Evening star., 1947-01-23
z Brothers and Freeman Named
By Jury Probing Munitions Deals
Plot Involving
$53,634 Laid
To Kentuckiun

Former representative An
drew J. May, Democrat, of Ken
lucky today was indicted by a
special grand jury along with
Henry M. and Murray Carson
and Joseph F. Freeman, key fig
ure in the Carson munitions
empire.
May was wartime chairman of the
House Military Affairs Committee.
The indictment was on four counts
charging violations of the conspiracy
statute and of another section Of the
U. S. code which makes it an offense
for member of Congress to receive
or agree to receive compensation for
services rendered in connection with
proceedings in which the Govern
ment is interested.
The first count charges that the
conspiracy existed from about Janu-
ary /, 1912, to about December l.,
1946 and involved IS "overt acts"
$1,000 Check Mentioned.
May is accused of receiving a
$1,000 check from Erie Basin Metal
Products Inc.-one of the principal
firms in the Carson combine
The Carson brothers and Free
man, who was: their Washington
representative, are accused of hav-
ing "aided, abetted, counseled, pro-
cured and induced May to commit
the offenses."
The indictment also charges that
May agreed to receive a total of
$50 ,634.07 land other compensation
to the grand jurors unknown" from
Erie Basin, Batavia Metal Products,
Inc. (another Carson INTEREST,", from
the Carson brothers and Freeman.
Jury Temporarily Recessed.
Attorney General Clark, who an
nounced the return of the indict-
ment, said the grand jury has been
temporarily recessed and "is to be
recalled to consider further evidence
being developed by the Federal
Bureau of Investigation"
Section 203 of title IS of the code
makes it an offense for member
of Congress to receive or agree to
receive any compensation "for serv-
ices rendered or to be rendered to
any person in relation to any pro-
ceeding, contract claim, controversy,
charge, accusation, arrest, or other
matter or thing to which the United
States is a party, or in which it is
directly or indirectly interested,
before any department OF the
Government"
The section provides a fine of not
more than $4,000 and Imprisonment
of not more than two years.
It further provides that any per-
son convicted under the section shall
thereafter "be incapable Of holding
any office of honor, trust or profit
under the Government of the United
States"
The conspiracy statute provides
for fine of not more than 1000
and for Imprisonment not exceeding
two years.
The story of the munitions en-
pire started from scratch by the
Carson brothers early in the war
was first unfolded before the Sen
ate War Investigating Committee
last summer.
Jury Probe Started October IL.
Calling many of the same wit
nesses. the special grand jury be-
gan hearing testimony last Octo-
ber IL.
Like the Senate group, the grand
jury appeared to be particularly
interested in the relations of May
with the Carson plants.
The Capitol hearings were marked
by repeated efforts to get the for
mer Kentucky legislator to testify
in open session. High Army officers
had testified that while chairman
of the Military Affairs Com
mittee May frequently interceded
with the War Department to
obtain favors for the munitions
combine and the Senators wanted
to know more about that from
May. The legislator was also iden-
titled as Kentucky agent for the
Cumberland Lumber Co.-one of the
16 firms in the Carson combine
But May proved elusive. While
the committee was inviting" him
to testify, May replied on the House
floor that he was the victim of a
conspiracy of falsehood and malice" +"
Subpoena Served on May.
Finally, May was served with
a subpoena on July 10. He re-
fused to honor it, contending he
was too busy. A few days later,
however, he said he would testify
on July 26. On the eve of that
session.. the committee was notified
he had suffered a heart attack.
Despite frequent assurances that
he would testify as soon as he was
we'll enough, the committee never
saw May. He was defeated for re-
election last November.
But Mays reported favors proved
to be only one of many sensational
disclosures brought out during the
public hearings.
Here are just few of the high
lights:
Senator Mitchell, Democrat, of
Washington, since defeated for re-
election, told the committee an at
tempt had been made by Benjamin
Fields to bribe him with $4,000 to
get the committee to clay off" its
investigation of the Carson COM
bine. Fields, Washington promoter
is now on trial in District Court on
charge of contempt of another
congressional committee.
Asked to Be "Hazy."
A committee investigator told oi
efforts made in Chicago to diver
him with the offer of high-salariet
Job If he would stop his work.
Mrs. Jean Bates, red-hairee
former secretary in the Garssons
Washington Office, reported thai
Freeman and Henry Carson hae