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Show "iLS SI IN ! AIRGRAFT CASES Wilson Frees Two Army Officers Named in Mr. Hughes's Report. Believes Mixter and Vin-i cent Innocent of Improper Im-proper Intentions. WASHINGTON", Dec. 3. Lieutenant- j Colonels J. G. Vincent and George ' Tv. Mixter, army officers named by Charles E. Hughes in his report on the aircraft i Investigation as having been guilty 'of transacting business with private concerns con-cerns in which they were financially interested, in-terested, 'have been pardoned by President Pres-ident Wilson. This announcement was made tonight at the White house: 'Tt was announced at the executive offices of-fices today that the president had par- I doned Lieutenant-Colonel George - AV. Mixter and Lieuterant-Colonel J. G. .Vincent, .Vin-cent, whom the recent report on aircraft production showed to be technically guilty through a breach of statutes, because be-cause he entirely concurs in the views of the attorney general with regard to these two cases. Me believes that the two gentlemen concerned were entirely innocent of any improper or selfish intentions, in-tentions, that their gxiilt was only tech nical, and that their services to the government, gov-ernment, which have been of the highest value and of the most distinguished sort, deserve a, most cordial recognition." Liberty Motor Designer. No action against Colonel Vincent or Colonel Mixror has been taken by the departmenfcof justice, and the granting of full pardons to them was reeom-; mended to the president by Attorney General Gregory, who took up their cases in separate fetters to' the president. These letters were made public tonight. Colonel Yinaent was vice president of the Packard Motor Car company, and waa one of the designers of the Liberty motor. "The authorities authorized Mr. Vincent to build a required number of models and experimental motors, and he directed his company to do the work under un-der his supervision." said Mr. Gregory's" letter to the president. "Later, during tlie progress of the work, he was commissioned in the signal sig-nal corps, resigning as an officer of the Packard company, but retaining the ownership own-ership of his slock. His offense 'is that he acted for the government in connection connec-tion with settling the compensation to bo paid the Packard company for this woi k. Invaluable Services. "There is no evidence that he did not act in entire good faith, or that any j advantage was taken of the government. The production of tho Liberty motor was one of the great achievements in con-neetlon con-neetlon with the war. Colonel Vincent rendered invaluable services in designing and perfecting it." Mr.. Hughes's report said Colonel Mixter Mix-ter owned twenty-five shares of stock of the Curtiss Airplane & Motor corporation, corpora-tion, valued at fi'500, while he acted for the government in supervising inspection arid production at this company's plant. This was held by both Mr. Hughes and Mr. Gregory to violate the law. j Stock Overlooked. "Lieutenant -Colonel Mixter." said Mr. Gregory's tetter to the president, "testified "testi-fied that behind formerly owned a small annum t of hot h common and preferred stock in the company referred to; that at the time he was commissioned he had sold the common stock and overlooked the fact that lie still owned the preferred. There is nothing in the evidence 'warranting 'war-ranting the conclusion that Lieutenant-Colonel Lieutenant-Colonel Mixter did not act in entire good faith in the transaction referred to, or indicating that he was influenced by his ownership of this preferred stock, which paid a fixed dividend. "t.ieutenant-Coloncl Mixter has performed per-formed efficient service for tlie government govern-ment and at a substantial sacrifice. ' |