Evening star., 1952-09-03
Former Justice LowyerAccused|
At House Probe of Tokinq Feel
While Working for Government
MuIIoIIy Charged
With Referring Case
To Ex-Associutes
By GEORGE Beveridqe

By George Beveridee
House investigators said today
a recently suspended Justice De-
partment lawyer got a fee in 1947
while employed in the department
for referring a case "in which the
Government had an interest" to
a law firm made up of former
Justice Department attorneys.
The lawyer is James A. Null
1ally. a veteran attorney in the
Justice Departments Criminal Di-
vision. He was suspended two
weeks ago pending an FBI check
of his outside activities" and
subsequently resigned.
The fee acceptance charge was
made by Robert A. Collier, chief
counsel of a House Judiciary sub
committee investigating the JUS
tice Department.
Will Question Caudle Again.
Meanwhile, it was learned that
the subcommittee planned later
today, at a closed-door session, to
shoot more questions at former
Assistant Attorney General T..
Lamar Caudle. Subcommittee
Chairman Chelf said Mr.. Caudle
yesterday gave the group new
leads on "every conceivable type
of case"
Mr.. Caudle was fired as head
of the Justice Departments Tax
Division last November 16 by
President Truman because his
outside activities" were incom-
patible with his job.
Six Laws in Force.
Today's first witness, Acting AS
siStant Attorney General Ellis
Lyons, in charge of executive
adjudications," gave the subcom-
mittee a detailed rundown of six
Federal laws which restrict the
activities of past and present Gov
ernment attorneys.
During his testimony, he:
/. Quoted Attorney neral
McGranery as saying he will send
to a grand jury Immediately any
violation of the laws he hears
about.
2. Said there certainly is room
for amendment" of the laws. But
he warned the subcommittee that
such actions involved delicate
questions of moral judgment"
3. Said a 10-year study showed
that II cases have been taken to
court for violations covered by the
six statutes. He said none in
volved Justice Department Of
ficialS but that one involved the
conviction of James P. Finnegan,
former st. Louis tax collector, for
misconduct in Office.
Mr.. Golfers statement opened
a hearing into whether new laws
or rules are needed to restrict the
private activities of Government
lawyers, both during and after
their periods of Federal service.
Mr.. Collier said the investiga-
tors have come across a number
of hastily organized legal firms"
whose members are former Gov
ernment officials. He said their
"early aff1uence lends credence to
the fact that such affluence did
not stem entirely from a peculiar
genius in the practice of the law"
Case illustrates Problems.
He said the Mullally case sis
not the most aggravated" the sub
committee has run across. But,
he said, it serves to illustrate the
problems raised here"
Mr.. Collier said the subcommit-
tee would look into steps now un-
der study by the Justice Depart
ment which might lead toward a
general Tightening of the laws and
regulations"
I'm BRIEF" he declared. I'VE have
interested ourselves in the outside
activities of employees while they
are inside the Government and
the inside activities of former
Government employees once they
are outside of the Government.
New cases under study involve
suspected fraud and favoritiSm
and may concern former Attor-
neys General.
The tips came from Mr.. Caudle.
who testified for five hours yes
terday before a closed session Of
the subcommittee.
Just Scratches the Surface"
Representative Heating, Repub-
lican, of New York, a subcommit-
tee member, said some of the
information related to former
Attorneys General. He did not
elaborate. The men heading the
Justice Department while Mr..
Caudie was there were j. Howard
McGrath and Tom Clark, now
Supreme Court justice.
Mr.. Chelf said Mr.. Caudle's five
hours OF testimony lust scratched
the surface"
Mr.. Chelf said Mr.. J Caudle
opened up such possibilities about
"a great number of cases" that the
subcommittee may not be able to
finish its inquiry on time. The
original deadline was October /.
We've got a terrific September