Evening star., 1963-04-30
JohnsonFires
Back atTwo
U. 5. Charges
Witnesses Tell
Of EdIin Rental,
AuwyeT Testifies
BY HUGH WELLS
star staff Writer

Former Representative Thomas
II. Johnson continued his de-
fense today iby attacking two
key allegations Of the Govern
ment in his conspiracy and
conflict Of interest trial.
His lawyer. George Cochran
Doub, has called three wit
nesses in an attempt to prove
that the rental Of Mr.. john
sons Snow Hill, Md. law office
by j. Kenneth Edlin was not
part of any payment to Mr..
Johnson for pleading Edlin's
case before the Justice Depart
ment.
Also, q Virginia lawyer was
put on the stand to testify
concerning legal matters he had
performed for Mr.. johnson in
Brooke, Va. ~
Mr.. johnson Is >coTitending |
that fees totaling S17,55O paid |
TO him by Ehlin were for legal
services rendered and also for
paying other lawyers.
For Influence. U. s. Says
The Government contends
they were part Of the payment
for attempting to influence the
Justice Department into drop
ping a mail fraud case against
Edlin.
On trial in the conspiracy
case are Mr.. johnson, former
Representative Frank w. Boy
kin, Edlin, and Edlin's assist
ant, William L. Robinson.
A furniture dealer from
Ocean City and q real estate
broker from Berlin, Nd, testi-
fled yesterday and today that
they headed two groups which
approached Mr.. johnson in an
attempt to have a Federal saw
ings and loan institution estab-
lished on the Eastern Shore.
Both attempts were unsuccess-
ful.
The Government has charged
that Edlih paid Mr.. johnson
5000 q mbnth for four months
without ever establishing any
office in the Snow Hill build
ing for his First Continental
Savings and Loan Association.
Rent Called "AbOut Right"
Calvin Bruitt. the real estate
broker, also testified that he
thought the building was worth
5000 and that the $500 a
month rent was about right"
Under dross examination he
said he did not know that the
bnilding had been assessed at
S3,70O.
A Baltimore federal savings
and loan president testified that
he had been asked to join one
Of the meetings and then had
the situation surveyed.
/ Sam WI Borden, president of
1oyola Federal Savings q Loan
Association, claimed there was
no evidence Of any industrial
growth and that the population
had even decreased in the area
50 there was no need Of q loan
institution.
| The next witness on the
stand was James Ashby, jr., an
attorney from Fredericksburg,
Va. He testified that he had
done some complicated legal
work in transferring the title
Of land in Brooke, Va, owned
by Mr.. Boykin, to Edlin's
Leisure City Corp. He said the
fee for this was $4,000.
Wrote Speech. Aide Says
Manuel Buarque, once an ad-
ministrative aide to former
Representative johnson. told
the court yesterday that he.
and no one else, had written a
controversial speech given by
Mr.. Johnson in the House Of
Representatives.
The Government alleges that
the speech. defending inde-
pendent savings and loan asso-
Citations, was part Of the con-
spiracy TO deprive the Govern
ment of the honest services Of
members Of Congress and later
to block indictment pending
against Edlin.
Martin Heflin. Washington
public relations man, tes-
titled early In the trial that
the speech had been his idea
and that Mr.. Robinson h a d
written one which he CHeflin)
had edited and presented to
Mr.. johnson.
Mr.. Buarque. who stated he
had been an ordained Metho-
dist minister before joining Mr..
Johnson's staff, contended he