Evening star. [volume], March 28, 1924, Page 2, Image 2

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
2
ATTACKING COUPLE,
BANDITSGET 11,500
Aged Mother and Son Beat
en and Robbed of Fu
neral Money.
Aroosed about 2:30 this morning by
the breaking down of the door of
their bedroom, William B. Simmons,
fifty-eight years of age. of Capitol
Heights, Md.. and his mother, Mrs.
Evelyn Simmons of Sidney. Md., were
attacked at the home of the mother
»t Sidney, badly beaten, and robbed of
currency totaling between $1,500 and
$2,000. The assailants were three or
four white men. and were masked,
according to the meager description
Simmons could give.
Two shots were fired by the robbers,
but neither iJrs. Simmons nor her
eon was struck by bullets.
Aroused as the door broke, Sim
mons said, two men leaped upon him,
and grappling with him. inquired
••Where's that money?” Simmons said
be had no money, and struggled with
the men. He had one man down on
the floor, he added, choking him.
when the other struck him over the
bead with a blunt weapon, and
knocked unconscious. His mother, in
another bed, was also knocked un
conscious by a blow on the temple.
'Pook Kirin cm I Money.
The assailants then went through
Simmons clothes and took more than
51,000 in bills which he had intended
to use for payment of expenses in
cident to the funeral of his brother,
who died last Saturday, 190 of his
own money, and a gold watch chain
with a diamond set in the fob.
Fifteen minutes later Mrs. Simmons
became conscious, and she and her
son walked to the home of Charles
Gladman. a neighbor, 150 yards dis
tant, where they were treated for
bead cuts and lacerations. Their
wounds were declared not to be seri
ous by a physician.
John O. Simmons, brother of Wil
liam. who died last Saturday, left, ac
cording to neighborhood gossip, a
considerable sum of money in the
bouse. He was buried Tuesday, and
since that time William had been
staying with his mother at the family
home.
Tore W oman’* Clothes.
During the struggle Mrs. Simmons'
clothing was partly tom off. as the I
robbers, temporarily baffled in their i
search, hunted everywhere for money. I
They tore Simmons' clothes after t
they had located the money in the
pockets. John Simmons is said *n
have left between $14,000 and $15,000.
most of which was in a Washington
bank.
The robbers left as clues only the
lining of a man's felt hat, size 60s.
and a footprint in a pile of ashes
where one man jumped from the
porch. Neighbors said they heard a
small automobile start about 2:43
this morning, a few moments, accord
ing to Simmons, after he had been
attacked.
I'nnble to Reach Gun.
Behind the bed on which Simmons
lay was a loaded shotgun, hut the
men were upon him so quickly he
bad no time to get it. Deputy Sheriff
Fugitt of Prince Georges county is
investigating the affair, trying to
link it up with an attempted robbery
of John Simmons about five months
ago. Detective Sergts. Mullen and
Mansfield of the Washington police
force visited the scene of the crime
today. Mansfield was unable to lo
cate any fingerprints op other marks
made by the assailants. He found an
empty .32-caliber revolver shell and
an unexploded cartridge.
WJH. CHURCH RADIO:
SLAIN, SILENCED:
I
Rev. Earle Wilfley Told Boyer
Company Action Follows
Phone Suit.
i
The voice of WJH. one of Wash- i
Ington’s pioneer radio broadcasting I
stations, has been silenced, ending I
temporarily, at least, the religious I
broadcasting service of the Vermont j
Avenue Christian Church.
The only explanation given for the
‘signing off” of WJH by William P. j
Boyer of the William P. Boyer Com- j
pand, owners of the station, is that !
his operator advised him to stop, i
Tlarle Wilfley. pastor of the Vermont j
Avenue Christian Church, however, j
ascribed the cessation to the “exis- '
tence of an apparent monopoly.”
Dr. Wilfley declared that the Boyer
Company had informed him that WJH
had been compelled to discontinue
broadcasting in order to avoid prose
cution by the American Telephone
and Telegraph Company, which in
stituted a suit in New York recentiy
to protect its patents affecting radio
telephone broadcasting.
Pastor Resents More.
“There is a growing feeling that
a monopoly exists to put the inde
pendent broadcasters out of business.”
said Dr. Wilfley. “I strongly resent
this idea if it is true. I feel that the
American people will never stand for
a monopoly in the great science of
radio broadcasting.”
The Sunday evening services of the
Vermont Avenue Christian Church
have been broadcast for more than
a. year by WJH with the result that
the church has built up a large in
visible congregation. Dr. Wilfley is
anxious that the religious services
continue to go out on the ether,
and the publicity committee of the
church is planning to take some ac
tion that will make this possible.
The action of the Boyer company in
closing its station under fear of
prosecution was viewed at the Ches
apeake and Potomac Telephone Com
pany today as an excuse for stepping
out of the broadcasting service. It
was explained that neither the com- i
I>any nor the American Telegraph
and Telephone Company had indi
cated that it would take any steps
to close WJH. A statement issued
by the American Telegraph and Tele
phone Company in New York several
days ago. it was pointed out. declared
that "a monopoly either of broad
casting for entertainment of the pub
lic or for hire is not desirable from
any point of view” and that ’’there
has been no danger and is no danger
of such a monopoly.”
One Voter Eligible ,
All Others Forgot
i Election Was Sear
i
I Bj the Associated Press.
' ONTARIO. Calif., March 28 —To
day is election day in Camp Baldy
School district, and yet, although
every one knows the vote which
can be cast and knows that the
whole vote can swing only one
way, no one knows how the elec
tion will come out. or whether, in
deed. there will be any.
Only one eligible voter remember
ed to'register early enough to give
him the legal right to cast a bal
lot, it developed in a check of the
registration list, and at an early
hour today it had not been decided
whether he could legally act as
i election Judge and inspector as
-well «e art* voter. .
j Beaten and Robbed ■
' 11 ■ ■—]
! William It. and hw mother,
IMnt. Kvelyn Simmons, \irtims of ;
robbers, who entered home of the lat- j
ter, at Sidney. Md., early today.
! VALET DESCRIBES
PARTIES HELD IN
DAUGHERTY’S HOME]
(Continued from First I'age.)
Company, refused to co-operate with
his investigation, “withholding records
and refusing access to books.”
“What other cases have you investi
gated down there?”
“The Wright-Martin, Dnesenberg
motor, Nordyke and Marnion, and
several others.”
"What reports did you make as to
the Wright-Martin Company?”
“That they return to the govern
ment $2,000,000."
From the Duesenberg motor, he re- !
ported, the government should re- j
ceive back $<500,000. As to the others j
| he did not know.
The Wrignt-Mariin case was sub- j
mitted to the Department of Justice. !
“which started an action and then
stopped it." Pickering said. “At least.
I Col. Haywood, down in New York
• started a case, and it was called
down to Washington and stopped.”
Believes Cases Delayed.
“Isn't it a fact that all these mat
ters were delayed from time to time
until all of the men in the service
had gotten scattered around the
country and resigned?" Senator
Wheeler asked.
"That was my understanding of
what was done,” Pickering said.
The Lincoln Motor Company, he said,
was charged with an "overpayment”
of $4,825,000.
At Mitsui Ac Co., Pickering said, “all
the people were Japs.”
Mr. Howland took him over for
cross-examination. Pickering said
he went to the War Department ac-
I counting service in 1017.
Cases that he took up for audit
and investigation were often those
that had been “closed” during 1019,
Pickering agreed.
Checking Old Accounts.
"What you were often doing, then, j
was checking over settlements that j
! had been previously made?” Mr. {
I Howland asked.
Pickering said, “yes,” as to the
Standard Aircraft and Wright-Martin |
I cases.
I As to the Lincoln Motor Company’s |
| final settlement, Pickering said he
was not informed.
Mitsui & Co. had “financed” the
! Standard Aircraft. Pickering explain
! ed, "and then took it over after the
j war.” The Wright-Martin case, he
| concluded, was the only otie in which
| he had worked after the Department
I of Justice took charge,
j He was excused.
| "What kind of duties did thw»e men
| perform?” Chairman Brookhart asked.
| “Investigating employes of the Wright
! Martin Company—investigating sub
• contractors.” Pickering said,
j “Was this work done under a profit-
I and-loss contract?” Senator Jones in
! quired.
“It was.”
Walter Miller, former negro valet to
Attorney General Daugherty, was called.
He went into service with E. B. Mc
lean before President Hardings in
auguration, Miller said, and met Attor
ney General Daugherty while so em
ployed.
He told of "going to the H street
house, 1509 H street, to take charge for
Jess Smith and Mr. Daugherty, and later
of working for them as messenger for
the Department of Justice.
“Wan Male Chambermaid.”
Jess Smith paid him his salary and
he was employed as everything, j
“valet, chambermaid.” Miller said.
The witness said Albert B. Fall,
Col. James G. Darden. J. W. Zevely ;
j and other were callers "at our house.” i
j He also said Orr brought liquor in a !
j “dress suit case” several times. There
was “a week's suppiy" in the wall
! safe usually, he added. 1
Sinclair had frequently “tipped"
him in amounts of “over $lO and less
than $100,” he said.
There was "plenty” of liquor in
the H street house, kept in "a safe
in the wall.” Miller said.
He had seen “Will Orr” at the
house “half a dozen times,” he added
and Howard Manington was “a very
welcome visitor.”
“Slmelnlr Was Visitor.”
Miller said Harry F. Sinclair vis
ited the Daugherty house “whenever i
| he was in the city,” and "discussed |
business.” i
Smith paid all H street house bills
with checks on Washington Court j
House and other Ohio banks.
Miller said "everybody,” including J
W. J. Buyns. Will H. Hays, Ogden j
Armour, Thomas B. Felder and many
others, came to thi* house. Felder
came "frequently.” he added.
Many "seeking” government ap- !
pointinents called at the Daugherty
house, the witness said. Richard
Washburn Child was one of the call
ers. he added, and he knew of Child's
appointment to the Rome embassy
"before it came out in the papers.”
“DiKciuaed Prospective Appointees.”
Miller said he had often heard
Daugherty and Smith discuss qualifi
cations of prospective federal ap
pointees. He identified John Ring
ling, the circus man. as among those
who "had dined” at the H street
house.
The discussion at the Ringling
dinner involved a plot of ground in
Pittsburgh for the circus.“which, it
seemed, tho Attorney General's broth
er owned."
Miller said he knew nothing of a
money bell worn by Jess Smith.
After “his operation” Smith wore a
“silk and rubber” belt to protect the
wound. Miller said. He also recalled
Pure Oil and White Motors as among
stocks Smith'owned.
“Who came to play cards?"-Senator
Wheeler pursued.
y—wwnhei- occasion, at YOtatcd-
THE EVENING STAR, WASHTNG'foH, D. t?„ TRIBAY. MARCH 28. T 024.
GIRL FOUND IN RIVER
IS DECLARED SUICIDE
* \
"
i Body Recovered Today Identified
as Helen Smoot, l&r of
Kensington, fid.
Relatives identified the body of a
girl found In the Potomac this morn
ing. under the government wharf, at
the foot of I* street, as that of Helen
Smoot, eighteen years old, of Ken
sington, Md. Following a report by
Detective Sergt. Thompson, who in
vestigated the case, Coroner Nevitt
issued a certificate of suicide.
Detective Thompson reported that
Sergt. John O'Grady, in charge of
the wharf of the Washington bar
racks, had reported seeing the girl
yesterday, when she talked witn him
about her fear that relatives were
preparing to send her back to a
sanatorium for treatment of mental
disorders.
A brother of Miss Smoot visited,
the morgue this afternoon and
identified the body.
man Tark when Col. Zevely, Sinclair,
Secretary Fall, Smith and Mr. Daugh
erty played,” Miller said. At the H
street house, he said, “I only remem
ber social games.” *
He did not know how much money
passed.
Miller named other visitors.
“Did you ever receive any goods
from J. Ogden Armour?”
“I wouldn’t say it in those terms,”
Miller said. "The Washington repre
| sentatlve of that firm sent us hams,
j bacon and such things. No bills ever
came with them.”
“Did you know Alex Moore?”
' “Yes, he came from Pittsburgh."
Saw Burns In Bath.
“Did you ever hear Mr. McLean and
Daugherty discuss Peyton Gordon?”
“Nothing that would impress me—
he was seeking appointment.”
Miller said he saw W. J. Bums
March 15 last in a Turkish bath.
“I told him some one Was trying
I to get information from me and he
said: 'Oh, tell 'em to go to hell,* and
I walked away.”
Miller said he went to the Attorney
General to report that “a person was
trying to get information from me.”
“Mr. Daugherty didn’t seem to be
I much interested.” Miller said. "He
| was at Wardman Park. He got Mr.
Howland.”
“1 was present,” Mr. Howland put
in.
Miller did not want to say who the
“person seeking information was”
until he had opportunity to “tell that
i person.” The "information” sought
! concerned the investigation of the
! Attorney General.
Name* Harvey Phelpv
' The person is Harvey Phelps.”
Miller finally said. "He is an investi
gator.”
“Phelps worked for Shingle & C 0.,”
I Miller said —a private detective
agency, “and ran across me in a hap
hazard way.”
"I know he wasn't looking for me,”
Miller asserted, “but be asked me
what I had been doing, and I told
him, working for Mr. Daugherty, and
right away he grabbed at it.”
Concerning Harvey Phelps.
“Now this Harvey Phelps—it is
Phillips, isn't it? lie is working for
i Frank A. Vanderlip, isn't he?” asked
' Mr. Howland.
Miller did not know. He told of
j "going to New York with my lawyer,
] Mr. Beckett, to see this firm of de-
I tectives” and of making a statement
in New York.
“You have testified that you rushed
right up to the Attorney General as
soon as you got this,” Mr. Howland
went on. "You were tight as a
lord —under the influence of liquor ”
“No, sir, I was not.”
“You looked that way to me.” How
land countered. “Didn’t you hint to
the Attorney General that*you wanted
a little piece of change?”
“He gave me a dollar," Miller said.
Howland asked for the affidavit
Miller made in New York. Senator
Wheeler said he “had it.”
••But No Tunnel*."
There were two entrances to the H
street house. Miller went on, "but no
tunnels.”
Chairman Brookhart asked for the
rental of the hotel apartment to which
the Attorney General moved, but Mil
ler did not know it, and when Mr.
Howland offered to furnish the fig
ures there was a wrangle.
“The trouble with your client Is
j that he'll furnish us anything after
i we get it from somewhere else first,”
j Senator Wheeler explained,
j Miller expressed the opinion that
j Jess Smith had .strong influence in
jthe making of appointments.
Say* Elkin* 'Wan V Lit or.
] Senator Klkins. republican. West
Virginia, was a frequent visitor.
] Senator Wheeler asked if he had
' ever seen Mr. Daugherty, ITarry F.
Sinclair. Secretary Fall and Mr.
Smith playing cards. Miller said he
had —at the hotel apartment—and
that Col. Zevely was there.
A “Mr. Todd from Ohio.” Miller
said, was another frequent caller
whom he thought might be “a former
partner of the general’s.”
Senator Ashurst got Miller to re
peat that “Howard Mannington was
a frequent and welcome visitor."
McLean Not Prewnt.
Senator Wheeler got Miller to say
that E. B. McLean was not present
at the card game described and then
turned the witness over for cross
examination.
Mr. Howland asked first about the
alleged gifts of meat from Armour &
Cc.
"You don’t mean to .say they
weren't paid for?" Howland asked.
"I said no bill accompanied them —
I wouldn't know whether they were
paid for,” Miller said.
V. H. Marcum, a special assistant
to Attorney General Daugherty, was
called U) tell of an official trip Feb
ruary 20 to Butte. Mont He denied
that either he or E. E. Dougherty, a
department agent, who accompanied:
j hirn. had made any investigation of I
| Senator Wheeler..
qumtioiM Montana Trip.
! “Do you know of any other men j
i in Montana investigating me?” asked
Senator .Wheeler.
. "No,” said Marcum. “I did see in a
k paper that there were five men out
there.”
“You told me you went out to in
vestigate the prohibition situation?”
Senator Wheeler put in.
“Yea, charges filed against the
United States district attorney there.”
Marcum said he had talked to offi
cers of the Anaconda Copper Com
pany.
Allege* “Wild Storie*.”
“I told you that a man going out
• there could be filled full of wild
! stories,” Marcum said. He met news
' paper men, he said, and also “Mr.
| Abe Cohen, who said he was a news
paper man from Chicago.”
When they left Great Falls, some
body handed a package of newn
! paper clippings to Dougherty. Mar-
I cum said. Senator Wheeler suggest -
j ed tl e “clippings were from news
i papers used agaiiat me in the c*un
j paign ” but Marcum did not know.
He said he turned the clippings over
to the Department of Justice.
Dougherty, his assistant, had “a
great many friends in Montana.
Marcum said.
“Now you say the dippings had
no relation to your business out
there?” Senator Jones asked.
"They had none.”
Knew Nothing Again*t Wheeler.
He said he never talked to Daugh
erty about .the source of the clip
pings.
Chairman Brookhart asked if he
“heard stories about Senator Wheel
er.”
“Yoir know you can hear what you
want to hear in Montana," Marcum
said. - ,
I “All that is watey under the dam.
If my life depended on it. I couldn't
say 1 know a thing against Senator
Wheeler.”
“There have been seven other re
ports on me filed , with the Depart
ment of Justice," Senator Wheeler ob
served.
The committee lyiwwij Util Si
a_m. tomorrow _ _
PRESIDENT FAVORS
ARM6RYFOR D. C.
Weeks Urges Replacing of
Present Inadequate Rent
ed Quarters.
5
Prospects for an armory for the
National Guard of the District of Co
lumbia to displace the old. delapidated
and unsuitable rented quarters it now
occupies were brightened today, when
Secretary of War Weeks made a
recommendation in favor of such a
building-, and President Cooiidge in
dicated that he was favorable to it.
Secretary Weeks called at the White !
House today and recommended to the 1
I’residenl that he Instruct the director
of the budget to prepare an estimate I
for a suitable armory for the troops .
of the National Guard of the. District .
of Columbia, In order that the troops
here may be, sufficiently and adequate
ly housed, and proper provision made
for their training.
The President was represented as
strongly in favor of doing this.
Both the President and Secretary
Weeks. It was indicated, are strongly
convinced of the necessity for im
proving the conditions of the local
National Guard troops, who for years
have had to obtain their training un
der most unfavorable conditions. The
facilities are so unsatisfactory that
the War Department refused to rec
ognize certain troop organizations
which had been formed with much ef
fort here simply because there were
not suitable armories to house the
expensive equipment furnished by the
War Department.
Following representation some
time ago that the President was op
posed to’ a local armory as a part
of the public buildings bil'l, Maj.
Gen. Anton Stephan, commanding the
District of Columbia National Guard,
called on Secretary Weeks and point
ed out that the federal government
would not be oaked to construct the
building in Its entirety, but that
the armory bill now pending in Ooft
gross provided for its construction
on the 60-40 buds of payment as
other expenses of the government
are paid.
This feature, it was pointed out,
was laid before the President, to
gether with the fact that the Na
tional Capital certainly should have a
proper armory for its militia.
Just how much of an appropria
tion might be ordered In the pro
posed order to the director of the
budget was not learned, as Secretary
Weeks merely asked for a suitable
armory, to Include a large drill hall
and company and store rooms, to
gether with offices for the headquar
ters.
RESIGNATIONS
AS AID TO PARTY
Elimination of Daugherty Is |
Termed Ending of “Intoler- !
able Situation.”
BY DAVID LAWBEMK.
President Ooolidge has ended, an
intolerable situation for himself and
the republican party by heeding the
demand of Congress and requesting j
the resignation of Attorney General 1
Daugherty who compiled immediate- i
iy. j
Mr. Daugherty furnished himself j
the ground on which the resignation j
was requested by refusing to dis- I
close the files of his correspondence t
and the records of his bureaus, j
which the Sneate investigating com- ;
mlttee demanded.
Mr. Daugherty’s retirement was I
urged many weeks ago by Senator
Henry Cabot Dodge, republican lead
er, on the ground that the country
must have confidence in the De
partment of Justice and would not
feel that confidence If the conduct of
the Attorney General were himself
under investigation.
Letter* trued Action.
From all parts of the country letters
have been coming telling the admini
stration that every day Harry Daugher
ty stayed !n the cabinet, the democrat’s
were making votes and that Mr. Cool- I
idge’s strength was diminishing. Mr.
Daugherty is a forceful personality.
He is one of the “wheel-horses” of the
republican parly. He is influential in
Ohio politics. He was instrumental in
having Warren Harding nominated to
the presidency. Such a man wasn't i
easy to eliminate and Mr. Coolidge's 1
New England conscience battled hard I
with the expendiencies of pre-conven
tion politics.
Today the friends of the President I
were pointing to his action as a sign
of the real Coolidge who dared to fly
in the face of the party zealots. It Is
an act of repudiation of one of the
original Harding men which will, no
doubt, cause considerable resentment
in the republican ranks, but the losses
may be offset by the gains and Mr.
Coolidge's friends are supremely con
fident that on the day after the defeat I
in South Dakota, their chieftain has !
expressed himself forcefully for clean I
government.
The incident is not without its j
tragic aspects. Harry Daughertv is
! a likable individual who has many !
j friends in official life, friends de- j
i voted to him and believing In his j
(integrity. When the investigation is I
j completed, they contend it will be I
found that he was a victim not of per- j
sonal greed, but of eagerness to serve I
his friends. To their impositions he]
was blind. To their pleadings he
gave ready ear. ..
Carried Heavy Load.
Dife in Washington has never been
happy for Harry Daugherty. He car
ried from the beginning a load of
responsibility. He felt he was re
sponsible for nomination
and for his success in office. He
hoped for a second term for Mr.
Harding. He saw only the opposi
tion of La Folielle as a factor. His j
appointment as Attorney General was
the subject of criticism, but Mr. |
Harding felt that to do otherwise i
would be ‘an act of ingratitude on ]
his part. There were those who !
counseled Harry Daugherty not to j
accept on the ground that he had j
been so active in politics that there 1
would not be the necessary eonfl- j
dence in his administration of the |
Department of Justice.
Os home life, Harry Daugherty had !
none. His wife has been an invalid
throughout the time the husband has
been wrestling with the multiplex
problems of the Department of Jus
tice. Mr. Daugherty's own health has
broken down several times. He clung
to his portfolio largely in defiance of
his enemies. He would have retired
long ago, but for a feeling that he
would be confessing defeat. ‘He ac
cepts Mr. Coolidge’s decision as in
evitable. but with a heavy 'heart and
a feeling of disappointment that the
new President did not stick to him
in a fight waged, as lie sees it, not
against an individual, but the entire
cabinet and the republican party.
EARTH SHOCKS CONTINUE.
SAN SALVADOR, March 28.—Ac
cording to reports received here
earthquakes continue to be felt in
Costa Rica. Business is seriously
hampered by reason of the disturb
ances. Both seaooasta of the republic
«zs said. 4o- -be lined wtth. dead fiah.
RUDOLPH OUSTS MILLER
IN INSURANCE CODE CASE
(Continued from First Page.)
Blanton charged in the House yester
day that various insurance companies
have paid $6,820 for pushing this bill.
Representative Blanton says that
fourteen companies contributed to
this fund, that $4,600 was for propa
ganda In the Interests of the pro
posed new insurance code, that 82,200
was for maintenance of an unofficial i
bureau of information and that $2.- !
500 was paid by Milker to L. A. Dent 1
for drafting the insurance bilL
Regarding the antecedents of this |
bill Representative Blanton points j
outs "This present bill now before us.
H. R. 3689, was introduced In • this i
I Congress by Mr. Edmonds on Decern- ]
ber 14, 1923. It is an exact copy ]
of a bill which in November, 1923, i
Supt. Burt A. Miller had printed in i
Baltimore by Kuchn Bros. & Co. !
(Inc.), and for which printing they
charged him $1,500 for 500 copies.
In view of the fact that Supt, '
Miller paid Mr. Louis A. Dent $2.50i(. j
which Tie claims was paid for draft
ing this bill. 1 respectfully suggest
i to my colleagues tljat they compare I
! this H. R. 3689 with the bill which ]
Senator Pomerene introduced id the
j Senate on July 11, 1921, being Senate
' bill 2229. and they will bo convinced
! that It was copied from the Pomerene
bill.
Salary Raise Sought.
In giving tho result of his investiga
tions to the House, Representative Blan
ton Baye:
"In the former bill Supt. Miller was
seeking to raise his own salary only
SI,OOO. In this bill he seeks to raise it
$1,700. And in this hill he seeks to give
himself the following employes In ad
dition to the ones authorized by the act
of March 4. 1922:
“'A deputy superintendent at $4,000
per annum ; an actuary’ at $4,500 per
annum; an examiner at $3,500 per an
num; a chief statistician at $2,500 per
annum; an assistant . statistician at
$1,860 pen- annum; a license clerk at
$1,860 per annum; a clerk-stenographer
at SI,BOO per annum : a stenographer at
$1,680 per annum; four clerks at $1,500
per annum.'
“And, in cnnnection with the above. T
will state that X have lately had evi
dence satisfactory to Majority Deader
Dongworth and Appropriations ‘Chair
man Madden to testify before them con
vincing them that no additional em
ployes are needed by said department,
but that at least on© of those now em
ployed could be dispensed with without
injury to the service.
“In the former bill Supt. Miller
asked that there be allowed him 'a
fund for contingent and miscel
laneous expenses of not less than
$2,000 per annum.' Notice the way
that it was drawn—'not less than.’
Thus, so long as he spent more than
$2,500 miscellaneously, he would be
complying with the law.
"And when, in November. 1923. Supt j
Miller had Kuehn Bros, print the 500 j
copies of his propaganda bill—for J
$1,500 —it provided, and so did Mr. j
Edmond s bill, H. R. 3689, which h»
introduced on December 14, 1923, j
provide:
“'The department shall also be al
lowed a fund for contingent and mis
cellaneous expenses of not less than
$2,500 per annum.’
Limit to Expenditures.
i "And to prove that Supt. Miller
considered that under such language
| be would be authorized to spend any
] sum so long that ‘it was not less
| than $2,500,’ when the committee re
ported the bill on February- 26. 1924.
they limited him to $4,500, for they j
j provided:
“ "The department shall also be al
! lowed a fund' for contingent and
j miscellaneous expenses of not less
than $2,000 or more than $4,500 per
annum,’
"In my fifty-one years I have never
before witnessed that language as a
limitation on expenditures. It is usu
ally framed ‘not jnore -than.’ ■
"And in his copy sent for his propa
i ganda bill to Kuehn Bros, for print
, ing. and in the first print of same
j thev made for him. whore it author
-1 Ized him to appoint actuaries and ex
-1 aminers. without limitation as to
I number, except that whenever .he !
deemed it necessary it provided:
I •• That the amount charged for such j
I compensation shall not exceed $75 j
j per day for an actuary and $25 per 1
i day for an examiner.’
“But before the printing job was j
completed he had this language j
I changed so that in his propaganda ,
bill tfor which Kuehn Bros, charged i
| him $1,500 for 500), and also in the |
copy h© had Mr. Edmonds introduce j
i for him. it appears as follows:
I “ That the amount charged for such
' compensation shall be in accordance
I w-ith the rules of the National Con
vention of Insurance Commissioners.’
“Which means identically the same
thing, because the present rules of
the National Convention of Insurance I
Commissioners, in force when this bill r
was introduced, provided pay of $75 J
per day for an actuary and $25 per j
day for an examiner. But Supt. Mil
ler thought it wiser to veil the provi
sion in language that would not ap
prise Congress of the fact that he was
being given authority to appoint an
unlimited number of actuaries at $75
per day for an unlimited number of
days, and to appoint an unlimited
number of examiners at $25 per day
for an unlimited number of days."
Letters and Documents.
I Representative Blanton supplements j
his charges with voluminous letters
| and othter documentary evidence.
Regarding the “propaganda" fund
collected from insurance companies.
Representative Blanton said:
# "Supt. Miller admitted that he had (
collected from insurance companies ■
quite a large fund which he had spent ,
since last August trying to get this (
bill passed. When I insisted on his >
■ giving me the names of all such '
1 companies making such contributions
{ and how he had spent same, he gave !
' me the following:
Statement of special contributions •
and disbursements in connection with 1
i the legislation now pending for the
i purpose of bettering and stabilizing
)the Insurance conditions in the Dis- i
I trlct of Columbia by means of a mod
| ern and adequate code.
CASH KECKIVBD.
1 BqoitzWe Life Insurance Co. of Wash
ington. D. 12. S3OO i
Continents! Life Insurance Co. of Wash
ington, D. C 300 !
People's Mutual Benefit Insurance Co.
of Washington, I). C. 000
Provident Belief Association of Wash- ]
ington. D. C 600 j
Acacia Mutual Life Association of Wash
ington. I). C 500
Mutual Fire Insorance Co. of Washing
ton. D. C. 150:
Mutual Protection Fire Insurance Co. of
Washington. I). C 75 i
Mutual Investment Fire Insurance (V of
. Washington, I>. C 75 !
I National Union Fire Insurance Co, of
1 Washington I). C 150 I
Firemen’s Insurance Co. of Washington.
D. C 150
I Potomac Fire Insurance Co. of Washing
ton. 1). C 150
j Nfitionpi Capital Fire Insurance Co. of
Washington. It. C 150
I American Fire Insurance Co. of Wash
j ington, 1). C 150
Oircoran Fire Insurance Co. of Wash
ington. It. C 150 I
Bort A. Miller, superintendent of Insur
| anee. District of (lolnmbia 500
I H. P. Janisch, for various mutual fire
insurance companies 300
Qbarles M. Howell, for various reciprocal
insurance companies 300
, Total $4,600
Qarstlen of Contribution.
“Note In the foregoing statement
that Supt. Miller gave me of the con
tributions made, that he claimed
he himself contributed SSOO. I will
show you a little later on that I se- i
cured Evidence to the contrary and i
made- Supt. Miller admit that this
claim was error. Also note later on 1
what Supt. Miller says regarding 11.
P. Janisch and Charles M. Howell,
each of whom contributed S3OO.
"Supt. Miller admitted to me that
to all companies engaged in the in
dustrial life, health and accident busi
ness in the District of Columbia he
had sent a letter from his department
that he was establishing a bureau of
information. In which letter he used
this language:
“ ’Duo to lack of funds, it was
thought a small assessment should be
-made against -each a—apanjE iWng
*
Quits Insurance Post
w ■ - -• •»
WmnßKfKtmmmu oiilmrnaiii 11 i m iWsHBg In
111 HT A. MILLER,
Superintendent of insurance of the
IJlMtrict, who resigned today nt the
request of Commissioner Rudolph.
business in the District of Columbia
not to exceed $125.’
"And when X insisted on his giving
me a list of all companies who had
made him contributions in response
to such letter, he gave me the follow
ing list:
Southern Aid Society of Virginia $125
Kqaifabir I-iife Insurance Co 125
Kureka Life Insurance Co 125
Life Insurance Company of Virginia 125
Metropolitan Life Insurance Co 125
: National Benefit Life Insurance Co 125
Nation,’)! Life Insurance Co. of America.. 125
; I'ruricniiaJ Insurance Co. of America.... 125
I Baltimore Life Insurance (V, 125
! Continental Life Insurance Co.. 125
I Home Beneficial Association., 125
Home Friendly Insurance Co 126
j Life and Casualty Insurance Co , 125
People's Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Co. 125
Provident Belief Association 126
Bichncrod Beneficial Insurance Oo 126
Bcliance X3fe Insurance Co 40
Supreme Life and Ocualty 00. 40
Sbenudoah Life and Casualty Co 40
North Carolina Mutual Dfe Insurance Co. 40
Acacia Mutual life Insurance Oo 40
Total $? Quo
Printing Money Wanted.
Representative Blanton points out
that $1,500 alleged to have been paid
to a Baltimore concern by Miller for
printing the bill was "wasted,” and
Introduced letters to show that
$250.63 is still owed on this account.
Representative Blanton asserted
that as a result of personal inquiry
he fouml other contributors to the
“propaganda" fund besides those list
ed by Supt. Miller, and said:
“Until I forced it out of him with
a corkscrew Supt. Miller never ad
mitted that he received the S3OO con
tribution from the Southern Aid So
ciety of Virginia, an outside com
pany entirely. And up. to this good
hour he has never admitted that the
Acacia Mutual Life Insurance Assoc
iation has contributed more than
$540, when, in fact, it contributed
$790, or $250 that he has never in any
way listed.”
Included in Representative Blan
ton's indictment is a letter from AV.
Gwynn Gardiner, a former District
Commissioner, who In replying to a
! letter from Mr. Blanton slated that
1 Supt. Sillier "was indebted in some
j manner to Louis A. Dent, a lawyer
I in the Southern building, and this re
sulted in Louis A. Dent being em
ployed by Burt A. Miller to draft
an insurance law. which he did, and
which bill presented to Congress was
so drafted. Mr. Miller called upon
the insurance companies to contri
bute to Mr. Dent for his services,
and 1 am reliably informed that Mr,
Dent received from the insurance
companies $2,500 for his services in
drafting this bill.
"I am also reliably informed that
all bills contracted by said Miller for
printing incident to the work in con
nection-with this bill were paid for by
the I assurance companies.”
| | P's Bacon h More
nl Time It's Served
npHERE are mighty few dishes, no matter \ j ———l
I X h° w delicious, that can stand the test of 11
I = constant use£ day in and day out without |
j| becoming tiresome, Auth’s bacon, however, is I
jl one of the few. I
IE I =
The keen, rich pork flavor with the pungent I
|j smoke essence still retained—well, it’s a com- I
i| bination a man doesn’t forget. What’s more, it |
J is something he is going to want soon again. |
|J There’s a reason for its inimitable goodness— so I \
il years’ adherence to family ideals and pride of |
H product. To get acquainted, ask your grocer. ||
II and make certain to say
.ill— .1 I - ~
N •
JUDGE MATTINGLY
IS REAPPOINTED
Municipal Court Jurist, Dem
ocrat, Renamed by
President.
President Coolidge today leap
pointed Robert K. Mattingly as a
judge of the Municipal Court of the
District of Columbia.
This nomination, which was sent
to tlje Senate for confirmation, had
been expected, inasmuch as Judge
Mattingly's administration during the
four years he has been on this bench
is understood to have been highly
satisfactory', and because of the
nature of his indorsement for reap
pointment.
Judge Mattingly, a democrat, and
native of Washington, was appointed
to the Municipal Court four years ago
by President Wilson. At the time
of this appointment he was serving
as supervisor of the fourteenth dis
trict of the census, with offices in
Washington.
Besides the indorsement of a large
number of representative citizens who
voiced their confidence in Judge
Mattingly’s qualifications there were
unanimous indorse mens from the
District of Columbia Bar Asso
ciation, the Barristers’ Ciub and the
District Colored Bar Association and
the Mid-City Citizens’ Association, ot
which hs has been a prominent
rn e rn be r.
Judge Mattingly was born in South
west Washington and received his
early education at the Jefferson pub
lic school. He later graduated from the
Georgetown University Law School.
During his practice of law Judge Mat
tingly has held the esteem of the
courts and of the members of the lo
cal bar. Ho also has always taken an
active part in civic matters, at ail
times standing ready to assist in the
advancement of the Capital’s inter
ests.
During the four years he has sat in
court has has been frequently assigned
by the Chief Justice of the Supreme
Court of the District to sit in both
branches of the local Police Court.
Because of the nature of Judge
Mattingly’s record and because of the
practically unanimous request for his
reappointment it is thought that the
Senate will readily confirm me non;i
nation.
MRS. MARY SNELL DIES.
Mrs. Mary C. Snell, eighty-one
years old. widow- of Rev. M. Porter
Snell of this city, and*for many years
a resident here, died Tuesday. Fun
eral services were held at the resi
dence of her son. William A. Snell,
corner of Hawthorne and Jewett
streets northwest, this afternoon at
2 o’clock. Rev. Walter M. Eagleson,
pastor of the Sherwood Presbyterian
Church, officiated, assisted by Rev.
George M. Cummings, pastor of the
Carden Memorial Church. Interment
was in the Congressional cemetery.
Mrs. Snell was for many years
prominent in the work of the iocai
Woman’s Christian Temperance L'nion,
having been a trustee in the organi
zation. She .was the daughter of
the late Gerard Hailock of New Ha
ven, Conn., who was at one time
president of the Associated Press and
fog a long time editor of the New
York Journal of Commerce.
She is survived by two daughters,
Mrs. Joseph M- Long of Hyattsville.
Md., and Miss Cora L Snell of this
city: four sons, Theodore Tj, Charles
L. and William A. Snell of this city,
and Clarence E. Snell of Richmond,
Va, also by fifteen grandchildren
and .two great-grandchildren.
From Tfcsterdsy’i»j;;3o Edition of The Star
CIVIL ASSIGNMENT
OF OFFICERS ASKED
Coolidge Wants Law Clari
fied to Meet Objection by
Controller McCaii.
Legislation which would authorize
the President to appoint military of
ficers to civilian positions in the in
tertsts of public service in spite of
the recent ruling of Controller Gen
eral McCarl and the ruling of the
Attorney General was asked yesterday
frohi Congress as early as possible in
the present session by President
Coolidge in a letter to Speaker
Gillen.
The legislation asked by President
Coolidge would permit officers in. the
military service to be assigned to
such positions as director of the bu
reau of engraving and printing. Dis
trict Commissioner and wherever
else the President deemed that more
efficient service could be rendered.
Letter of President,
The, President, in his letter, asks that
"officers of the United States, civil and
military, including retired officers, may
at any time be specially assigned by
the head of the department concerned,
for limited periods, to duty, or with or
in the American National Red Cross
and other emergency relief organiza
tions.’’
"Any officer,” the proposed bill
states, "so assigned without vacating
his permanent commission is hereby
authorized to hold any public office,
the exercise or administration of which
is involved in the execution of the as
signment hereunder made. Sections 1222
and 1224, Revised Statutes, and the final
beginning with the words, “No
person who holds” and ending with the
words, ‘Consent of the Senate,’ of sec
tion 2 of the act of July 31, 1594, are
hereby repealed."
The President quotes the opinion of
the Attorney General rendered Sep
tember 13, 1923, on the subjet of the
use of the naval forces in the enforce
ment of the national prohibition act.
in which the constitutional provisions
Involved were thus expounded.
Limitation of Power.
“The clause of the Constitution
authorizing Congress to provide and
maintain a navy confers on it the
power of determining when and for
what purpose the naval forces of the
United States may be used. It follows
that the constitutional provision con
stituting the President the comniand
er-in-cnie£ of the Army. Navy and Mi
litia. would not give power to use the
Navy In a manner other than as au
thorized by Congress.’
"Assuming the soundness of this
view, and applying the language of
the Attorney General to the Army
clause of the Constitution correspond
ing to the Navy clause cited by him.
there would result the doctrine that
in time ot peace the President may
not under any circumstances put any
part of the military or navy person
nel to a use of even the briefest dur
ation for which neither the Consti
tution nor act of Congress provides.”
’’The controller general’s action
raises a practical question in govern
ment administration, which I deem if
advisable to present to Congress for
disposition by enactment of suitable
legislation. The very few officers
now on such special assignments are
rendering highly valuable public
service by reason of the nature of the
duties involved and their requisite
equipment of knowledge and experi
ence, and the Executive should not
be disabled from so utilizing them,
for limited periods, in the public
weal.”