Evening star., 1938-12-12
SiIverman Tria
On Conspiracy Count
Is Begun Here
Former Gen. Williams
Among Defendants in
Army Supplies Case

With the witness around whom
the case revolves waiting in the cor
ridor to testify, the Government
today put on trial in District Court
former Brig. Gen. Alexander E.
Williams, one-time acting quarter
master general of the Army, and
Joseph Silverman. jr.. and his
brother, Nathan, surplus war goods
dealers, who are accused in four
year-old case of conspiracy to de-
fraud the United States. AS the trial
opened, severance was granted
Thomas Jefferson Ryan. former
member of Congress from New York,
a fourth defendant.
The witness is Frank E. Speicher,
a New York inner-tube salesman,
whom the four are accused of pre-
venting from testifying before the
House Military Affairs Committee in
1884. The committee at the time
was going into business practices of
the War Department in purchasing
supplies.
Jurors Unchallenged.
AS the case opened a probable
record was established In District
Court when not single juror was
challenged by counsel. Justice
James M. Proctor, presiding, first
subjected the panel of 26 members
to a searching examination and
eliminated 13. 1t was evident from
the jurist's questioning that no one
in any way having any connection
with the Government would be per-
mitted to serve and this became
more pronounced when the jury
box was filed for the first time.
Justice Proctor then excused l.. w.
Catlett of 4704 Seventeenth street
NV, a disabled veteran, who said
he was drawing compensation. When
his place in the jury box was filled,
both the prosecution and defense
expressed themselves as satisfied
and in less than an hour from the
time the court opened the case was
under way.
Opening for the prosecution, Irwin
Goldstein, special assistant to the
Attorney General, made as the
foundation of his case the allegation
that Speicher had made loans of
$4,000 and $2,000 respectively, to
Gen. Williams. Mr.. Goldstein, a
former assistant district attorney,
who was recalled from private prac-
tice to direct the prosecution. ex-
planned that Gen. Williams had
helped Mr.. Speicher to some extent
In getting contracts to sell tubes
to the Government and that he felt
obligated to help the Army officer,
who has since been dismissed from
the Army by court-martial as the
result Of this incident.
Charges Reviewed.
When the grand jury in 1884
started an investigation bearing on
the procurement transactions, he
said, the Department of Justice
asked Mr.. Speicher to appear as
witness, but that he went instead
to New York. Making it clear that
there was no contention that the
defendants had anything to do with
Speicher's trip to New York, the
prosecutor insisted, however, that
they prevailed upon him to remain
there when the House Military At
fairs Committee, little later in
1884, started going into War Depart
ment business practices.
Every time Mr.. Speicher expressed
desire to come back here, he
said, Joseph Silverman, telephoning
from Washington, would insist that
the witness stay away, telling him
"they will cruelty you if you do
and will get grandpa identified
as Gen. Williams) in an awful
jam"
Mr.. Speicher stayed away, he con-
tinued, but did not have money and
was told by Joseph Silverman to
get in touch with his brother Nathan
in New York. Then, according to
the prosecution, go-between en-
tered the case-an attorney by the
name of Harold Schnaeur-who was
said to have given Mr.. Speicher
money which was obtained from
MIR. Ryan. Between April and July
Of that year, it was said, payments
approxinating $1,000 were made to
Mr.. Speicher. AS Mr. Goldstein
finished his address, a move for a
directed verdict for acquittal of
Gen. Williams was made by Attor-
ney Robert E. Lynch of defense
counsel, but it was quickly over
ruled by the court.
Attributed to Fright.
Opening for the defense, William
E. Leahy, who appears for the Sill
vermans, attacked Mr.. Speicher and
said that this case actually grew out
OF a hight by rival automobile con-
Germs to sell their products to the
Government.
He made it plain that he expected
Speicher's testimony to clear up puz-
zling aspects. Explaining how the
Silvermans came to be connected
with the case, Mr.. Leahy said that
there came times when specifica-
tions were changed in the War De-
partment" for motor cars and that as
a result Dodge -Chrysler began to get
business that previously had gone
to General Motors. Speicher at the
time, he said, was doing some work
here for General Motors and he
sought to help his employers by
reaching indirectly the then Assist
ant Secretary of War Woodring. AS
he explained, Mr.. Speicher knew
that Joseph Silverman knew Ralph
ONeil, former national commander
OF the American Legion, who was a
friend of Secretary Woodring. The
inference was that Mr. Speicher
wanted the War Department aide
to help his clients.
Then, Mr.. Leahy said, when the
grand jury came along, Mr.. Speich-
er announced his intention of leav-
Ing town and Silverman told him
to go on If he felt like it.
In explaining the money transac-
tions, Mr.. Leahy said that Mr..
Speicher, whose character he so
sharply assailsd that Justice Proc
tor intervened, had told Joseph Sill
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