Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-08-19
Estes Case
Likely TO Bring
Major Shakeup
Freeman to Move
On Subordinutes
After Senate Quiz
By CECIL HOLLAND
Star Staff Writer

A shakeup in the Agricul-
ture Departments top echelon
appears likely as a result of the
Billie Sol Estes scandal.
Sources close to the admins
tration said yesterday they ex-
pect Secretary of Agriculture
Freeman to move against
several important subordinates
after the Senate Investigations
Subcommittee complete its cur
rent inquiry.
Administration leaders from
the White House down, accord
ing to informed sources, are
highly displeased with the why
the department handled the
Estes affair.
Mr.. Freeman, according to
informed sources, has emerged
from the Senate hearings thus
far in a position which no one
would attack.
SubOrdinates to Pass
But some of his subordinate
officials, it is understood, will
pay the penalty for the admit
nistration's displeasure over its
most embarrassing domestic
situation.
The position of at least two
Agriculture Department off,
Gals is in jeopardy as a result
OF the Estes scandal.
One is Charles S. Murphy,
Undersecretary Of Agriculture.
Mr.. Murphy had a part in the
decisions involving the cotton
allotment operations of the in
dictated Pecos (Tex0 financier.
Another is John c. Bagwell,
the departments general coun-
sci. Mr.. Bagwell was accused
last week by members Of the
Senate subcommittee Of sub
hitting proposals to the Secre-
tary which would have served
as a "bailout" of Estes in his
cotton allotment difficulties.
Acted Against Others
Mr.. Freeman already has
acted against a number Of high
Agriculture Department Off
Gals involved in the Estes case.
He fired former Assistant Sec
rotary James Ralph when it
was disclosed that Mr.. Ralph
had used a telephone credit
card Of Estes.
He requested and received
the resignation Of Emery ia
cobs, another high department
official. after charges were
made that Mr.. Jacobs had ac-
cepted expensive clothing from
Estes. Mr.. Jacobs has denied
this.
Another important official
was reprimanded and a number
of other field employees have
been fired as a result of the
Estes scandal.
But the shakeup. the sources
said. will range up and down
the line in the department
among those involved in the
case. It is understood that it
will bring demotions for some
and important positions and
promotions for others.
Thought in Trouble
Mr.. Freeman was reported at
the beginning of the Senate
investigation as being on the |
spot because of the Estes case
and because of House rejection
of the administrations farm
program.
But the Senate inquiry has
brought out that Mr.. Freeman,
when he was informed fully of
the Estes matter, ordered i'm
mediate action on deals that
had been pending in the de-
partment for four months.
The administrators ire re-
portedly is centered particu-
larly or Mr.. Murphy and Mr..
Bagwell.
Mr.. Murphy. who is yet to
testify in the Senate investiga-
ton, figured in the depart
mental order resembling cancel
lation of the Estes cotton allot-
ments.
Mr.. Bagwell was a witness in
the Senate investigation last
week. He ran into blunt criti-
cism on the basis of what he
called a background report to
Secretary Freeman on Estes