Evening star., 1948-12-16
Not.GuiItyP
Offered by Hiss;
$4,000 Bail SET
TrioI on Charge Of
Perjury tentatively
Set for Jan. "a
HOUSE COMMITTEE yubilant,
Sees Vindication, Plans Inquiry
Into War Years. PAGE Ala.
BY The Asseeiossd Press

dOOSE COMM11 lee SuDllaHf.
Sees Vindication, Plans Inquiry
Into War Years. Page Ala
BY the Asseeiotsd Press
NEW YORK, Dec. 1s.-Alger
Hiss today pleaded innocent to a
Federal grand jury's charge that
he lied when he denied giving
secret Government papers to
ex-Communist Agent Whitaker
Chambers.
The indictment was returned last
night as a climax to an 1s-month
jury investigation Of alleged Com.
munist espionage.
Mr.. Hiss, 44-year-old former high.
ranking policy adviser in the State
Department, made his plea in o Arm,
clear voice.
Federal Judge John w. Clancy
fixed January "a as the tentative
date for the trial on two perjury
counts after ordering that Mr.. Hiss
be fingerprinted and photographed.
The Judge set bail at 5000.
New Jury Sworn I'm.
Before the arraignment, judge
Clancy swore in q new special Grand
jury to continue the espionage In
quiry for smother 1S-month term.
He cautioned the % Jurors against
unfair prosecution, but urged
them mot to spare the guilty for any
reason"
John Gilland Brunini, an execu-
tive. was designated by the Judge as
foreman. A member is Harry Scher-
man, president of the Book of the
Month Club.
The old jury's term expired last
night.
Mr.. Hiss words. Il plead not guilty
to both counts" could be heard
throughout the large courtroom ut
his arraignment.
His attorney Edward G. Mclean,
protested that January "a was too
early for the trial. 1t was agreed
the date would be tentative.
Immediately after the arraign-
ment, Mr.. Hiss was taken to FBI
Offices for the fingerprinting and
photographing, a routine procedure.
Mr.. Hiss was charged on two
perjury counts. Each carries q
maximum penalty Of $4,000 fine
and five years in prison.
Told Truth. Hiss Insists.
After his indictment, Mr.. Hiss
issued through his attorney this
statement:
My testimony before the grand
jury was entirely truthful"
/ That was the only comment from
Mr.. Hiss, now on paid leave Of
absence from his $40 ,000-a year post
as head of the Carnegie Endowment
for International Peace. It was is-
sued from the office of Attorney
Mclean while reporters and pho
tographers waited for Mr.. Hiss and
his wife Priscilla at their apart
ment at % East Eighth street.
The indictment said Mr.. Hiss "un.
lawfully, knowingly and willfully"
swore falsely that:
l. He did not slip confidential
State Department documents to Mr..
Chambers when Mr.. Chambers was
operating as Soviet agent in
Washington in 1887 and 1898.
2. He did not talk to Mr.. Cham
bers in February and March, 1888.
The grand jury, which had ques-
toned both Mr.. Hiss and Mr.. Cham
bers repeatedly for more than a
week, charged Mr.. Hiss committed
both alleged acts Of perjury yester-
day.
Version of Testimony.
The indictment gave this version
of the allegedly false testimony:
@. Mr.. Hiss, you have probably
been asked this question before, but
I'd like to ask the question again.
At any time did you, or Mrs. Hiss
in your presence, turn any docu-
ments of the State Department or
Of any other Government organiza-
ton, or copies of any other Govern
ment organization over to Whitaker
Chambers?
"A. Never, excepting, I assume,
the title certificate to the Ford.
(This apparently referred to owner
ship OF an automobile previously
mentioned in testimony concerning
Mr.. Hiss and Mr.. Chambers)
@. In order to clarity it, would
that be the only exception?
"A. The only exception.
Juror: To nobody else did you
turn over any documents, to any
other persons?
THE witness: And to no other
unauthorized person. I certainly
!. could have to other officials
The Indictment said this testi-
! lCo,,tin,,oJ ~, poro ~0i NN