Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-07-19
Estes Probers
Told Marshall
Shifted Stand
By CECIL HOLLAND
Star staff Writer

By CECIL HOLLAND
Star Staff Writer
A Texas farm aide testified
today that Henry Marshall, the
Agriculture Department Off
cial who was found shot to
death under mysterious cir
cumstances more than a year
ago, reversed himself within a
weeks time on a cotton allot-
ment ruling involving Billie
Sol Estes.
The testimony was given by
Henry S. Carder of PecoS, Tex,
before the Senate Investiga-
lions Subcommittee. The sub
committee is undertaking to
find out whether the PecoS OPP
orator received favored treat
ment in his cotton deals.
Mr.. Carder, a field man as
signed to nine West Texas
counties, testified that a mem
orandum sent out by Mr..
Marshall, one of the top Ag-
riculture Department officials
in Texas, instructed him and
others to seek evidence that
the Estes transactions involved
side agreements which
amounted to the sale of cotton
allotments. Such sales are il
legal.
Within a week after the in
Structions were received in jan
uary, 1861. Mr.. Carder said, he
considered that Mr.. Marshall
had rescinded his order at a
meeting of the departments
field and county aides at Fort
Stockton, Tex.-on January IS.
Sees Estes Shift
The witness said that, at this
meeting. Mr.. Marshall shifted
from the field and county men
to the individuals having cot
ton allotments who bought land
from Estes to show that the
transactions were in good faith.
This was done. Mr.. Carder
said. by having the buyers of
land sign a statement that
their purchases were made in
good faith.
Mr.. Carder testified after j.
Taylor Allen of Provo, Utah,
former Southwest Area direc-
tor for the Agriculture Depart
ment. had testified that at
torneyS for Estes were told that
their transactions were a
scheme for obtaining cotton
allotments and would be held
invalid.
Mr.. Allen testified that steps
were taken at a meeting of
Agriculture Department Of
ficials in Dallas on January
is. 1861. to halt such transfers
Of cotton allotments. The de-
cision was reached at this
meeting to have those buying
land and transferring their al
lotments appear in person in
the county to which the allot-
ments were being transferred
to certify that the transactions
were bona fide. and that there
were no side agreements.
Sends Memorandum
1t was on the basis Of this
meeting that Mr.. Marshall sent
out a memorandum of instruc-
tions which Mr.. Carder said he
considered was rescinded at the
Fort Stockton meeting.
After the Fort Stockton
meeting, Mr.. Carder said he met
John Dennisen, one of Estes
attorneys, and warned him
very severely" that there should
not be any side agreements. He
said Mr.. Dennison assured him
that those he had anything to
do with, morally and legally,
were bona fide agreements.
The witness, questioned by
Subcommittee Chairman Nc
Clellan. Democrat of Arkansas,
said he did not ask for copies
of the agreement but reported
the matter to his superiors in
the Texas office. He said he
later became suspicious when
he learned that the tracts in
volved in the Estes transaction
were narrow strips a mile or
so long.
Protests Qualifications
IF you had been diligent,
you could have told that by
looking at the deed" Senator
Mcclellan said. When Mr..
Carder protested that he did
not feel qualified to do that,
Senator Mcclellan said:
You're not competent to be
a supervisor, in my judgment"
The witness swore he had
met Estes only once, in lust a
hello and goodbye" meeting,
and that he had never &C
cepted any gifts or payments
from the Pecos operator or any
of his associates.
Committee Counsel Donald
ODonnell said Mr.. Carder's
testimony was contradicted by
that Of two county farm man.
ayers who were witnesses at
yesterdays hearing. They said
that at a meeting at Lamesa,
Tex, on January 26-the day
following the Fort Stockton
meeting-Mr. Marshall issued
specific orders to seek out evil
dence Of side agreements in the
cotton deals, Mr.. ODonnell
pointed out.
COntradicts Attorney
The testimony Of Mr.. Allen
fatty contradicted a statement
given by Mr.. Dennison.