Evening star., 1947-05-01
Defense Seeksto Show
Carson Planned
Lumber Business
By Robert K. Walsh


Defense counsel In the war, fraud
conspiracy trial of former Repre-
sentative Andrew j. May and three
officials Of the Carson munitions
combine sought to prove In District
Court today that Henry M. Carson
said in l943 that he borrowed money
from an Illinois company to go into
the lumber business.
This testimony came from Harry
s. Click, assistant treasurer of Erie
Basin Metal Products, Inc, of El-
gin, Ill, a Carson affiliate. Mr.
Click identified purchase orders by
this company for lumber from the
Cumberland Lumber Co. of Ken
tucky, with which May was asso-
ciated.
The Government is trying to prove
that these purchase orders as well
as three invoices for lumber never
delivered to the Illinois company by
the Kentucky lumber concern were
faxed by the Garssons. The Govern
ment expected later today to pro-
duce FBI evidence that typewriter
In Chicago Office was used to make
back dated invoices appear as COM
ing from the lumber company.
Erie Basin Metal Products, Inc,
and Batavia Metal Products, Inc,
Of Batavia, ILL.,, were among 16 COM
panies in the $4,000 900 combine
the Carson brothers built up from
shoestring during the war. Il.
Attorneys Confer at Bench :
May is on trial with Henry and
Murray Carson ~and their. Wash
ington agent, Joseph r. Freeman,
on charges Of conspiracy to defraud
the United States. The Govern
ment charges that May received
payments from the Garssons
through the lumber company for
services he did for them as chair
man OF the House Military Affairs
Committee. May declares he was
the Garssons' Kentucky agent and
personally kept none of the money
they gave him.
Before the jury filed into the
courtroom this morning defense and
Government counsel held a con-
ference with Justice Henry A.
Schweinhaut at the bench. Charles
A. Margiotti, chief counsel for the
Garssons, requested the conference
and took Washington newspaper
to the bench. Attorneys refused
later to say whether Mr.. Margiotti
moved for a mistrial as he unsuc-
cessfully did several days ago in
objecting to hearsay evidence by a
witness.
It was learned, however, that de-
fense counsel objected to accounts
in that newspaper, which. they indi-
Gated, seemed unfair to the defend
ants In connection with expected
testimony concerning the lumber
comapny invoices.
In any event, the trial was re-
sumed without public comment by
Justice Schweinhaut.
Purchase Orders Identified.
Mr. Click identified two Erie Basin
Co. purchase orders for lumber In
1S43. They were dated the same
day and apparently bore the same
company serial number. One OF
them was on the Cumberland con-
cern and the other on another lum-
Der company, Mr.. Click testified
He said he had no personal knowl-
edge why the two orders were pre-
pared In that manner.
Questioned about his testimony
yesterday that Henry and Murray
Carson each borrowed a total OF
$4,000 from the Erie Basin Co. ir
ls43 and that q total of $30, 900 was
advanced to the Cumberland Lunn.
Der Co. for lumber never delivered
to Illinois, Mr.. Click said the Cars
sons borrowed money from the Erie
company at other times for othe,
purposes.
He also testified that 80 far as
he knew the Erie company paid for
lumber from other companies only
after the lumber was delivered,
Same Money Lent by Erie,
Government prosecutors brought
out yesterday that the $4,000 ad =
vanced to the Cumberland concern
was the same money lent by the
F.! Erie concern to the Garssons.
| When Henry Carson borrowed
that money did he say he was hor-
rowing 1t TO establish the lumber
company Mr., Margiotti asked to-
day.
Henry Carson told me that was
the reason" Mr.. Click replied.
Didn't Henry Carson say to you
that your company would either
get the money back or get ...ae ium-
ber?" Mr.. Margiotti queried.
That's right" responded the wit
ness.
Didn't Mr.. Gellman and Mr..
Weiss toficials OF the Erie Basin
Co. at that ttn,el agree TO this?"
That's right" Mr.. Click said,
Attention Called to Check.
Mr., Click testified that the three
disputed invoices dated October IL
October 23 and November z, 1914
were paid November "a. 1914, at the
direction of Henry Carson. In
reply to further questions by Mr.
Margiotti. he said he did not know
when or where the invoices were