Evening star., 1950-01-31
New wMaragon Counsel
Is Aide 10 Man Who
Set Up Freezer Gifts

man who arranged for the first of
the home freezer gifts to Wash
ington notables will represent
John Maragon at his forthcoming
perjury trial.
He is Fred r. Wright of Mil
Ewaukee. attorney for Harry Hoff-
man. the Milwaukee advertising
man who told the Senate five
percenter" investigation about ar
ranging for the shipment of a.
home freezer to the Summer
White House" at Independence,
Mo.
Mr.. Hoffman told the commit
tee his agency represented the
Albert Verley Co., the perfume
firm that paid for the home freez-
ers. This is the firm that en-
ployed Maragon, dapper man
about Washington accused on four
counts of lying to the Senate
committee.
Court Refuses to Dismiss Case.
One of the perjury counts
charges Maragon stated falsely
that he already had left his job
with the Verley Co. when he went
to work for the State Department
on mission to Greece.
Mr.. Wright was introduced to
District Court Judge T. Alan
Goldsborough yesterday as one of
Maragon's attorneys when the
Judge heard arguments to dismiss
the Maragon indictment. The
Judge ruled Maragon must stand
trial.
Irwin Goldstein, Maragon's
Washington attorney. argued for
dismissal of the indictment. He
contended the grand jury which
indicted Maragon was Illegally
constituted" because IA of its
members were Federal employees.
Goldsborough Upholds Statute.
L The Senate committee, he con-
tended. is the complaining wit
ness" in this case. This commit
tee, he declared, concerns itself
with the budget and operations of
the very Government departments
where the grand jurors were en-
ployed.
Personally" responded Judge
GoldSborough, "I don't think any
Government employe should sit on
any case where the Government
is a party. But the statute says
they can. There is nothing more
to be said unless the statute can
be attacked constitutionally."
Mr.. Goldstein also argued the
indictment was insufficient be-
cause it did not specifically say a
quorum of the committee was
present. He contended further
that the indictment should have
explained why the answers Mara
gon was asked to give were ma
terial" to the committees inquiry.
| Bill of Particulars Sought.
Mr.. Goldstein also argued a mo-
ton for a bill of particulars. The
way the indictment was worded,
he said, left the defense without
the slightest idea what it will be
confronted with at the trial.
Assistant United States Attor-
ney Charles B. Murray said the
Government was willing to specify
what business Maragon is alleged
to have negotiated with the Gov
eminent between 1945 and 1949.
Judge Goldsborough promptly said
he would grant the request for
particulars on that score, but
would not grant 1t for other in
formation sought by the defense.
Mr.. Goldstein also asked for
: postponement of the trial now set
for February 20, but the court
referred him to the judge who
originally set the date. The at
torney said he was asking the
postponement not only because
he will have to be in Baltimore
during February, but also be-
, cause the recent report of the
Senate committee had CON
demned, criticized and vilified'
. Maragon, A lapse of time, he
said. will relieve the sting of the
, "unjuStified criticism"