Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-05-24
GARRETT WEIGHS
OFFICERS CASES
Considers Civil Action
Aqaints Col. Williams and
Col. McMuIIen.
BY REX COLLIER.

Documents and other evidence on
which Col. Alexander E. Williams,
former assistant quartermaster gen.
eral, was convicted by court-martial
of improper financial relations with
q tire representative, will be turned
over to the Department Of Justice
when the military case is closed.
The office of United States Attor-
ney Garrett already Is in possession
of q transcript of testimony given by
Col. williams and his alleged creditor,
Frank e. Speicher, leak-proof tube
salesman. before the House Military
Affairs Committee.
Col. williams testimony before this
committee, the general court-martial
found, was false. The military court
in its verdict declared Col. Williams
denied to the committee he had re-
ceived a loan of S2,500 from Speicher.
when, as a matter of fact, he so
licited and obtained" such loan.
Heard Allegations.
Assistant United States Attorney
Allen j. Krouse sat with the House
group in executive session during the
questioning of Speicher and Col. Will
liams, and, because Of the serious ma
ture of the allegations made by the
tire agent, secured transcript OF the
testimony for the United States attor-
neys office.
Garrett already has received from
the War Department evidence against
another Army officer, Lieut.. Col.
Joseph I. McMullen of the Judge
Advocate Generals office, who re-
Gently was rebuked severely by Sec
rotary of War Dern for accepting
legal fees from private business firms.
The House committee has secured
additional facts concerning Col. Nc
Mullen which Chairman McSwain has
informed Secretary Dern may warrant
the trial by court-martial OF Col.
McMullen. Dern some time ago ad-
vised McSwain that while the War
Department had established that Col.
McMullen violated military law, the
violations were outlawcd by the stat
ute of limitations. Dern at the same
time told the committee he believed
the alleged offenses were within the
Jurisdiction of civil courts, for which
reason he was forwarding the evt-
dence to the Justice Department.
Civil Action Studied.
At the office of Garnet 1t was
learned that assistants are studying
the cases Of the two colonies, to learn
whether there Is cause to present the
matters to the grand jury.
In the meantime J. Leonard Town
send. who was Col Williams civilian
attorney before the secret court-mar-
tial this week at the Army War Col
lege, was awaiting transcript of the
record before appealing on several
important legal issues to the Board
of Review of the judge advocate gen.
erals Office
In seeking to have the military YER
dict set aside or modified, it is known
that Col Williams counsel will argue
that no testimony was introduced to
indicate that the loan from Speicher
in any way influenced Col. Williams
in awarding Army contracts. The
defense will declare that Col. Will
liams made no recommendation what
ever regarding the brand Of auto
mobile tubes which Speicher was seek
ing to sell the War Department at the
time of the loan.
Clemency Recommended.
The court martial, in sentencing Col.
williams to be dismissed from the
Army after 81 years Of otherwise meri-
torious service. recommended Glenn
ency.
If leniency is granted. Col. Williams
could be permitted to retire with usual
retirement pay or to resign without
further compensation.
The verdict OF the court martial
must be passed on not only by the
Judge Advocate Generals Review
Board, but by Secretary Dern and
President Roosevelt.