,
1888. from the representative Of an
automobile tube concern whom he
knew was attempting TO favorably
interest him in this tube in order to
secure War Department contracts and
also Of giving false testimony by deny
ing the loan, before subcommittee No.
3 of the Committee of Military Affairs
of the House on December 10, 1884.
Acquitted on One Charge.
HE was acquitted of specifica-
ton alleging the receipt of another
sum of $4,000 of which there was no
documentary evidence.
THE charges were preferred as q
result of a very thorough invcstlga-
ton made by the inspector general
of the Army at the direction of the
Secretary of War. and the court, with
one exception, was composed entirely
of general officers stationed in Wash
ington
THE proceedings row go to the
Judge advocate general for review by
him and the Board of Review, a
statutory board of three officers OF
the judge advocate generals oepart-
ment. The holding and opinion of
the Board of Review and the lecom-
mendations of the Judge advocate
general are then transmitted TO the
Secretary Of War for the final action
of the President"
Will Appeal at Once.
j. Leonard Townsend, law partner
of A. Mitchell Palmer, former Attor-
ney General, and chief defense coun-
sci, announced that Col. Williams will
appeal at once to the Board of Re-
view of the judge advocate generals
Office. He said Col williams had no
statement to make at the present
time.
The attorney disclosed that Col.
Williams testified in his own behalf,
but because of the executive nature of
the trial the lawyer refused to reveal
details of the testimony. He said
about 10 or II witnesses in all testi-
fed, including those for prosecution
as well as defense.
Maj. F. G. Munson of the Judge
advocate generals Office of the Army,
was prosecutor.
The chief witness against Col. Will
liams was Frank E. Speicher, leak
proof automobile tube salesman, who
previously had told the Department
of Justice and the House Military
Affairs Committee about a 81. 900 loan
he had made to Col. williams.
1t is known the defense sought to
attack the credibility of Speicher. The
salesman disappeared on the eve OF
a grand jury investigation of Army
lobbying conditions more than a year
ago. but was located last December
in New York by Department of Justice
agents. He returned voluntarily to
testify before the House group.
The defense cited the long and dis.
tinguished record of Col. Williams
since his graduation from West Point
in 1898.
Col. Williams went into immediate
action after graduation from the
military academy and won the silver
star citation for gallantry during the
Spanish American War.
During the World War he served a;
chief quartermaster for the Sd Unitee
States Army at Coblenz and was
awarded the Distinguished Service
Medal for exceptionally gallant ano
meritorious service.
nkMk DECIlHnEc e IHuT