St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1946-12-27

ate beginning January 3. A Sen
ate campaign investigating sub
committee held hearings on thes
charges in Jackson, Mississippi
recently.
The second part concerns his u.s.
Of influence TO obtain contracts fol
! Mississippi contractors from thu
War and Navy Departments anc
his acceptance of gratuities from
these contractors for his aid. A
Senate war investigating commit
tee has been delying into these
charges for more than a week.
Build Good Case
With consummate skill, the sub
committee and its counsel has
built up the latter case against
Bilbo. The burden Of the examina-
ton Of unwilling witnesses has been
carried by Senator Homer Fergu-
son, Republican Of Michigan, a
former circuit court Judge of
Wayne County who presided over
the trial Of and sentenced John
Roxborough and other defendants
in the policy racket cases in De-
troit.
First, they proved that Bilbo
was particularly active in recon-
mending contractors to the War
Department to build various Army
projects in Mississippi. By the
testimony Of Army officers it was
established that he frequently
visited the Corps of Engineer
headquarters; interceded to have
the Jackson Army Air Base con-
struction job transferred from the
jurisdiction of the Mobile, Ala
bama, District Engineer office to
the Vicksburg, Mississippi, office;
introduced to the Assistant Chief
Of Engineers the contractors to
whom cost-plus-Rxed-fee contracts
were let for the building Of that
project, the Keesler Field Army
Air Base at Biloxi, and other Army
jobs.
Next, they proved that these
contractors contributed cash and
other things of value to Bilbo. The
record is replete with such gifts.
For example, Big Boy Newton,
whom Bilbo helped to get the con-
tract to build the $4,000, 900 KEGS
Ter Field as a co-venture with other
contractors, gave Bilbo campaign
contributions totaling $25, 900, $3.50
to help build a church and parson-
age for the Juniper Grove Baptist
Church located on Bilbo's property
at Poplarville, and contributed SIS
for furniture as a Christmas gift,
Bernie Knost, another contractor
who had a piece Of the Keesler
Field deal, gave Bilbo a campaign
contribution of $1,000, lent Bilbo
81 200 on which, he says Bilbo still
owes him $3.50; gave Bilbo's former
secretary, Edward Terry, a political
contribution of $3.50, and lent
Terry $1,000.
Mike Morrissey gave Bilbo q
Cadillac car as a Christmas pres.
ent, lost approximately $4,000
managing Bilbo's farm over a four,
year period under an agreement
whereby Morrissey paid the taxes
and was to split the profits with
Bilbo but absorb the losses him
self; built Bilbo an artificial lake
at a cost of S3,672.19, exclusive OF
rental Of equipment which woulC
have cost about $500 if rented Al
the rate Morrissey was renting
such equipment to the Government
for building Keesler Field, and len
Bilbo $4,000 on his note.
Amos and Andy Bookkeeping
The way these Mississippi con
tractors kept books would havt
done credit to Amos and Andy il
their most comical radio show. Fol
example, John R. Junkin, presiden
Of the St. Catherine Gravel Com
pany, Natchez, Mississippi, fur
nished labor and material in thu
amount of $l,l9A7O to build E,
swimming pool for Bilbo. Hi
company's ledger showed thu
amount paid in cash. but it wa,
reported in the company's incom,
tax returns as an item Of expense
The Internal Revenue Bureau dis
allowed the item as a deduction
because it considered it as a gif
to an individual. Junkin test
fed that Bilbo still owes him thii
sum.
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