Salt Lake Telegram | 1935-06-06 | Page 1 | Jury Indicts Army Officer

JURY INDICTS INDiCT'S ARMY OFFICER Chief of Patents Section Section Section Sec Sec- tion Accused B By Associated Press v WASHINGTON ASHINGTON Juno June 6 UP UP- UP Colonel Joseph L I. McMullen chief of the patents section of the army judge advocate generals general's office was indicted indict d today by by- bya a District of Columbia Columbia Co Co- lumbia grand jury on charges of accepting fees from a n firm lobbying against a tax bill The rhe officer who recently was censured by the secretary of or war for s scandalous conduct was accused accused accused ac ac- ac- ac specifically of or receiving a n retainer retainer re re- re- re tamer of 1500 on July 6 6 1932 from the the- Cuban American Cuban American Manganese corporation for for- representing It in opposing a proposed excise tax on importation of manganese He JIe was a second count with accepting on ou January 3 1933 from the same corporation as monthly compensation The Th charges against the officer developed from a lengthy inquiry by a house military subcommittee Into war department expenditures and business practices Sternly Reprimanded After fler the tile committee had accused McMullen of ot acting as attorney for fora a private company for compensation tion while on active duty with the army army and of giving government business to a firm in which a member member member mem mem- ber o of his family was In interested erest d he was reprimanded sternly by Secretary Sec Dern The rebuke delivered In In a letter signed by Major General James F F. S C Continued o on oa Paso Two S 55 S S l eo S S i S r JURY INDICTS ARMY COLONEL COLONELs s Continued from Irom Pace One Ore McKinley army adjutant general said It is affirmatively established that you caused government bus business bustness bust bust- J ness connected with patent claims 3 with which you were associated ii In your official capacity to be bo placed place with a law firm with which a member mem niem- mem- mem ber of at your immediate family was employed I It is further established that you I J 1 engaged in hi private legal activities I 1 for compensation as attorney fo for tor torI forI firms whose whoso interests were closely I related to the interests of the govI gov gov- I I fl emment J So scandalous wn wa was your a action f In this latter matter that positive I. I ii steps looking to your trial b by cour court martial therefore would bo be taken did not the statute of limitations c I set Ct forth In the articles of war in interpose interpose in- in a bar to the prosecution of at luch a n trial The secretary of at war however directs me to convey to you his deepest censure for both these ac acts which he regards as as of at the ethics and standards of the service i I and to spread upon your our military record this letter of reprimand as the official expression of the war j I departments department's reprobation for your established conduct I The acts in question were said t to have ve occurred in 1931 Writing to Chairman McSwain 1 cf of the house military committee I after the war department had made its own investigation of the case V Dern said that although a court martial for McMullen was prevented prevent prevent- ed by the statute of limitations he was informed that the officer could be tried before a civil court For that reason the secretary added I 1 am transmitting a copy of the report of investigation to tol the general attorney-general of the United States Slates for such action looking to toi i Colonel McMullen's trial in tho the federal federal federal fed fed- eral courts as the facts of the case may b be found to warrant i The department of justice re referred re re- the case to the United States Slates district attorney for the District of Columbia Although still formally assigned to the judge generals general's office office of of- fice lice McMullen listed as a resident of Palo Alto Cal Cat has not been on active duty for tor several months because because because be be- cause of illness I Coincident with the publication of the charges Chairman M McSwain wrote the secretary of war asking that McMullen's projected retirement retirement retire retire- I ment for physical disability be held up because the committee believed it had uncovered additional information information mation matlon concerning acts which occurred occurred occurred oc oc- oc- oc within the time covered by bythe bythe bythe the statute of limitations imitations