Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-18
Lewis
Faces 7 New
Indictments
True Bills Charge
Commentator With
Perjury and Libel
By J. [. MichoeI
Sfur Sfuff corraspondenf

SfoS SIotI Sohssponoent
LEoNARDToWN, Md, Mar.
18.-Radio Commentator Fulton
Lewis. jr.. today faces two new
indictments, one charging
perjury and the other criminal
libel.
William r. Chesley, foreman
Of the st. Marys County March
term grand jury, handed in the
true bills late yesterday to Circuit
Judge Charles c. Marbury and
j. Dudley Digges.
Bench. warrants were issued
Immediately, and Sheriff Willard
B. Long.said he would serve them
as promptly as possible. The
court set bond at $3.50 on each
indictment.
Perjury Is Charged.
The true bill charging perjury
alleges that, on February 10, Mr..
Lewis falsely testified before the
county's September term grand
jury that he had not contributed
to the delinquency of minors by
serving alcoholic beverages to
teen-agers at his Placid Harbor
home a few miles from here.
Mr.. Lewis has offered the place
for sale.
The criminal libel indictment.
the third such formal charge
lodged here against the en-
battled radio newsman, accuses
him Of publishing unprivileged
statements defaming Republican
Senator Paul Bailey, Joseph D.
Weiner, a G. o. P. member Of
the Maryland Accident Com
mission. and Philip H. Dorsey.
jr., longtime county Demo-
cratic leader and prospective
candidate for State Attorney
General.
A st. Marys County weekly
newspaper, the Enterprise, pub
lished the allegedly libelous
material last July 8.
Mr.. Lewis said today that the
charges were utterly ridiculous"
GAS to the criminal libel suit.
that was based on a statement
inserted in the Congressional
Record and reprinted in the En-
terpriSe." Mr.. Lewis said.
He took the position that be-
cause the statement first APP
peared in the Record it was
privileged matter.
In both the news items and
the indictment, the statement
was labeled as having appeared
in the Record" Mr.. Lewis said.
Mr.. Lewis said the other
charge. that of perjury, was
equally unjustified on legal
grounds.
He said the indictment, based
on information he had served
or provided" alcoholic beverages
to minors would not stand up
even if some youngsters had
taken beer out of his ice box
without his knowledge. The law
covers only the selling of drinks
to minors, he said.
1T is another attempt to
throw sand into the public eye
as a result of my investigation"
he said.
Result of Long Feud.
The indictments returned yes
terday were in addition to 81
handed down on February 26 by
the September panel after a
seven-day special session, called
as result of Mr.. Lewis long and
bitter feud with county politi-
clans and Gov. McKeldin.
Mr.. Lewis accused the Gov
ernor of making unwise local
appointments suggested by
county politicians. The politi-
clans retorted that Mr.. Lewis
sought the post on the county
school board awarded to Abe
Weiner and that the radio COM
mentator's nationally broadcast
allegations of lax law enforce
ment were prompted by chagrin.
Abe Weiner, a Lexington Park
businessman, is cousin Of
Joseph w. Weiner.
Four of the 81 true bills accuse
the Weiners and John Orville
Staples, a District businessman.
of conSpiring to violate State
gambling and bawdy house laws
and conspiring to obstruct JUS
tice. Most of the others charge
seven county tavern keepers with
selling liquor to minors.
The February indictments
against Mr.. Lewis charge that
he libeled Senator Bailey in a
letter printed in the Enterprise
last July % and that he libeled
Trial Magistrates J. Donelan
Hurry and Wilson H. Knight in
letter he wrote last April 10
to Gov. McKeldin. The letter
has never been printed.