Evening star., 1952-04-23
Final Arguments Due
Today in Fee-1aking
Case Against Cowart


Final arguments were to begin
this afternoon at the trial of Jack
Cowart on charges that the ousted
Agriculture Department official
accepted an improper fee of 81 ,374.
A jury in Federal Court at Alex
andria was to receive the case late
today or tomorrow morning after
a three-day trial. Judge Albert
V. Bryan is presiding.
If convicted, Cowart faces q
possible maximum of two years in
Jail and a $4,000 fine. Cowart
was fired by Secretary Brannan
last August while serving as as
sistant to the production and mar
keting administrator at $10.25O a
year.
The ace prosecution witness has
been Cowart'S former friend and
business associate in Texas,
Charles D. Bridgman, of Browns
vile. Cowart insists Mr.. Bridg-
man merely repaid part Of an old
debt when he sent him 81 1,374, and
the witness was equally emphatic
it was fee for services.
Contradicts Fee Charge.
Cowart took the stand in his
own behalf late in the afternoon
and directly contradicted Mr..
Bridgman on their financial tram
sactionS.
He told the jury the $1,374
check he received from his former
friend and business associate was
part payment for personal
loans. and could in no way be
construed as a fee for services.
Moreover, he said that Mr..
Bridgman still owed him from
"$2.10O to $4,000" on sums he had
loaned him for doctors bills. buy
ing car and paying food and
rent over a period of some 10
years.
Cowart admitted he did every
thing he could as a department
official to put through claims of
Mr.. Bridgman's company for pay
ment of $13,743 on freight charges.
At the time Mr.. Bridgman headed
the Capitol Prefabricators, Inc. of
Brownsville. Tex, which had built
several grain storage bins for the
Government.
Favor For An Old Friend.
Cowart declared he, did this as
a favor for an old friend. His only
motive. he said, was to aid Mr..
Bridgman if his claim was just
because he was near "bankrupcy.
He added he also hoped to collect
part of sums Mr.. Bridgman had
owed him for many years.
Cowart said that in April, 1850
he learned while in the Chicago
Office that the freight claim had
been paid.
He said he telephoned Mr.
Bridgman and asked that he seno
him $500 or $4,000 of what he
owed, but the latter explained hi
was still hard up and could moi
pay that much.
IT told him to send a check tt
my Office" Cowart declared. He
explained Mr.. Bridgman insisted
that "the name of Cowart shoulc
not appear on the check"
Mailed to Secretary.
Cowart told the jury he ther
suggested the check be made ou
in his secretary's name and mailed
to her.
The defendant, he said. ther
telephoned his secretary, Mis-!
1lene j. Chaplin, asking her to re
ceive the check, and to send 81. .10(
of the amount to his personal &C.
count. The check was mailed tt
Miss Chapin's home. in the 170(
block of North Troy street, Arling.
ton. Va.
Miss Chaplin, an attractive
brunette, who was suspended from
the Agricultural Department wher
her boss was fired, told the jury
she received the check, deposited
it to her account in a local bank
and mailed Cowart her check fol
$1,100. She added the remaining
$274 was paid to Cowart in casf
or she spent it on his persona
disbursements.
Reported on Tax Return.
Cowart told the Jury that Mis-
Chaplin, against his advice, re
ported the $1,374 on her incom
tax return. He explained to he
this was q non-taxable repaymen
on a personal loan, and that sh
had merely handled the money TO
him.
Nevertheless. Cowart said. Mis-
Chaplin paid an additional $25
on her taxes that year, and h
gave her his personal check TO
this amount.
Cowart's story that Mr.. Bridg
man once owed him several thou
sand dollars was corroborated b
Henry w. Ewing, a certified publ
accountant of Houston, Tex. MI
Ewing, a friend of long standin
of both men, said he heard tn