Show OFFICIALS BACK DACK COL GOL MULLEN Army Purchase Fraud Trial THaI Is Pressed WASHINGTON Feb 18 UP p- p Frederick H Hr Payne assistant secretary secretary sec see of ot war var-In var in Ule Hoover Hoover administration administration admin admin- administration today accepted full ull responsibility responsibility responsibility re re- re- re for some orno army contracts contracts contracts con con- tracts und under r stud study at atthe the court martial martial martial mar mar- of Colonel Joseph Joseph Joseph-I.- L L' McMullen Testifying at McMullen's J trial trial i on charges o of dishonorably accepting two round trip railroad tickets to San Francisco from Joseph Silverman Silverman Silverman Silver- Silver man New York dealer dealer- in surplus army supplies Payne said the accused accused accused ac ac- ac- ac officer was his adviser on negotiations negotiations ne ne- negotiations ne- ne with Silverman concerning concerning concernIng concern concern- ing sales of army underwear I r surely would not have havo reached any agreement not in the best in interest interest interest in- in terest of the United States he be said Assistant Secretary of Var ot War Woodring Woodring Woodring Wood- Wood ring Paynes Payne's successor yesterday had lad assumed responsibility similarly similar similar- b ly y for a later contract The army's lawyers were charged with wandering far afield afield among among winter underwear and cotton breeches at breeches at today's trial Union suits stilts for the C C C and cotton underpants for lor the cava cavalry 1 r the tho colonels colonel's chief attorney Wil WI- ham liam Ham Leahy of Washington pleaded with the court had nothing to do with the case The charge is about railroad tickets said Leahy Major General Upton Birnie head of tho the court overruled overrule Leahy permitting permitting permitting per per- the army to continue continuo its wandering Oliver J. J Grimes executive assistant assistant assistant assist assist- ant to the secretary of war told of sending t to the attorney generals general's office a a. memorandum from Silverman Silverman Silver Silver- Silverman man in which the latter contended the government would lose if it it did not buy a n consignment of underwear from him Mr Grimes is a n. former Salt Lake Lako City news news- This memorandum he ho said was dated February 14 1934 1 |