Evening star., 1952-08-27
Tax Probers
Recess Before
Hearing Slack
Justice Official Due
To Answer Charge Of
'Whitewoshine' Cases
By George Beveridqe


By George Beveridge
House investigators took a one
day recess today before hearing
a top Justice Department official
answer charges that he approved
a Federal grand jury report
whitewaShing the handling of
L tax cases in st. Louis last year.
The official is Ellis N. Slack,
i acting head of the Justice De-
apartments Tax Division. He
I succeeded r. Lamar Caudle, who
/ was fired from the job last Mo-
! vember.
1, Witnesses testified yesterday
that the controversial report was
cleared with Mr.. Slack in Wash
ington before it even was shown
to members of the jury. It was
authored. they said. by members
Of the. United States Attorneys
Office in st. Louis shortly after
Mr.. Slack visited there.
The grand jury had been di-
rected by Federal Judge George H.
Moore on March l, 1851, to con-
duct the probe. Just three weeks
LATER the so-called partial re-
port" was submitted to the Judge.
Obviously incensed, he ordered
more investigation. He said not
enough ground had been covered,
and questioned whether outside
influence was exerted on the
jury to wind up the inquiry pre-
maturely.
Probe Centers on Slack.
It is precisely this same ques-
ton that the House Judiciary sub
committee. headed by Represent
ative Chelf, Democrat, of Ken
lucky is asking. And its probe
centers directly on the role played
In the decision by Mr.. Slack.
In addition to Mr.. Slack's ap-
pearance, there were hints that
new, and possibly sensational, evi-
dence would develop tomorrow.
Representative Keating Of New
York, ranking Republican sub
committee member, said he want
ed to know exactly who had is
sued orders to Mr.. Slack and what
they were.
II also hope this investigation
will have the effect of q new
broom throughout the judicial
system, so grand juries will have
a better understanding Of their
rights" he told reporters. II
never before heard Of having to
get clearance from Washington
before grand jury issued its
report"
Says He Lacked Approval Power.
~ Mr.. Slack told a reporter the
report was read to him. But he
i5ISaid he had no power to ap-
prove it.
t A second key figure in the case,
United States Attorney Drake
Watson, died last December Is.
It was largely under his direction
that the grand jury carried out its
deliberations.
Yesterdays testimony brought
out that Mr.. Watson had been
between the devil and the deep
sea" in attempting to carry out
the wishes of both Judge Moore
and his superiors at the Justice
Department. At one point, one of
his former aides said, Mr.. Watson
was worried that Judge Moore
might cite him for contempt if
he followed directions of the de-
partment.
In the early stages Of the jury
inquiry, the department didn't
want tax fraud cases submitted
directly to the grand jurors. it
was brought out. Instead, officials
wanted them handled through
regular channels.
Slack Sent to st. Louis.
Later, Mr.. Watson was told to
cooperate with Judge Moore, and
Mr.. Slack was sent to st. Louis
for a one-week stay.
Assistant United States Attor-
ney Marvin Hopper testified he
first heard of the partial report
from Mr.. Watson about March
13-about the time Mr.. Slack re-
turned to Washington. Shortly
after, Mr.. Hopper said, Mr.. Wat
son ordered him to draw up the
report
Mr.. Hopper said his first belief
was that it "was not a wise move
to submit the partial report. But
later. he said. he changed his
mind because it represented a
true picture Of the jury's feelings. "
Mr.. Hopper ran into two sharp
challenges. however, about his
statements on the source material
he used to write the report. About
I85 per cent of the report. he said,
represented ideas given to him in
notes from one of the jurors, Clin-
ton L. Whittemore.
Jurors Notes Examined.
B, Mr.. Heating, after examining
Mr.. Whittemore's notes, said he
didn't believe many of them were
reflected in the report.
III Mr.. Whittemore also disagreed
II with the statement.
I "As stated before, I favored
the report. But I don't think my
suggestions were reported as
made" he declared.
Another juror, Mrs. Mary O.
Messenger, a housewife, said she
voted against the report and
was almost sick about IT,"
The jury's foreman, Henry J.
Butler. said he signed the report
= because he was told Judge Moore
approved Of the idea and that 81
felt the Justice Department
wanted that report"
Man PIunges to Deuth