Evening star., 1935-07-25
LOBBYING PROBERS
SUMMON SPE|CHER
Witness Who Disappeared
Once Is Slated to TeS-
tify Tomorrow.
BY REX COLLIER.


ance on the eve of grand jury inves-
tigation of lobbying for Army con-
tracts is the subject of special inquiry
by the United States attorneys ott1ce
and the House Military Affairs Com
mittee, has been summoned for ques-
tioning by the committee when 1t re-
sumes hearings tomorrow.
This will be Speicher's first public
appearance in the lobbying investiga-
ton. He has given sensational teSti-
mony behind closed doors to the COM
mittee and to a court-martial which
recently convicted Col. Alexander E.
williams of accepting a $4,000 loan
from Speicher.
Since Speicher's first appearance at
an executive session of the committee
some months ago, investigators have
uncovered evidence of what Chairman
McSwain declares was an apparent
conspiracy to commit perjury and OBJ
struct justice in connection with
Speichers absence from Washington
during the grand jury inquiry last
year.
Mcneil to Hear Testimony.
After receiving conflicting testimony
as TO the purpose of certain payments
allegedly made indirectly to Speicher
by Joseph and Nathan Silverman, sur
plus Army goods dealers, the commit
tee yesterday asked United States At
torney Leslie Garnett to assign one of
his prosecutors to hear the testimony.
Assistant United States Attorney
George E. MCNEIL sat with the COM
mittee yesterday and will be present
when Speicher is quizzed tomorrow.
Harold Schnuer, who said he was
Speicher's attorney, yesterday gave the
committee flrSt-hand account OF
mysterious "biue envelop" passing in
what he described as IAN arrange
ment" between the SilvermanS and
Speicher for the latter to stay away
from Washington" This was at the
time a Nation wide hunt was being
made for Speicher by Justice Depart
ment agents. Schnuer said the en-
velopes were referred to as "circus
tickets" but that they really contained
money Tor Spelcher.
Ryan's Testimony in Record.
On receipt of a telegram yesterday
from Thomas J. Ryan, New York
attorney. denying press reports that
he had testified Speicher got this
money from the Silvermans. Chair
man McSwain read into the record
these excerpts from the official tram
script of Ryans testimony:
Mr.. McSwain: AS to this money,
who furnished it?
Mr.. Ryan That came from the
Silvermans. Every dollar Speicher
got came from the Silvermans.
''Mr. McSwain: Which Silverman?
"Mr. Ryan: That l do not know.
1t came down in the envelopes and
stayed that way"
Bert c. Brown, Secret Service
agent in Detroit, told the committee
yesterday of a meeting he had with
Joseph Silverman in a Detroit hotel
in 1888. Silverman had been sent to
him by New York policeman, Dennis
Mahoney, who had struck up an ac-
quaintance with the agent during the
inauguration of President Roosevelt.
Tells of Silverman's Request.
Brown said Silverman wanted the
agent to use his influence with Off
cials of the General Motors Corp. to
"get him position" for which he had
been recommended by Norman K. Haig,
an executive of General Motors sub
sidiary. Brown said there was some
discussion of Silverman's plans for
setting up an agency in Washington
whereby he would sell General Motors
cars to the Government.
II didn't like the looks of things"
Brown said. Il had a feeling that
and 1 refused to have anything to
do with introducing Mr.. Silverman to
some officials whom I knew. told
him 1 though it funny he would ask
me, an outsider, to introduce him
when Mr.. Haig, his friend was con-
nected with General Motors"
McSwain asked the agent what his
reaction would have been had he
known that specifications for c. c. C.
trucks were drawn in such way as
to exclude the type of fabrication used
on General Motors cars" and that
"Silverman thought If he could use
his influence with the War Depart
ment to get the specifications changed
he could get 712 per cent commission
from General Motors, or about $780,
oO0."
81 can see now what he wanted"
Brown replied.