Evening star., 1946-12-13
Four Checks Made Out to BiIbo
For Total Of $4,000 Identified
By Mississippi War Contractor
Banker Is Called by
Senute Probers as
FBI Seeks Terry
bv Robert K. WoIsh

war contractor, today identified
for Senate War Investigating
Subcommittee, four checks total.
ing $25, 1000 he made out to Sen
ator Bilbo, Democrat, of Missis.
sippi in September, 1912.
The subcommittee recessed TO
lunch at this point before inquirinl
what the checks were for. Just be-
fore the checks were handed to th'
witness, Senator Ferguson, Repub
lican, of Michigan had asked Mr.
Newton how much war work he hac
done and whether Senator Bilbo hae
helped him to get any of it.
IT don't know whether he helped
lis to get any or not" Mr.. Newton
replied, II hope he did,"
Drawn on Different Banks.
Mr., Newton produced all four Of
the checks, which were signed
Newton & Glenn Construction Co
by F. T. Newton" Each check wa:
drawn on a different bank in the
South. Three of them were fol
5000 each and one for $4,000. AL
were dated September Z, 1912.
At the request of Senator Fergu-
son, Mr.. Newton turned the checks
over and read the Endorsements on
the back as Theodore G.. Bilbo and
Robert Candy" Mr.. Candy is oi
jackson, Miss, and on the list OF
witnesses to be called later today.
The subcommittee is inquiring
into complaints that Senator Bilbo
received $33,750 and other gratuities
from war contracts.
Before the checks were intro
duced, Mr.. Newton estimated that
his fees for all of his war work
from 1910 to date were "close to
100000"
Seeking to find out what the wit
ness had earned before the war,
Senator Ferguson asked what he
made in 1889.
It'd say s4o.Ooo or s50,000," the
witness answered.
Dissolved In March, 1943.
Mr.. Newton and Frank Glenn took
the stand together and testified they
formed their construction partner
ship in 1910 and dissolved 1t in
March, 1943.
Earlier, the subcommittee had
ordered a Jackson banker summoned
for testimony which may throw
some light on the mysterious dis
appearance of Edward P. Terry,
former secretary to Senator Bilbo.
Chairman Mead announced that
committee agents would serve a
subpoena today on j. M. Quinn,
executive vice president of the jack
son State National Bank, for an ap-
pearance here Monday.
Meanwhile, FBI agents were
searching for Mr.. Terry, who asked
in letter to the committee to be
excused from testifying because of
asserted death threats against him
and his family.
bad Bargain" Charged.
North Carolina contractors told
the subcommittee that they made
a bad bargain" in 1941 in joining a
group of Mississippi concerns, rec
commended by Senator Bilbo, and
getting only IS per cent of $263, ,461
for a Keesler Field (Miss) project
after doing practically all the work.
They testified also that about two
years later they donated" $500 to
a church building fund in which
they were informed Senator Bilbo
was interested.
1--WE counted it as donation to
church at Poplarville, Miss" said
Edwin Jones, secretary-treasurer of
the j. A. Jones Construction Co. of
Charlotte, N. G. But we didn't like
the idea of giving to something in
which we had no interest.
IT believe, Senator" Mr.. Jones
continued, addressing Senator Fer
guson, that if you were doing busi-
ness in Mississippi you would give
if Senator asked you"
Tells of Donation Request.
Mr.. Jones and E. j. Kraft, vice
president of the company, said, how
ever, that the request for the dona-
ton came from Mike T. Morrissey
of Vicksburg, a Mississippi contrac-
tor who rented equipment for some
war construction. Mr.. Morrissey
was quoted as saying Senator Bilbo
was interested in building church.
Mr.. Jones said he did not recall
who Endorsed the $500 check but
promised to produce it for the sub
committee.
The Senate Committee has re-
ceived complaints about Senator
Bilbo soliciting contributions for
construction OF a parsonage for the
Juniper Grove Baptist Church near
his home at Poplaryille. He was
reported to have raised about $1,000.
The parsonage was built on Bilbo
property, but never occupied by the
minister and once was put up as
collateral for Federal land bank
loan, according to the complaints.
Officials of the Jones company
we're the first of nine Mississippi
and North Carolina contractors and
businessmen called for questioning
about alleged transactions between
the 69-year-old Senator and war
contractors. y
They said they met Senator Bilbo
shortly before the contract was
awarded for the Keesler Field
project. He took them to see Mai.
Thomas M. Robins, retired, then as
sistant chief of Army Engineers, and
recommended that they be consid-
cred for the job in association with
the Newton, Glenn and Knost con-
Germs in Mississippi
Mr.. Jones testified he thought his
concern should have received at
least half of the contract payment
and that he had asked for 40 per
cent. But he got only IS per cent
and the other 65 per cent was split
among the Mississippi contractors.
He said the Mississippi men pro-
vided some equipment and labor but
that practically full responsibility
for the work rested with the Jones
company.
"Were you told that If you didn't
accept the IS per cent you would not
lSee BILBO, Page A-5)