Evening star., 1941-11-07
u. ). Acts for Early
Trial Of Viereck in
Nazi Investigation
Reorroienment Slated for
Monday as Counsel
Files Demurrer

Attorney General Biddle is seek
ing early trial of George Sylvester
Viereck, registered German agent,
on charges of failing to disclose
completely his activities in this
country, it was learned today.
Another step in this direction was |
taken in District Court yesterday
when Justice James w. Morris set 2
pm. Monday for rearraignment Of
Viereck on three Of the counts in the
Indictment returned against him by |
the special grand jury investigating
Nazi activities in the United States
Mr.. Viereck. one of the most prom
ment figures taken in the Justice De-
partments Nazi prooe, recently |
changed his plea from not guilty in
order to file demurrer to the in
dictment. Justice Morris sustained |
the demurrer on two counts and |
oyerruled 1t on three counts.
Edward j. Hickey, jr.. special as
sistant to the ATTORNEY General. YES
terday requested Justice Morris to
set the Viereck case for rearraign-
ment on the three counts Monday. |
This procedure is a necessary pre-
llminary to the Governments move
for an early trial of the case. Vie /
reck Is charged with violating the
Foreign Agents Registration Act.
Hill Files Demurrer.
There was action also Yesterday !
on two other fronts in the grand .
jury probe. George Hill. second sec /
retary to- Representative Fish, Re- |
publican. of New York. filed in
District Court demurrer to the
indictment charging Mr.. Hill with
perjury, and moved to be permitted
to inspect the grand Jury records. .
The grand jury completed for the /
time being its questioning of Miss
Bessie Feagin, magazine promotion
manager. and adjourned until next |
Wednesday. when it probab bly, will /
hear two of her superiors. the edi- +
tor and publisher of Scribner's Com |
mentator.
Mr.. Hill. through his counsel. !
John O'Connor of New York and /
William F. Cusick of this city. told .
4
indictment charging him with per- /
jury was bad in substance" There
was no showing in the Indictment. ,
the demurrer said. that the alleged /
periured testimony related to ma
terial matter" within the meaning
OF the statute. IT was charged the /
indictment was vague and indefi- /
mite, and so filed with conclusions
and lacking in the allegation of |
ultimate facts as not properly TO
apprise the defendant of+he nature
and cause Of the accusation against
him"
Mr.. Hill asked to see the COM
plete transcript of his testimony
before the grand jury. The indict-
ment. he pointed out. quotes only
short, disconnected parts OF his
testimony. whereas. his entire testi-
mony might well disclose facts con-
trarv to the allegations in the in
dictment'
Indicted on Two Counts.
Mr.. Hill requested to see the tran
script also because he charged that
a statement in open court that the
defendant allegedly received and
could not account for $4,000, where
as no such allegation appears in
the indictment, and" he added, IF
such is the fact, the defendant
should be permitted access to the
record Of the proceedings to prevent
surprise at the trial" Mr.. Hill was
indicted on two counts of perjury |
He Is charged with DENYING he knew
Mr. Viereck and denying he knew
anything about certain mail bags
containing material Of alleged
propa ganda contained in Govern
ment franked envelopes
The grand jury probe probably
will go further into a master mail
ing list alleged to have been used
for propaganda purposes Prose
cutors charge it was compiled by
Scribner's Commentary, a magazine
whose promotion manager, Miss
Feagin. was before the grand jury
again yesterday. 1t is understood
that George T. Eggleston. editor, and
Douglas M. Stewart, publisher of
the magazine. may appear before the
grand jury when it resumes sessions
Wednesday.
Counsel WithdrawS.
The magazines connection with
the probe was aired in open court
Yesterday and Wednesday. when
William Power Maloney, special as
sistant to the Attorney General,
brought Miss Feagin before Justice
Morris charging her with being
recalcitrant witness before the grand
jury. After three different appear
ances before Justice Morris
Wednesday afternoon, yesterday
morning and yesterday afternoon
she went back to the grand jury and
was with it for two-hour afternoon
session Her counsel, Nicholas
Chiascione. had withdrawn from her
case at the morning session Of court,
and she reported in the afternoon
she had been unable to find other
counsel. Justice Morris told her to
search her recollection to answer
more questions propounded by the
grand jury.