Evening star., 1959-11-16
HighCOurtOKs
Monitors Fight
To Gust HOffa
Union Boss DeuIt
Crushing Defeat,
Muy Face Trial
BY LEE M. COIN
Star Stan Writer


The Supreme Court today
gave the signal for a board oi
monitors to push q general
housecleaning of the TeamsterS
Union.
Handing James r. Hotfa q
crushing defeat, the court re-
fused to hear q union appeal
challenging the monitors right
to exercise the sweeping powers
they claim.
Backed by the high court
the board Of monitors intends
to move for Mr.. Hoffa's custer
as president OF the l.6-million-
member union.
The monitors also plan to
press charges against Vice
President Owen B. CBert) Bren-
nan and other high TeamsteI
officials, enforce financial con-
trolls, safeguard the rights OF
union members and otherwise
clean up union corruption.
Monitors to Ask Trial
Although Mr.. Hoffa plans to
fight at every turn, the moni-
tors intend to put him on triaI
on charges alleging misuse OF
union funds, encouragement OF
racketeering, sitting of men,
bers' rights, conflicts of in
terest and other abuses Of his
trust and power.
The trial may be held before
District Judge F. Dickinson
Let's. who established the mon
itorship, or before a special
court-appointed officer or panel
If the personal charges fail to
oust Mr.. Hoffa, he may lose the
presidency through prosecution
for contempt of court. He will
risk punishment for contempt
If he disobeys cleanup orders
issued by the three-man board
Iof monitors and upheld by
Judge Let's.
Would Lose Powers
Even if Mr.. Hoffa hangs on
as president Of the union, the
monitors expect to curb his
powers drastically by breaking
up his political machine, tight
ening financial controls and
Strengthening union democracy
to promote rank-and-file vigi-
lance.
The monitors, headed by
Martin F. ODonoghue oi
Washington, are considered the
main challenge to Mr.. Hoffa's
power.
One of the key charges
against Mr.. Hoffa alleges that
he deposited $500,000 of the
funds of Local 299, Detroit, in
the Florida National Bank al
Orlando to back a $5O0,O00 loar
by Henry Lower, his friend anc
business associate. Mr.. Hoffs
is suing the bank to recover
the money. which is in an ac-
count paying no interest to the
union.
Judge Let's established the
membership to police the
Teamsters in January, 1858
Rebel members of the union
had sued to bar Mr.. Hoffa from
taking over as president tc
succeed Dave Beck. They
charged Mr.. Hoffa'S election
the previous fall was "rigged.'
Under the compromise de-
cree, Judge Let's allowed Mr.
Hoffa to take Office as pro
visional" president and ap-
pointed the monitors to over
see the union.
When Mr.. O'Donoghue start
ed to get tough, Mr.. Hoffa
charged the monitors were ex-
ceeding their authority. He
refused to obey key orders ot
recommendation" by the mon
itors.
Two of the three monitors
petitioned Judge Let's in Sep
tember, 1858, for enforcement
of their orders, and asked him
to confirm their cleanup powers
through a broad Interpretation
of the January decree. They
also asked him to prohibit a
quick convention.
Judge Let's gave the moni-
tors what they asked and the
Circuit Court of Appeals here
upheld him in all major re-
spects. Mr.. Hoffa then appealed
to the Supreme Court.