Evening star., 1960-04-28
By LEE M. COIN
Star stan Writer

star stan writer
A lawyer for James r. Hoffa
today accused court-appointed
monitors of trying to frame
him to get control of the
Teamsters Union.
Arguing in District Court
for an injunction to block Mr..
Hoffas trial on charges of mis-
using union funds, Jacob Koss-
man also accused the monitors
of trying to destroy" and
bankrupt" the 1.6- million
member union in their drive
to oust Mr.. Hoffa as president.
Mr.. KoSsman also suggested
that the monitors should be
put in jail" and charged that
they committed a fraud" on
the courts in filing the charges
against Mr.. Hoffa.
Mr., Kossman told Federal
District Judge Joseph r. Jack
son-who replaced Judge F..
Dickinson Let's yesterday
that he could prove his alle-
cations through documents
and sworn testimony if granted
a full hearing on the injunc-
ton motion.
Charges Delay
1t is the monitors, not Mr..
Hoffa, who have been delaying
the litigation, Mr.. Kossman
said. Referring to fees paid
to the monitors by the union
under a court decree, he said:
They are the only ones who
are cleaning UP. The more
they delay. the more they get
paid. E. . They want to destroy
Mr.. Hoffa. and after they de-
stroy Hoffa they want to take
control of the Teamsters Union.
=. A fabulous fortune awaits
them"
"The people who prosecute
him (Mr. Hoffa) under the
guise of being angels are the
ones who are doing the wicked
things" Mr.. Kossman charged.
He aimed his fire at Martin F.
ODonoghue, chairman Of the
Board of Monitors, and Godfrey
P. Schmidt, a former monitor
and now lawyer for some anti
Hoffa members of the union.
Eager for Power"
Mr.. Kossman called the
membership "a scheme Matched
in the minds of people eager
for power" who are trying to
take over the union while
"spouting hifalutin ethical
phrases.
Mr.. ODonoghue has said
that he has tried without sue
cess to reduce the fees of the
three monitors, who are paid
SIS an hour plus expenses.
Mr.. KoSsman contended that
Mr.. Hoffa has higher moral
standards" than Mr.. O'Donog-
hue because "he has no greed
or love for money" gives to
charity and lives "frugally."
Mr.. Kossman also charged
the monitors with being "a
fifth column" and accused Mr..
ODonoghue of draft break
ing" in helping to obtain the
release of a lawyer named Ray
Handel from the Army to serve
on his staff.
At one point in his argu-
ments, Mr.. Kossman conceded
that strictly speaking this
shouldn't be part of argument"
on the injunction motion.
Judge Jackson replied that
that's just what 1 was think
ing" but added that he had
mo notion of suppressing any
thing you want to say"
Mr.. Kossman contended the
monitors are exceeding their
authority in pressing the
charges to oust Mr.. Hoffa. He
said Mr.. Hoffa is willing to
comply with any court order
and wants only the right to
call a new convention. The
membership would be dissolved
Immediately after a convention
David Previant, lawyer for
the union as distinguished from
Mr.. Hoffa as an individual, ar
gued that the courts have nc
right to remove Mr.. Hoffa. He
said that such disciplinary &C.
ton would violate the Teamster
constitution which lays out the
procedure for the removal Of
officers.
Mr.. Previant also argued
that the monitors are exceed
ing their authority under a rul'
ing by the United States Court
of Appeals last June inter.
preting the 1858 decree estab-
fishing the monitors and al
lowing Mr.. Hoffa to take office
Professionally.
Defends Deal
He said the Florida real es-
tate deal that forms the basis
for the charges against Mr.
Hoffa did not cost the unior
any money. He said the trans
action was legitimate.
If Judge Jackson refuses tt
issue an injunction. he is ex'
pected to push ahead promptly
with the civil trial.
Judge Jackson took the cast
yesterday after Judge Let's dis
qualified himself. Mr.. Hoffs
had charged him with per
sonal bias and prejudice" Judge
Let's said he Rad no choice