Evening star., 1939-07-05
THE EVENING WEDNESDAY, JULY s. 1885,
Smith, in Jail, Says
He Wont Be Goat in
L.S.U. Theft Charges
Ex-University Head
Indicates He'll Soon End
Reticence on Cose
3ACKGRQUND-

BACKGROUND
Last Ueek DR.. J. M. Smith,
former Louisiana State University
president, toas charged ,Dtth en-
bezzling 5000 fro nrthe school.
DR.. Smith, missing, toas later
found In Canada, tDhence guards
returned hi INTO face the charges.
By the Associated Press.
BATON ROUGE, La, July 5.-An
assertion by DR.. James Monroe
Smith he was mot going to be the
goat" indicated today the resigned
president of Louisiana State Univer-
sity soon would end his reticence
concerning charges he embezzled
100000 from the institution he
headed for nine years.
Unable Immediately to raise $50,-
600 bond, DR.. Smith spent the night
in the parish jail. With his wife,
who was indicted as an accomplice,
the genial educator was returned
yesterday after trip under guard
from Canada. Mrs. Smith was re-
leased last night under $500 bond.
After refusing to talk with Federal
agents or District Attorney. Dewey
Sanchez, DR.. Smith suddenly asked
near midnight to speak with Mr..
Sanchez. Jail officials said he then
declared: II am not going to be made
the goat In this thing"
Mr.. Sanchez had, by that time, re-
tired and Sheriff Newman H. De
Breton cid not call him. Members
of Smiths family had been in ear
nest conversation with him for sew
eral hours previous to his request to
see Mr.. Sanchez, Jail official re-
ported.
II Was Ill Advised"
After an easy-stage journey from
Brockville, Ontario, where he sur
rendered Sunday to authorities,
Smith was brought by plane from
New York to New Orleans Thence
by police car to the Jail here.
AS he was being led to a police
car he said into microphone thrust
at his face:
I'm glad to be back. I'm sorry
I went away I was ill-advised to
leave. I will have something TO say
later"
This morning the New Orleans
Times-Picayune, pursuing its cam
paign for complete investigation,
asked who advised him?"
AS Smith and his wife were es-
corted through the dense crowd
that had waited hours at the New
Orleans Airport to shout a CHEEKY
Hi, Doc" a reporter touched the
still dignified Smith on the shoulder
so strongly that the educator had
to pause.
Are you guilty." the reporter
asked
Absolutely not" Smith responded.
Relatives Charged.
Then under still heavier guard.
in automobiles with shrieking sirens.
the Smiths were rushed here,
brought through a friendly group
of faculty members and students
who clustered about the Jail, and
then f1ngerprinted.
Mrs. Smith was released on bond
signed by 10 persons, mostly faculty
members and school attaches. and
left the Jail on the arm of her son,
James M. Smith, jr, 49, The latter.
with his brother-in-law Owen w.
Ware. also charged as an accom-
plice but free on bond, were allowed
to talk at length with the Smiths.
While observers awaited further
statements from Smith, the Baton
Rouge Parish grand jury resumed
its investigation into the universitys
financial confusion that already has
resulted in the indictment of the
Smiths, Ware, J. M. Brown, Smiths
brokerage intermediary and J..
Emory Adams, nephew of Mrs.
Smith.
At the same time, in New Or
leans, the United States grand Jury
took up its investigation-inter-
rupted by the holidays-of alleged
private use of w. P. A. materials in