Evening star., 1951-01-03
Remington

eAAC pu4 W al AllOhFIllC dllQ od w
Remington at Communist meet
ings at the home of Betty NAL
colin. also identified as Mr.. Nc
Connell's wife.
Pointing out Remington in the
courtroom, DR.. Bridgman said:
HE took an active and vigorous
part in the meetings, can pic
ture him leaning forward with
his hands out in front of him,
gesturing as he spoke. I have a
clear picture of that"
DR.. Bridgman said the group
which met at the Malcolm home,
and also once at 933 Broadway in
Knoxville. discussed three topics:
Building up the CIO. building up
the Communist Party, and the
question of holding open meetings
of the party.
Fails to Bar Testimony.
Remington yesterday lost a hid
to prevent testimony by his orig
inal accuser, Elizabeth Bentley, a
former Soviet spy courier.
Judge Gregory F. Noonan set
the stage for a showdown be-
tween the couple - expected to-
morrow-when he denied the de-
fense move by Remington's coun-
sci. William r Chanler.
Miss Bentley first accused him
in July. 1948. She claimed he
passed information to her for re-
lay to Soviet agents.
He then sued Miss Bentley and
a television program over which
she had repeated her charges, for
libel. Later he accepted reported
$4,000 settlement from the tele-
vision program.
Mr.. Chanler moved yesterday,
in the absence of the jury, that
any testimony by Miss Bentley be
excluded on the ground that he
would not be able to cross-ex-
anime her properly.
The lawyer declared proper
cross-examination had been pre-
cluded because the Government
may have briefed her on defense
papers which the grand jury had
sealed.
The seal had been broken, Mr..
Chanler said. He added that the
papers had been obtained from
the attorney who handled the
original civil suit for Remington
against Miss Bentley. i
Denies Misuse Of Papers.
United States Attorney Irving
H, Saypol replied that it was
none of Mr.. Chanler's business"
what was done with the papers.
But to a question from the bench,
Mr.. Saypol denied that improper
use had been made of the docu-
ments or that Miss Bentley had
been coached.
Judge Noonan accepted the
Government assurances and fin
ally ruled that Miss Bentley could
testify.
Earlier yesterday, the prosecu-
ton produced three witnesses who
swore they saw Remington in
1885 and 1887 at Communist
Party meetings in Knoxville,
while he was an employe of the
Tennessee Valley Authority.
Describes Four Meetings.
Mr.. Mcconnell described four
meetings he said he had with
Remington.
Mr.. Mcconnell, who said he was
a party organizer between 1885 and
1889, testified that he and the
defendant discussed shortcomings
of party activity in Knoxville at
one Of the meetings.
He added tnaE he once told the
now-dapper Remington that he
did not have to run around like
a tramp to be a Communist"
Another witness, Mrs. Muriel
Speer Williams of Winchester,
Mass, said Remington attended
Communist Party meetings in
Knoxville at which she was pres
ent.
Mrs. Christine Benson, a Knox
vile housewife, testified she def
nitely" attended some meetings
with Remington but added:
Il haven't stated definitely that
I knew him to be a member. 4"
All three witnesses admitted
previous membership in the party,
but said they had quit after
changing their minds about it's
policies.