Evening star., 1949-08-19
=Probers VainIy
Seek Maragon
Customs File
Try to Find Why
He Escaped Action
On Perfume Oils
BULLETIN
BULLETIN

BULLETIN
Senator Mccarthy. Republi-
can, of Wisconsin, revealed to-
day that sources very close to
President Truman" are furnish
ing information to the Senate
"five-percenter" inquiry on the
activities of Maj. Gen. Harry H.
Vaughan, the Presidents mill
tary aide. The legislator said
the Senate Expenditures Sub
committee also is getting infor-
nation and leads from persons
close to Gen. Vaughan himself.
Senators investigating "fve-per-
-centers" have tried to find out why
there was no prosecution of John
.Maragon for failing to declare per-
fume oils at customs. but have
been unable to get the records
from the Justice Department, 1t
was learned today.
Committee Counsel William P.
81 Rogers said the committee is try
ing to get the history of the case
after the facts were made known
to the Justice Department" So
far, he added, he has been unable
to get to the Justice Department
records.
Mr.. Rogers revealed that the
committee also wants to know
more about how the arrangements
were made for Mr.. Maragon and
two other representatives of a
perfume firm to fly to Paris on
private business in an Army Air
Transport Command plane in
July, 1945.
Freezers Linked to Trip.
Senator Mundt. Republican, OF
South Dakota said today he
thought this trip. at time when
businessmen 'just couldn't get to
Europe" provided a suspicion of
motive" for the gift of deep
freeze units to Washington
notables by the same perfume
company less than a month be-
fore the trip.
Mr.. Maragon's adventures at
customs and the plane trip were
both brought out in secret testi-
mony taken Monday, but made
public yesterday. Mr.. Maragon,
who has described himself as a
close friend of Maj. Gen. Harry
i, H. Vaughan, the Presidents mill
tary aide. was credited by one OF
the secret witnesses as the ar
ranger for the ATC flight.
The testimony revolved around
the gift of seven deep freeze units
but the questioning showed the
Senators were trying to find the
motive for the gifts made by the
Albert Verley Co. of Chicago in
1945 and early 1946.
In the testimony, Committee
Counsel Rogers commented that
MI. Maragon, who was then
an employe of the. company. was
extended quite lot of considera-
ton" when he declared essential
perfume oils as -four bottles of
champagne.2
The law says that the prop
erty is supposed to be con-
fiscated," Mr.. Rogers said. land
it looks to me on the surface as
though they caught Maragon red
handed smuggling the stuff in
and there was no prosecution.
Mr.. Rogers. in the course of the
testimony about Mr.. Maragon and
the customs agents, told the Sen
ators he had been trying for two
weeks to get records on the case
from the Justice Department.
The committee, it was explained
wants to know why the contain
ers of essential perfume oils were
not conf1scated and why there was
no prosecution. It was indicated
Indirectly in the testimony that
some fine might have been paid.
More Facts Sought.
Although the Senators were told
that Mr.. Maragon arranged for
the plane flight to Europe. Mr..
Rogers indicated that the COM
mittee wants to find out how these
arrangements were made, and
through whom.
Senator Mundt commented that
"some one had to exert a colossal
amount of influence in high cir
cles" to obtain passage on an
Army plane for businessmen at
that time.
Mondays secret testimony was
made public after President Tru-
man. asking the public to sus-
pend Judgment until Gen. Vaughan
appears at open hearings, accused