Evening star., 1947-01-28
Slaughter Testifies
Veterans Purchased
Surplus as Fronts


chairman Of the House Surplus
Property Committee, testified in
District Court today that the COM
mittee had been told that 'un-
scrupulous veterans" were dealing
with the War Assets Administration
for surplus property.
The former chairman's testimony
in the trial of Benjamin Franklin
Fields, charged with contempt OF
Congress in failing to produce all
his financial records before the
committee, related the technique OF
using veterans as fronts" In illegal
reSales.
"UnscrupulouS veterans went In
and sought property they claim to
use for themselves and sold it to
Spectators for a consideration, u
said Mr.. Slaughter on cross-ex-
animation
Failed to Produce Records.
Mr.. Slaughter said Fields failed
to produce records relating to sur
plus bronze screening.
The trial centers around Fields
alleged failure to give the commit
tee last August all the financial
records in. connection with the sale
of the screen to him by the WAA.
The records, as listed by Mr..
Slaughter were:
A deposit slip of June 20, 1916,
showing a $500 cash deposit and a
81 ,442 check.
A bank statement of last June of
Rockingham Marketers. Fields af-
f1liate, furnished by the Industrial
Bank of Washington.
A bank check stub showing a
1,206 final settlement between
Fields and a former associate, Glenn
A. Davis.
Penciled notations Fields made
from financial memorandum sub
mitted to him by Mr. Dies on June
20, 1916, when they severed busi-
ness relations.
SubpOenaed From Bank.
In answer to the prosecutor, As
sistant United States Attorney Will
liam Hitz, Mr. Slaughter said the
committee was unable to obtain
some of these documents from any
other source. 1t did get the bank
statement from the bank by sub
poena, he said.
At the time Fields appeared be-
fore the committee on August l,
1916, MIR. Dies was in Honolulu, Mr.
Slaughter said.
Fields did not reveal John Doe"
as his employe John F.. Drummer,
who shared in the bronze wire COM
mission cut, until after Fields had
talked to Mr.. Drummer, Mr.. Slaugh-
ter testified. Fields submitted the
financial memorandum to the COM
mittee showing the commission
naming John Doe as getting a
part of it.
The committee at that time was
trying to find Mr. Drummer, described
in the committees official transcript
as Federal parolee.
Fields Answer Emphasized.
Mr.. Hitz laid special emphasis on
this answer by Fields shown in the
committees printed record: "Mr.
chairman, I have brought to this
committee all of the evidence, all of
the files and all of the books in
connection with bronze wire that
possess"
Mr.. Dies testified yesterday that
John Doe" :" who got $500 of the
commission in the wire case which
has figured in the trial, could not
have been William Howard Payne, a
Washington attorney. Mr.. Payne
represented the Oklahoma City firm
that bought the wire screening.
When Fields appeared before the
committee he identified as Mr..
Payne one John Doe" mentioned
III memorandum showing the COM
mission split.
Mr.. Dies said Mr.. Payne already
had received his 10 per cent on the
deal, taking the money out OF the
check sent by the Oklahoma client.
The check for $4,422 given Fields
by Mr.. Payne, the witness said, was
for those working with Fields"