The Mellette County Pioneer

COLONEL FORBES INDICTED
BY THE U. S. GRAND JURY

Former Head of the Veterans' Bureau
Held on Charge of
Bribery.

Chicago.—Col. Charles R. Forbes, former director of the United States veterans bureau, and John W. Thompson, contractor of Chicago and St. Louis, were named in four indictments returned by the federal grand jury which has spent a month investigating charges of waste, graft and debauchery in connection with Col. Forbes' administration.

Forbes and Thompson were named jointly in two indictments charging conspiracy to commit bribery and offenses against the government, and conspiracy to defraud the United States government. Forbes was named alone in a third indictment on a charge of accepting a bribe and Thompson in a fourth charging that he had indirectly given a bribe.

In a special report which accompanied the indictments, the grand jury indicated that other sensational developments involving alleged graft had been uncovered, but because they were not within the jurisdiction of the court had not been pursued.

"We do not feel," the special report said, "that it would serve the best interests of the government for this jury at this time to make public the details of these transactions. This jury feels that it will suffice to report that they involve:

1. Speculation by one or more officials of the government wherein it had been asserted that official information was used for purposes of speculation.

2. That certain sums of money were paid to two members of congress.

3. That possession of a file of one of the departments for about a month was had by persons having no official connection with such department.

4. That money was accepted by certain individuals (not attorneys) for the purpose of obtaining clemency for prisoners through their intimacy with officials.

5. That money was collected by certain individuals (not attorneys) for obtaining through such intimacy permits for intoxicating liquor."