Hiss Indicted On Charge Of Perjury

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22822, 17 December 1948, Page 5

Hiss Indicted On Charge Of Perjury

CIO a.ip.) NEW YORK, Dec. 16. The Federal Grand Jury today indicted a former State Department official, Alger Hiss, on two counts of perjury.

The Grand Jury, which has been investigating espionage in the Government, said it found untrue Hiss’ denial that he gave secret State Department papers to Whittaker Chambers, one of the central figures in the investigations by both the Grand Jury and the House un-American activities Committee. Chambers has accused Hiss and other former Government employees of serving in the Communist underground and furnishing important documents for delivery to Russian agents. The Grand Jury could not indict Hiss for espionage because of the three-year Statute of Limitations. The Grand Jury, after issuing the indictments, was discharged because its 18 months’ term had expired. ' A new Grand Jury which will be convened immediately, will complete the espionage investigations. Hiss, if convicted, will be liable to a fine of 5000 dollars and two years’ imprisonment on each perjury count.