Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-07-26
2 Accused of Misusinq
S128, 4O5 Union Funds

Continued From First Page
1891 over the last three-yeal
period that were paid for BY
the union. The charges included
bills for Klenert, his wife, hi
four children, his mother anc
"a friend"
The record indicated extern
sive travel by Klenert with hi:
family to what Committet
Counsel Kennedy said wert
Florida hotels in winter anC
Northern hotels in summer.
The hotels were located in Der.
muda. Maine, Miami Beach anc
Boca Ration, Fla. Senator Cur.
tbs inquired at one point If the
union had any locals in Ber-
muda or had held any con-
ventions there. Committee In.
vestigator Alphonse Calabrest
said no.
Air Travel Charges
The committee listed ques-
tionable air travel charges paic
by the union for Klenert's
family and friends at $780, ir
the last three years and ques-
ftionable air travel for Klenert
himself for the same period al
$1,897. Klenert's travel in-
cluded II trips to Miami and
two to Rockland. Me-, in the
1955-57 period.
A majority of the personal
purchases attributed to Klenert
were paid for on hotel bills, ac-
cording to the committee evil
dence. 1t was explained that
Klenert and his wife would
order purchases sent COD to
their hotels in Miami and other
places and in turn the hotels
would bill the union for them.
Such paid out" charges by the
hotel also included cash.
Klenert, as secretary-treas-
urer of the union. approved of
all such payments by the
union.
$86,364 in Hotel Bills
The committee said that
Klenert's total hotel bills from
1854 up to January 26, 1857,
in Washington, New York,
Miami Beach, Los Angeles,
Bermuda and other places to-
tailed $86,364.
This included paid outs
totalling $30,036 of which $12,-
GA was in cash advances, $14,-
l07 for c. o. D. packages, 1911
for golf, cabanaS and solarium
and $2,312 for other expenses
The committee questioned car
rentals at Miami Beach to-
falling $2,314. Klenert made
the practice, the committee
brought out, of renting the
Cadillac convertible while stay
ing at that resort.
The committee also charged
Klenert with improperly using
$4,000 on personal purchases
made with the use of a diners
club" credit card. These pur-
chases. it was said, were for a
variety of leather goods such
as handbags and picture frames
bought at Camalier & Buck
ley's on Connecticut avenue.
The committee also accused
Klenert and Valente of taking
personally a discount totaling
about $4,000 when they turned
in their convertibles in 1855
and obtained new automobiles
paid for by the union.
Full List Price Paid
Richard Lynham of the
Moore-Greer Motors, Inc. 400
Connecticut avenue, testified
that the union paid the full list
price of $500 each for the
Lincoln convertibles. He added
that with the discount credited
to the union, the purchases
would have cost the union
$1,000 less.
Klenert also was questioned
again about his sworn teSti-
lnony that he paid a Canadian
he knew only as Jacques" ST.
500 in 1852 for work in assisting
the union in Kidding itself of
Communists.
Mr.. Kennedy said the COM
mittee had checked this story
and Canadian labor sources
said the work had been handled
by Harold C. Banks, director
of the Canadian Seafarer'S
Union. isn't it true there was
no such man as Jacques. Mr..
Kennedy asked.
Klenert said he was not ia
miliar with Banks role but
again he was unable to name
anyone who might know
Jacques"
Just "a Coincidence"
Valente, on the stand for the
first time yesterday. testified
it was lust coincidence" that
the $4,000 deposited with the
Mutual Title Co. for the pur-
chase of a union building" was
the exact amount the two
houses cost. Valente's. at 3507
Saul road in Rock Greek Hills,
cost $42.500. and Klenert's. at
1901 Old Spring road, in the
same subdivision, cost $50 500.
Valente acknowledged that
he and Klenert borrowed
$4,000 Of the SOS. 900 and used
it in purchasing the homes. But
he insisted. as Klenert had pre-
viously, that this was just "a
device" in carrying out a union
approved move to slash away a
slush fund for an expected bat
tie with a CLIO textile group
coming into their organization
Valente. likewise. insisted
that It was still a coincidence
that the amount the union
decided to lay away was about