Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-06-03
BOykin Denies
Taking Gifts
From EdIin
SuyslS&L Boss
Made Payment
On Lund Tructs
BY HUGH WELLS
star Staff Writer

btar Statf writer
BALTIMORE, June 3.-For-
mer Alabama Congressman
Frank w. Boykin said today
that he never received any gifts
from savings and loan operator
j. Kenneth Edlin for visiting
the Justice Department in his
behalf, mot even a drink Of
water"
The 79-year-old Mr.. BoykinI
claimed he was never given a.
Cadillac either and reiterated
that Edlin never gave him
even a copper cent, a nickel or
a dime"
He said the only payments
he ever got from Edlin we're
two checks, totaling $4,000,
as down payment for two land
tracts purchased for SO million.
Mr.. Boykin alleged that Edlin
got an excellent bargain on this
deal.
The Government has charged
that Edlin "bailed out" the
Congressman from financial
troubles with the tracts in ex-
change for an unsuccessful eff
fort by Mr.. Boykin to have a
mail fraud Indictment against
Edlin dismissed.
Emphatic Denial
The former Congressman de-
MED emphatically that he or
former Congressman Thomas
F. johnson, also a defendant
in the conspiracy and conflict
of interest trial, ever asked for
dismissal of the Edlin indict-
Iment by the Department Of
Justice. He added that Edlin
had never requested such a
thing and all the two men
wanted was to know whether
the indictment was faulty.
At one point in the testi-
mony, Mr.. Boykin was asked
If Edlin had ever told him
that this is costing me too
much money and I'm not get
ting any results" and If he
had responded "how dare you
speak to me like that"
Mr.. Boykin said he never
would have answered like that.
'I'd have knocked his block
off. :"
Mr.. Boykin also denied
vehemently that he had ever
told Edlin that he would have
nothing to worry about If he
made a loan to a developer of
Edlin land.
Dressed nattily in a dark
blue suit and tie, the tanned
and white-haried Mr.. Boykir
began his testimony by detail.
ing his background.
He said he went to schoo
only eight months and left Nat
the age of 8 when his fathei
was stricken.
No Vacations
Joining a small railroad al
a water boy, the 78-year-olo
Mr.. Boykin said he continued
working z days a week as hard
as he could and never took q
vacation in his life.
He said he did every job or
the railroad. Then at the age
of Is or 10, he said, he signed
a contract to furnish railroad
ties for the company which
soon became one of the largest
tie contracts in the country
He said he also started a store
to furnish all the supplies fol
the business.
Eventually the former Con-
gresham said he became one
of the largest producers Of tur-
pentine and rosin and started
the first stump plant in the
country to get turpentine from
old stumps.
Land Is Replanted
Eventually he said he haC
100000 acres. When asked 4
The replanted this land. he said
MY baby son, Dick, hai
planted over 40 million pint
trees we grow a crop ever
seven years. -"
Waving his horned rimmet
glasses at his counsel, Mr.. Boy
kin said he also had SOM
"off-shoot businesses" One h
mentioned was the third larges
bank in Mobile with fivI
branches. Another was q sal
mine, which he called the larg
est salt mine in the world. Ant
on the same land. he said. oi
was found and now there ar
SO producing oil wells.