Evening star., 1943-09-16


to the indictment, has Washington
ONCE at 1922 Seventeenth street
NV, and Offices in Boston and Chi
cago.
Convicted in New York.
Fuller, the Justice Department
said, was convicted of mail fraud
in the Federal Court for the eastern
district of New York. His record
according to a formal statement ac-
companying the indictment, reveals
numerous previous arrests in Wash
ington and New York for drunken
ness, disorderly conduct and obtain
Ing money under false pretenses.
Underwood, As, is described as a
soldier of fortune. He currently
bears the rank of group captain In
the Royal Hellenic Greek Air
Force, with headquarters in Cairo.
He now is in this country on fur-
Tough. His record, according to the
Department, discloses previous serv-
ice in the United States and Chinese
Armies between 1914 and 1925. IN
1915, the Department stated, he was
court martialed for desertion and
sentenced to Imprisonment for a
year at Fort Leavenworth, Kans. In
1915, it was added, he was convicted
In the United States Court for China
of obtaining money under false pre-
lenses and sentenced to two years at
Mcneil Island Penitentiay, Wash.
The indictment charges that "oral-
1y and in various brochures and cor
respondence" between June 20, 194l.
and February 20, 1912, the accused
men falsely and fraudulently rep
resented themselves as being an ex-
perienced and competent firm OF
consultant engineers with special
facilities and qualifications for Sc
curing war contracts from the Gov
ernment."
$1,000 Fee Listed.
The firms retainer fees, according
to the bill, ran as high as 5000 and
contracts were entered into calling
for commissions up to per cent on
all war contracts obtained for
clients. The defendants, the indict-
ment charges, had little or no ex-
perience OF the sort claimed and
could not and did not produce any
of the services for which they were
paid.
Each OF the defendants was said
to have taken an active part in En-
gineers' Group, Inc. and large sums
were spent on entertainment, travel
and hotel bills to establish IAN i'm
pressive front"
The accusation alleged that "a
fictitious advisory board, was Gre
ated, using the names OF half
dozen nationally known industrial
list, none of whom had given per-
mission or were aware that their
names were being put to this use.
The firm was incorporated under
the laws of Massachusetts, on or
about June, l941. according to Nthe
indictment, with Curley, Fuller
Fitzgerald and certain others of
the defendants" as principal off,
GERS. BY correspondence and other
wise, it was alleged, the men would
approach certain firms they knew to
be desirous of obtaining Government
contracts and would offer their
services as consultants and brokers
Statements Are Quoted.
Among the inducements allegedly
offered were promises of contracts for
the erection of Federal Housing ad-
ministration housing; contracts spon
sored, according to the indictment,
by dummy corporations created by
the defendants. contracts from the
War and Navy Departments and the
Russian government for the man.
ufacture OF war materials, and en-
gineering and architectural services
needed for the execution of these
projects.
The retainer fees, according to the
Government, represented virtually
the only working capital ever pos
sessed by Engineers Group, Inc"
The indictment said the defend
ants, 'in deckless indifference to
truth" made these. among other
statements:
THAT the members of Engineers
Group, Inc, had personally planne d
and supervised over 100000 ,00C
worth OF construction during the
past 20 years. whereas they had su-
pervised little, If any, construction
work at any time.
That the Arm was In a position
to secure bank credit of as much al
81 ,0O0, 900 for working capital, where
as it had no assets whatever and NJ
banking facilities which would en-.
able it to borrow any substantial
sum Of money.
That Engineers Group, Inc. hat
a surplus OF $225 ,349 20 as Of October
IA, 194l, whereas 1t did not have ,
surplus in any amount as of tina
date.
THAT during the past Is year
Engineers Group, Inc. had execuies
many large construction project
here and in South America and Eu
rope, whereas the Arm had only beef
In existence since l94l and had no
executed any important pro oJect any
where. nor had any OF the member