By H.E.C. Bryant in Charlotte Observer
Washington, April 24—Gaston B. Means, well-connected and well-known in North Carolina, is in trouble again if affidavits filed with the department of justice can be backed up with reliable evidence. This attack comes from Chicago, where he is disliked by a group of wealthy bankers connected with the old murder charge at Concord.
Department of justice agents are searching for Means, formerly employed for special work by William J. Burns, director of the bureau of investigation. They are investigating charges made by certain owners of warehouse liquor who claim that he, representing himself as an agent of the department of justice, swindled them out of large sums of money. John W.H. Crim, assistant attorney general in charge of criminal prosecution, explained that Means had been engaged by Mr. Burns, and that Mr. Burns was in California and had not made a report to him on Means.
“We are hunting for Means,” said he, “and I am going to get the facts about his connection with the department from Mr. Burns. It takes a little time to do these things. This is a matter that deserves serious and careful attention. It must have prompt, vigorous and intelligent consideration.
“Mr. Burns can tell just when Means quit the department, and what he did while here. I shall not rush through his papers to get the facts, but shall let him tell me the story.”
Mr. Crim declared that he had seen a copy of the affidavit sent to the treasury department by E.M. Salomon of Chicago, who accused Means and an associate with “shaking” him down for thousands of dollars on a promise to have his liquor transferred from a warehouse. Salomon declared that his loss was more than $100,000. Charles W. Johnson of Philadelphia claims to have lost from $15,000 to $20,000 in the same way. More people are ready to make similar affidavits. Treasury officials believe that the complaints will run up a half hundred or more.
The Means scheme, it is said, commenced to operate last fall. Acting Attorney General Augustus T. Seymour said today that the last record he could find of Means drawing money from the department for work done was in February, 1922. He explained that Mr. Burns had employed Means.
Speaking for the department, Mr. Seymour said:
“As far as I can determine form newspaper articles and rumors, certain persons who desired immunity from punishment or protection against prosecution by the department of justice claim to have paid certain sums of money to Gaston B. Means and others upon their promise to obtain such immunity or protection. Up to this time no one has claimed that either Means or anyone else has been successful in obtaining the desired results. If promises have been made to obtain favors from the department of justice, no one has been able to deliver such favors. As between men who have attempted to purchase such influence and men who have promised to deliver such influence for payment, I am interested to the extent only that if any one has offered or paid a bribe to any employe of the department of justice while in the service of the government it would be a serious crime on the part of both parties to the transaction.
“Mr. Crim reported to me some of these facts 10 days ago, and he has been conducting an investigation since that time. He is in full charge of the criminal work of the department and undoubtedly will see to it that any person who has been promised immunity from punishment will be put on trial as speedily as possible, and anyone who has been guilty of crime under the federal statutes will be promptly prosecuted.”
Means has been in the limelight for five or six years. He was charged with killing Mrs. King, a wealthy Chicago woman, for whom he had worked, at his old home, Concord, N.C., and was tried and acquitted. Soon after Mr. Burns was appointed head of the bureau of investigation of the department of justice he engaged Means to do some special work. For 10 or more years prior to that time Means had worked for the Burns Detective agency in various capacities. He and Mr. Burns have been very close friends for years. During the world war, but before the Unites States entered it, they were engaged by various nations for particular jobs. Means was one of the lieutenants of Boy-Ed, head of the German detective force in this country.
When it became known that Means was connected with the department of justice, protests from Chicago, North Carolina, and other places began to pour in. Senator Simmons of North Carolina ssked Mr. Burns about Means’ connection, and Mr. Burns wrote him that he was doing certain special work the nature of which could not be made public. Soon the storm against Means became so strong and widespread that Attorney General Daugherty had him suspended. Still complaints came. It was asserted by people in the department who knew Means that he was still occupying a room there. But after a few months, the talk about him died down, and he lived here at a popular northwest hotel, and conducted private business.
It was generally understood that he had resumed his old place with the Burns agency. Several weeks ago Secretary Mellon was informed that Means was engaged in a lucrative game with owners of large quantities of liquor. Affidavits followed, and they were turned over to the department of justice. Means left here some time ago, presumably for his health. Mr. Crim said today the last he heard of him he was in New York. Some of his friends reported that he was in Florida.
It was generally understood that he had resumed his old place with the Burns agency. Several weeks ago Secretary Mellon was informed that Means was engaged in a lucrative game with owners of large quantities of liquor. Affidavits followed, and they were turned over to the department of justice. Means left here some time ago, presumably for his health. Mr. Crim said today the last he heard of him he was in New York. Some of his friends reported that he was in Florida.
It was generally understood that he had resumed his old place with the Burns agency. Several weeks ago Secretary Mellon was informed that Means was engaged in a lucrative game with owners of large quantities of liquor. Affidavits followed, and they were turned over to the department of justice. Means left here some time ago, presumably for his health. Mr. Crim said today the last he heard of him he was in New York. Some of his friends reported that he was in Florida.
It was generally understood that he had resumed his old place with the Burns agency. Several weeks ago Secretary Mellon was informed that Means was engaged in a lucrative game with owners of large quantities of liquor. Affidavits followed, and they were turned over to the department of justice. Means left here some time ago, presumably for his health. Mr. Crim said today the last he heard of him he was in New York. Some of his friends reported that he was in Florida.
The men who claimed to have been fleeced by Means tell an interesting story. They say that Means and an associate, a man who never had any connection with the department, approached them with a very plausible proposition to get liquor moving. They were to secure permits for so much per barrel, but would not take the money until the goods were delivered. But the tax had to be paid before the stuff could leave the warehouse. This mounted up in a hurry, for it was more than $6 a gallon. The co-operating victim put up that money, and, according to evidence in the hands of government agents, he never saw Means or his pale any more.
Means will fight. He is not convicted by a long shot, but the department of justice is going into the case thoroughly with a view to prosecuting him on the charge of bribery, conspiracy, or impersonating an officer.
If it turns out that Means did “shake” down the liquor people while he was an employee of the department of justice, he may have to answer for accepting a bribe and for conspiracy to violate the laws of the nation. If he acted after he quit, but represented himself to be an agent of the department, he can be indicted for impersonating an officer to defraud.
Mr. Crim refused today to state whether or not he thought Means was guilty. He rested on the declaration that he would not promptly and vigorously get at the truth. His first great desire is to hear from Burns, and his second, to locate Means.
From the front page of the Concord Daily Tribune, April 25, 1923. If you are looking for information about Gaston Means, be sure to search for his name in this blog. There are many articles about his murder trial.
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