The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1944-03-14
. BEHIND THE SCENES
IN WASHINGTON .

Sigler, to be just the beginning
of series of graft and bribery
charges which will rock the en-
tire state of Michigan and may
have profound effect on 1914
election results. Involved are in
designations into illegal influ-
enci & of legislation under con-
sideration by three sessions of
the state legislature, in 1899.
194l and 1S43.
SMALL LOAN DEAL"
In the one case now disclosed,
a bride conspiracy Of lat least
S 5000" Is charged. Six finance
company officials of Detroit and
South Bend, Ind, are named as
having contributed the money
for a slush fund to influence
passage of a new small loan bill
which would grant more favor
able interest rates and terms to
firms making these credit ad-
vances to poorer people with lit
tie or no security. Of the 20
legislators accused of having ac-
copied brides, Is are still in Of
flee, the other seven having
been defeated for reelection.
Eighteen of the officials are
Democrats, two are Republicans.
Major Hemans is now identified
as the famous Charley" who
was the payroll man.
Since early in the war, Major
Hemans, formerly a Detroit and
Lansing lawyer, has been on
duty in the office of the provost
marshal general in Washington.
Some weeks ago he made re-
quest for overseas assignment,
but while this application was
being considered, he returned TO
Michigan on leave and there
gaze information on the pay-off
of state legislators. Records of
his payments, by name and
amount, were found buried on
his farm between jackson and
Lansing.
CASE WEIGHED IN
WASHINGTON
Returning to Washington. Ma
jor Hemans is supposed TO have
reported what he had done to
his superiors in the provost
marshal generals office. While
War Department authorities
were considering his case. pre-
sumably weighing his discharge
or demand that he resign his
commission. Michigan officials
came to Washington to insist
that Hemans, as their key wit
ness, be kept in uniform at least
until he had completed his testi-
mony. II permitted to resign or
if discharged in Washington,
Hemans would not have been
subject to subpoena in Michigan
and could not have been return
ed to the custody OF the Michi-
gan grand jury investigation.
Michigan authorities therefore
wanted Major Hemans kept
subject to Army orders. In the
end he was placed under guard
in Washington, then transferred
to the reserve officers pool at
Camp Custer, which Is provost
marshal and military police
training center.
At Camp Custer, Major He
mans was examined by Judge
Carr, and it was from Camp
Custer that he went TO Lansing
for his sensational appearance
before the grand jury.
Hemans, who is 48. comes
from prominent Michigan
family. He served as a second
lieutenant in the last war. Fol-
lowing graduation from the I'm
iversity of Michigan, he took his
law degree at University of De-
troit. For eight years he served
as a regent of the University Of
Michigan. He was associated
with some of the leading law
firms in Detroit. representing
finance and banking interests.
When he moved to Lansing, he
became known as an associate
Of legislators and state officials.
His appearance before Judge
Carr in Lansing was as wit
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