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ZUlanla Souvnal
VOL. XXV. NO. 308 '
CAPITAL RESENTS STATEMENT
OF HARDING TH A1 SOCIAL LIFE
CAUSED SUICIDE OF DAUGHTER
BETROTHALOF Mill
. FRIEND IS BELIEVED
N REASON FOR ACTION
Girl Killed Self With Father’s
Revolver at Home in Bos
ton-Farewell Note) Left
for Father, Found by Maid
BY JOHN EDWIN NEVIN
(Leased Wire Service to The Journal.)
(Copyright, 1024.)
WASHINGTON, Jan. 29.—Wash
ington’s “smart” set was inclined
today to resent the declaration of
W. P. G. Harding, governor of the
federal board of Boston, and for
mer head of the federal reserve sys
terp, that the suicide of his daugh
ter, Miss Margaret Eliot Harding,
in Boston, was due to the demands
made on her by local society. The
bereaved father flatly declared that
dancing every night and smoking
cigarettes had broken down his
beautiful daughter’s health and
caused a nervous condition, which
resulted in her taking he r own
life.
While society leaders here frankly
admit that the social pressure is ex
treme, and that probably 90 per
cent of women smoke, as well as
dance, they insist that one of the
compelling reasons for Miss Hard
ing’s act was the shock that fol
lowed announcement of the engage
ment of Stanley Hawkes, an at
tache of the State Department, to
another youg woman.
Devoted to Miss Harding
Hawkes had been devoted to Miss
Harding, it was declared, and every
one here had expected that they
would be married next summer, al
though no formal engagement had
been announced.
It is certain, however, that Miss
Harding, during the 10 years she
lived in Washington, and especially
since she “came out” into society,
has found the demands on her time
very strenuous.
Beautiful, and of a very winsome
disposition, she has been very popu
lar here, and ever sipce the war
has been a factor hi the various
functions given by.exclusive Wash
ington society. Friends here said
today that she was an excellent
dancer and never missed an oppor
tunity to participate in that exer
cise.
She was in Washington a few day®
ago, returning to Boston last Fri
day.
Showed Extreme Nervousness
faK Friends said that She was ex
jßpfejnely nervous, and complained
that she missed her old friends very
much. At that time the aiUiounce
ment of Nir. Hawkes’ engagement
to Miss Margaret Baldwin had just
been made. Hawkes now is in
Boston,According to his friends
here.
It Was recalled here today that
Miss Harding's mother shot and
killed herself in their home in Bir
mingham June Jl2. 1910. Almost
simultaneously, in his home in an
other section of that city. Guy R.
Johnson, a friend, also committed
suicide. From Washington Miss
Harding went with her father to
r Boston when he was made governor
of the bank there, but the lure of
Washington proved too much, and
she soon came back here on a visit.
She r eturjied to Boston from time
to time, but always came back to
, the capital.
According to her friends, she
threw herself with abandon into
the many social events that mark
the life here, but they do not agree
with her father that the exactions
of this life were sufficient to cause
the nervous breakdown which ap
parently caused her to end her life.
FATHER SAYS SOCIAL
LIFE FALSE OF SUICIDE
BOSTON, Jan. 29. —The whirl of
social life, dancing and cigarettes,
resulting finally in a nervous break
-down. are blamed by W. F. G. Hard
ing, governor of the Federal Reserve
Bank of Boston, for the death of
his daughter. Margaret Eliot Hard
ing, who committed suicide Satur
day.
Governor Harding in a statement
Monday night made public the cir
cumstances of Miss Harding’s death.
11 *» said his daughter, since leaving
school several years ago, had de
♦ voted herself to social activities to
such an extent that, a few months
ago, Iter health had become seriously
impaired and thJt he had warned
her cantinuoiiTiy against late hours
and cigarette smoking. She spent
much of her time in Washington
and a fortnight ago, after a stay of
several months at home, again vis
ited the capital. On her return to
Boston last week, Governor Harding
said, Miss Harding told him that she
t was suffering from a breakdown.
Governor Harding was in New
York visiting another daughter, Mrs.
Eugene V. R Thayer, when news of
Miss Harding's suicide reached him.
Funeral sei • ices wehe held here Mon
day.
Miss Harding shot herself late
Saturday with her father's revolver,
(Continued on Page 6, Column 4)
Published Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
II 7 0 rid News
Told In
Brief
LONDON.—Strike of British loco
motive nd firemen has
been settled.
NEW YORK.—Mrs. Elda F. Hop
per, deWolf Hopper's fifth wife, re
ceives divorce decree at New York.
EL PASO.—Shipment of 50,000
k rounds of ammunition for use by
Obregon forces against rebels crosses
border. >
MADRID.—Sir Esme Howard,
newly appointed British ambassador
to Untied States, departs for Lon
don.
WASHINGTON.—Senators Walsh,
Montana, anef Robinson, Arkansas,
ask for immediate resignation of
Secretary Denby.
WASHINGTON. —House of repre
sentatives passes resolution to ap
propriate SIOO,OOO for prosecution of
oil lease cancellation proceedings.
WASHINGTON.—Premier Veni
zelos of Greece, and other officials
appeal for aid from American pub
lic for Greek refugees from Asia
Minor.
PARIS. —Louis Barthou is re
elected president and Marquis
Guiseppe Salvago Raggi of Italy,
vice president by reparations com
mission. •
MITCHEL FIELD, N. Y.—The
Curtiss airplane CS2. was officially
passed as fit to accoiftpany the
Shenandoah on its proposed north
pole flight.
WASHINGTON. Mexican em
bassy statement claims that Mexi
can revolutionary armies, on both
eastern and western . fronts, have
been cut in two.
BERLlN.—Carloads of American
food, bought with funds raised by
Major General Henry T. Alien's com
mittee for relief of German children,
reaches Berlin.
WASIIINGTON.—President and
Mrs. Coolidge attend annual meet
ing of/Ohio society, president, ful
filling obligation assumed by Presi
dent. Harding.
MOSCOW.—During the funeral of
Lenine, the soviet premier, the am
bulance corps treated 3,196 patients
who fainted, were frost bitten or
suffered attacks of hysteria.
GENEVA. —Naval conference un
der auspices of the League of Na
tions for extension oE principles of
Washington treaty to other powers
is set for February 14 at Rome.
Free State and
Ulster governments accent invita
tion of Premier MacDonald tq con
ference to consider boundary ques
lion between northern and southern
Ireland.
BUENOS AIRES. Montevideo
government receives offer for $20.-
000,000 loan from New York syndi
cate through Buenos Aires bank.
Loan is repayable in two years at
G per cent.
WARSAW. —Dr. Venizelos Koko
loswki, first secretary of the Polish
legation in Washington, center of
diplomatic inquiry after prohibition
officers raided his home, has been
recalled.
OKLAHOMA CITY. Anti-Ku
Klux Klan bill, prohibiting wearing
of masks in public, assault while
masked and writing of anonymous
communications, is signed by Gov
ernor Trapp.
WASHINGTON. Petition two
miles long, bearing 2,500,000 names,
requesting release of Hooven Grif
fin, in German jail for attempting
to kidnap Grover Bergdoll, is pre
sented to German ambassador,
WASHINGTON.—House ways and
means committee votes 25 per cent
reductions on taxes of earned in
comes up to $20,000 and all incomes
under $5,000 are classified as earned
under this proposed reduction.
WIESBADEN, Germany.—French
court-martial sentences to imprison
ment for one year I’aul Socquel.
president of Franco-Rhenish league,
on charges of having requisitioned
consignment of marks intended for
reichsbank. for Rhineland republic.
• NEW YORK.—Rev. John Roach
Straton wins debate with Rev.
Charles Francis Potter on subject:
“Resolved, That the earth and man
came by evolution.” Score is now
lied by ministers, each having won
a debate.
DULUTH, Minn.—President Cool
idge's invitation to the Canadian
government to discuss the St. Law
rence waterway preliminary to
signing the treaty between the two
nations, has been accepted, it was
announced.
CONSTANTINOPLE.—It is re
ported from Angora, the Turkish
capital, that Suleiman Sivini Bey,
minister of public works, has recon
sidered abrogation of Chester con
cessions and will offer further facili
ties to Clayton-Kennedy group.
ALBANY. N. V.—Charges that
the New York City Chamber of
Commerce and the Merchants’ as
sociation contributed $20,000 each
to finances raised to fight the bonus
measures before congress were made
by John R. Quinn, national com
mander of the American Legion.
GENEV A. —League of Nations at
tach importance to coming conver
sation between Sir Eric Drummond,
league secretary, and Ramsay Mac-
Donald, British premier, because of
its effect on extension of league's
activities as international machin
ery for co-operation and concilia
tion.
WASHINGTON” White House
gives unofficial impression that
President Coolidge has no present
intention of asking Mr. Denby cr
Mr. Daugherty to step out of cal •
inet, and that Mr. Coolidge will
stand behind them and Theodore
Roosevelt unless evidence is reveal
ed iedi' Ui:'g wrongdoing on their
part.
iWTIFF WEDDED
IT TIME OF TROTH.
CLAIMOF CANDLER
Jury in Breach Suit Select
ed-Both Principals Barred
by Law’From Appearing as
, *
Witnesses
Indicating the line of defense in
the $500,000 suit filed against Asa
G. Candler, Sr., of Atlanta, by Mrs.
Onezima Deßouchel, of New Or
leans, for alleged breach of promise,
attorneys for Mr. Candler filed be
fore United States Judge Samuel H.
Sibley Wednesday noon an amend
ment to the original answer, assert
ing that at the time .of Mr. Candler’s
engagement to marry the New Or
leans woman, she was legally mar
ried to Adolph Rocquet, of New Or
leans. r
The jury was chosen in less than
five minutes, as follows:
i Alex H. Price, a merchant, Locust
Grove, Ga.
C. Ward Rosenberry, 108 Orme Cir-'
cle, Atlanta.
Will Mauldin, of Bolton, Ga.
James H. Ziegler, 99 Adair ave
nue, Atlanta.
James W. Setze, 115 Peachtree
place, connected with the state de
partment of agriculture.
Jack J. Sullivan, real estate, re
siding at the Kimball House.
Lytle D. Burns, 64 Druid place,
Atlanta.
Lou P. Taylor, 66 Boulevard Ter
race.
Charles B. Everett, a traveling
salesman, of 130 Metropolitan ave
nue.
John Morris, Jr., member of the
firm of Keely company, and vice
president of the Atlanta Retail Mer
chants’ association, of 1541 P .ch
tree road.
Samuel T. Maddox, insurance, of
561 Ponce de Leon avenue.
William R. Prescott, insurance, of
7 Clifton road.
The amendment to the defend
ant’s petition asserted that Mrs.
Deßouchel “could not contract a
valid marriage” because she was
legally married to Mr. Rocquet. This'
ceremony, it was stated in the
amendment, was performed at Pop
larville, Miss., on September 9, 1902.
Principals Not to Testify
Another sensation was sprung at
the opening of the trial in thle dis
closure that neither Mrs. Deßouchel
nor Mr. Candler may take the stand
in their own behalf, under a pro
vision of the Georgia law governing
the trial of breach of promise cases.
The state law applies to such cases
tried in United States courts, it was
declared by lawyers and court room
officials.
The provision barring both plain
tiff and defendant from the witness
stand is specifically incorporated in
the Georgia law, it was declared by
the lawyers. Attorney Albert How
ell, chief counsel for Mrs. Deßou
chel, announced that no effort
would be made to place his client on
the stand.
Mr. Candler had not put in his ap
pearance in the courtroom when the
case was called, but he walked into
the court chamber shortly after 1
o’clock, as the plaintiff’s counsel be
gan the introduction of letters writ
ten to Mrs. Deßouchel by Mr. Cand
ler early in 1922. The courtroom was
crowded, with about half the audi
ence women.
Due to other court proceedings,
which took precedent, the trial of
the suit was delayed until nearly
noon, when three jury panels were
organized and the jury quickly se
lected.
Jury Heirs Plaintiff's Claim
The first legal move after the
jury was selected was the admission
of the amendment to the defendant’s
answer offered by Mr. Candler's
lawyers.
Attorney Albert Howell then out
lined to the jury the claims matte
by Mrs. Deßouchel in her petition,
beginning from the time she first
met Mr.-Candler at the Confederate
Veterans' reunion in Atlanta in 1920
until the time their engagement was
broken in September, 1922.
“We expect to show you,” Attor
ney Howell said, “that Mrs. De
i Bouchel first met Mr. Candler a;
t/ie reunion and was liter a guest
i at an entertainment given by him
• in honor of several of the visiting
ladies, including herself; that this
I acquaintance resulted in a cor
respondence between them, which
. grew gradually to the point where
I they had reciprocal affections, final-
I ly reaching an agreement of mar
' riage.
“We expect to show you that im
I mediately af’er the engagement was
1 made, members of Mr. Candler's
I family manifested objections to the
I match, whereupon Mr. Candler
I called the situation to her attention
■ and she broke the engagement.
I “We expect to show you that Mr.
Candler a/ivised Mrs. De
Bouchel that he would be left ut
utterly alone in the world if she
persisted in iter refusal to marry
I him. protesting that he needed her
care and companionship during his
declining years, and -assuring her
i that when she became bis wife his
family would abandon their objec
tions and welcome her as his wife.
We expect to show you that on this
representation by the defendant the
plaintiff consented to ente- into the
engagement, anew, but that immedi
ately thereafter, his family re
doubled their efforts to prevent their
marriage.
Wedding Tour Arranged
“We expect to show you that Scp
j (Continued on rage 3, Column 2)
COOLIDGE'S CHOICE
OF GOHL TO SIFT
OIL LEISE LIDDED
i Selection Shrewd Move, Say
Supporters Democrats
See Aid in Assault on
Administration
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
| (Leased Wire Service to The Journal.)
(Copyright, 1024.)
WASHINGTON, Jan. 30.—Presi
dent Coolidge’s political future has
become wrapped up in the Teapot
Deme controversy. There no longer
is any question from the action of
his friends, both inside and outside
of congress, that upon the steps he
takes in the immediate future will
■ depend to a large extent the oppor
tunities he has for nomination and
election,
Whether the issue is big enough
to :Torce the defeat of the Republican
pai ty at the polls, it is, of course,
too early to say, but the nervous
activity of the Republican leaders
indicates that they will leave no
stone unturned to prevent
pot Dome affair from achieying an
exaggerated importance politically.
To date the supporters of Presi
dent Coolidge feel he has handled an
awkward situation well, and that his
selection of Thorfias W. Gregory, for
mer attorney general in the cabinet
of a Democratic president, together
with Silas H. Strawn, Republican,
is a shrewd move.
Only One, Angie Probed
But these two men will only in
vestigate the criminal features of the
case—whether there has been cor
ruption. They have no right to pass
upon the competence or incom
petence of the secretary of the navy
or the attorney general in Mr. Cool
idge’s cabinet. The mere fact that
the attorney general is not consider
ed an unprejudiced prosecutor, ac
cording to the viewpoint of the
Democrats, and that Mr. Coolidge
has appointed special counsel has
simply given the Democrats more
ammunition for their bombardment
of the Republican administration.
Almost everywhere in Washington
that one goes the Teapot Dome scan
dal is being discussed, and the ques
tions usually asked relate entirely
to the effect of the controversy on
Mr. Coolidge’s chances of election if
he is nominated.
At first in the senate debate there
was an effort to drag Mr. Coolidge
into the affair by pointing out that
he sat at cabinet meetings under
President Harding and must have
been in a position to utter a protest
against the making of the oil leases.
The president has lot it be known
that he has no recollection of cabi
net discussion, but that if it took
place the consideration given was
quite casual.
Albert B. Fall, former secretary
of the interior, in his report to Pres- ■
ident Harding speaks of frequent
cabinet discussion but it is possible,
of course, that Mr. Coolidge was ab
sent as jt will be recalled that he
accepted many speaking engage
ments as vice president whi< h Mr.
Harding was unable to accept.
But the answer given to the
charge that Mr. Coolidge was jointly
responsible for what was done is
that he did not know of any irregu
larity and that the debates to which
he listened to in the senate over
which body he was presiding officer
did not conclusively prove any irreg
ularity. *'
Democrats Hehl Ignorant
Senator Lenroot, Republican, in
sists for instance, that even the
Democrats did not know of any ir
regularity because not until a few
days ago did they introduce their
resolution calling for the annulment
ot the oil leases in question.
Granting, however, that Mr. Cool
idge can not be held responsible for
what happened when he was vice
president, this Democrats now are
prepared to attack him on the
ground that he is retaining in his
cabinet men whose failure to per
form their duties is brought out by
the record of the senate committee.
The resolution calling upon Secre
tary Denby to resign probably will
be followed by another asking that
the attorney general be asked to re-|
Sign. too. Neither will have enough I
votes to pass as the Republicans can
muster enough votes to prevent
such action. That, however, will
not dispose of it for the Democrats
would then keep on talking about it
until the November elections. It is
a subject which permits of consider
able talk and on the Democratic side
there are some voluble talkers.
Senator Caraway, of Arkansas, i
Democrat, has made a speech on I
the claim of President Harding that
in permitting the vice president to
sit at the cabinet table the latter
would gain enough knowledge ot
public al fairs as to enable him to
take over the presidential office and I
be familiar with what was going on. j
Now it turns out that Mr. Coolidfe I
as vice president claims he didn’t
know what was going on. The Dem
oerats will make the most of that
point.
Defense of Denby
As for the secretary of' the m\y
his defense is that he had no discre
tion in signing the leases which
| transferred the naval reserves by
; the interior department. Confronted
with an executive order signed bv
the president, he feels it was his
duty to sign the papers presented to
him. The Democrats insist that in
view of the controversy in the naw
department on- this subject in pre
ceding administrations Mr. Denby
should have consulted the law of
i ficers ot' his department and advised
! the president whether the executive
j order was a valid exercise of pow
i er. It appears that Mr. Harding
i took secretary Fall's advice on that,
legal matter and according to the
I Democratic senators, Mr. Fall's
legal views were given at a time
I when he was indebted to the oil peo
ple for large personal loans.
Did Attorney General Daugherty
block the investigation o fthe Cali
fornia oil leases in deference to the
Standard Oil company? The Demo
crats have injected that question
into the whole controversy and will
keep up their attack on Mr. Daugh
i erty in the hope of focusing atten-
I tion on the Coolidge cabinet. Both
Mr. Denby and Mr. Daugherty are
I men who would not for a minute em-
Itarrass thp president by remaining
1 is his cabinet, Eut "ho will say that
DENBY SUMMONED FOR QUIZ
ON $17,000,000 ROYALTIES;
DA UGHER TY OUSTERSOUGHt
TROUBLE IN THE AIR
\Cwi/ /
al
\ k
~ __
PHILIPS TO SWD
fflF SILEJM
TRIAL. COURT HOLDS
WASHINGTON, Jan. 30.—John L.
Philips, Republican state chairman
of Georgia, and nine others indicted
in connection with the sale of sur
plus lumber from army canton
' ments, must stand trial, the supreme
court of the District of Columbia
held today in overruling demurrers
to their indictment.
The defendants filed pleas in
abatement because of the presence
in the grand jury room of a ste
nographer in the employ of the de
partment of justice which were over
ruled last September. They then
demurred to the sufficiency of the
indictment which the court today
overruled. They were directed to
plead within twenty days. The opin
ion does not discuss the reasons un
derlying the decision that the in
dictment is sufficient.
Those indicted with Mr. Philips
are Ernest C. Morse, of New York,
• former sales agent for the war de
| partment: John Stephens, of Jack
sonville, Fla.; Charles S. ShotwelL,
of New York: George M. Chambers,
of Newark, N. J.; Frank T. Sulli
van. of Buffalo, N. Y.; Roland Per
ry, of Washington; Charles Philips.
Jr., of Atlanta, Ga.; Gus Eitzen and
I Mitchell A. Touart, Jr., both of
■ Pensacola, Flu.
According to the indictment, the
government lost $1,854,076 through
the operations v of the accused who
are said to have disposed of govern
ment surplus lumber at prices be
low the market.
Baby Weighing Less
Than a Pound Born
In Texas; May Live
FORT WORTH. Texas. Jan. 30.
i A baby girl weighing scarcely
three-quarters of a pound, and said
probably to be the -smallest living
child in the world, is making a hard
fight to live in a baby hospital here,
and much to the astonishment of
the city's medical profession, it is
• thought she will win her battle.
■ The stork left twin girls at the
' home of Mr. and Mrs. M. R. Wat
son, Monday afternoon at 5 o'clock.
The first born weighed one pound
and six ounces and died Tuesday
morning. The other twin was rush
ed to the baby hospital, where it is
being kept in an im.-übater. It’
I cries are so audible that it can be
j heard for several yards. Physi
; qians declare the baby’s breathing
I is regular and that she has the color
' of a healthy well-developed bate.
they would assist their party by
withdrawing because resignations
‘would promptly be interpreted by
the Democrats as proof of the
charges they have' been making.
L’nder the circumstances Presi
dent Coolidge will move slowly de
pending on thes pecial counsel to
I investigate criminal features and
i guing that only one side of the
case has been heard and that all |
Versons involved should be given a :
hearing before Judgement is passed
by people. ,
Atlanta, Ga., Thursday, January 31, 1924
Gasoline Price Jump
Is Branded Outrage
By Attorney General
A third increase of two cents a
gallon for gasoline in Atlanta within I
I a period of two weeks, effective Wed
. nesday, was characterized as “an
unwarranted outrage” by Attorney
General George M. Napier. The ‘
three rapid raises have advanced
the price from 18 to 24 cents.
“Increases in the cost of crude oil
are not sufficient to warrant such
‘ jumps in the price of gasoline, and
indications are that the boosts are
■ arbitrary on the part of the resin
. ers,” Mr. Napier said. “The prices
, seem to be made at the will of the re-1
finers, and the way in which all'
- other companies follow in the steps |
; of the initial mover would indicate a
close association in the conduct of
the gasoline business, at least.”
The attorney general has received
■ one letter stating that crude oil cost
• more when gasoline sold for ten |
. cents a gallon than it did when gas
was 26 cents last April.
J. H. Cook, assistant district man
ager of the Standard. Oil company,
announced the new boost in the price
of gas. lie assigned as a reason the
advance in the price at refineries.
American Who Tried
To Kidnap Bergdoll
Freed by Germans
L WASHINGTON, Jan. 30.—Corliss
IH. Griffis, the American who at-
I tempted to kidnap Grcver Cleveland
I Bergdoll. in. Germany, has been re
leased frotn prison by the German
I government. The state department
I was.so advised today.
j ft. is understood that the Berlin i
i government acted after it had been
I informed of sentiment in the United
i States.
Griffis will be returned at once to
the United States. The state depart-
I ment’s cable from the Berlin ernbas
|sy merely reported the fact of his
I release, adding that he would take
first available transportation from
I Germany to this country.
Roosevelt Lays Death
Os Brother to Faulty
Plane Workmanship
NEW YORK, Jan. "50.—“ My
I brother, Quentin, was probably
’ killed because his airplane was not
a good airplane,” Theodore Roose
| velt said before the Kansas Society
last night in a preparedness speech.
; “I myself have led green troops
I to the front line and have led my
own seasoned men, and 1 know the
■ difference was in the casualties,” he
i added.
' The doctrines ot pacifists and <
■ preachers of disarmament, he said |
I made him so mad he could “jump i
i up and down and scream.”
| Quentin Roosevelt wits shot down
I by Germans in the war.
Mayor Williams, Macon, i
Gripped by Pneumonia
MAC’(»n. Ga... Jan. 30.—Announce
j ment was made by doctors today that'
’ Ma- or Luther Williams, who had'
i been ill for more than a week, had 1
j developed pneumonia and that his
condition was serious. He recently i
■ returned from Florida and shortly '
■ after reaching home became ill with I
I influenza. Due to his advanced age,
• his condition has caused some alarm, i
j He is now serving his second term i
|as mayor of Macon and is well'
known over the stat'’, especially in
, banking circles.
HOOSE COMMITTEE
GRILLS ADMIRAL Oil
OIL LEASE RESULTS
Z a
WASHINGTON, Jan. 30.—Rear
Admiral Latimer, judge advocate
general ibf the navy, told the house
naval committee today that in De
cember,'l92l, he informed Secretary
Denby it would be legal to enter into
a contract with the Doheny inter
i ests for the construction of tankage
' at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, as a part
I if their lease of the California naval
oil reserves.
The admiral said he based his opin
ion on authority granted the depart
ment by congress in June, 1920, to
exchange oil and provide storage
I facilities. This authority, it was
brought out by committee members,
was granted at the request of
Josephus Daniels, then secretary of
the navy.
Mr. Denby on December 5, 1921,
the witness said, tvrote on the mar
gin of the opinion opposite the sec
tion discussing exchange and storage
of oil: “Do this. E. D.”
The committee also examined Rear
Admiral Gregory, chief of the navy
department’s bureau of yards and
docks, who told of the contracts by
which the Pan-American Petroleum
and Transport company was to build
the storage tanks.
After hearing a part of Admiral
l.atimer’s testimony, the committee
adjourned its hearings until tomor
row .
Secretary contrary to the
expectation of some committee mem
bers, did not appear at today’s hear
ing.
Admiral Latimer said he was ask
ed for an opinion on November 30,
1921, by Rear Admiral Robison,
chief of the bureau of engineering,
who sent him this information:
“There is now accumulating for
the account of the United States
navy royalty oil from naval petro
leum reserves numbers 1 an d 2
amounting .to 1,000 barrels daily.
This amount is likely to increase in
the near future.
“It is proposed to exchange the i
royalty crude oil for fuel oil in stor- 1
age at Pearl Harbor or at other I
points. It is planned that the tanks I
in which this exchange oil be stored!
shall be provided by the lessee of 1
the oil wells.
“Will this be legal, it being pre- j
sumed that the oil in storage at
Pearl Harbor as well as the tanks
and appurtenances are to liecome
the property of the United States?”
The construction at Pearl Harbor
and the four A.tlantic ports. Admiral
Gregory estimated, would cost ap- j
proximately $50,000,000 —all to tig
paid in royalties from the California j
and Wyoming reserves.
The tanks at Yorktown, Va., Ad- I
miral Gregory said, would cost ■
828,000.000 'and would be built in .
four units, onr at a time. Facilities i
tvould be provided there for 2,000,000
tons of fuel oil. 30.500 tons of Diesel |
oil. 26,500 tons of gasoline and 13,800
tons of lubricating oil.
Youths’ Claim of Right
To Cheat Railroads
Stirs Bible Teacher
CHICAGO, Jan. 30—America has
trained its young people’s brains to
i razor edge and neglected their re
ligious and moral training, accord-1
ing to Miss Jessie Burral, founder
of B irral Bible class, of Wash- !
ipgion, D. C. /
a CENTiS A COPY,
Si A YEAR.
FILL WAS .TRIILED
BFII. S, OPERITIVES,
SENATOR REVEALS
Federal Sleuths Put on the
Watch to Nip Any Attempt s
of Ex-Secretary to Leave
I
the Country
■ > f
WASHINGTON, Jan. 30. Physi
cians attending Albert B. Fall told
the senate oil committee today that
the former interior secretary is in
no condition to appear before it
and testify.
The hearing was behind closed
doors and details were not divulged.
It was learned, however, that the
doctors related how Mr. Fall had
remained in his room continuously
since his arrival in Washington last
Thursday night, had shown little, it
any, improvement from day to day,,
and had reached a stage of nervous
exhaustion threatening collapse.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 29.—A new
sensation involving the navy depart
ment appeared this afternoon when
Chairman Butler, of the house naval
affairs committee, summoned Secre
tary Denby and several naval offi
cers to appear tomorrow f<?r ques
tioning in connection with charges
of alleged illegal expenditure of some
seventeen million dollars in oil royal
ties. - ■ r i
Information ' reaching Chairman
Butler is that the $17,000,000 collect
ed by the navy department on oil
royalties was used directly in con
struction work for the navy, par
ticularly at Pearl Harbor, instead of
being paid into the treasury anu
then appropriated for the depart
ment.
The house committee desires to in
quire as to the report. In addition
to Denby, Rear Admiral J. L. Lati
mer, advocate general; Admiral J. R.
Robins, Admiral Robert Griffin and
other officers having to do with the
royalties or Pearl Harbor construc
tion, have been asked to appear.
With senate action to disavow the
acts of former Secretary Fall as
sured, attempts were Instigated on
the Dehiocratic side to drive both
Secretary Denby and Attorney Gen
eral Daugherty out of the cabinet.
After a cabinet meeting, at which
the whole situation was discussed,
Mr. Denby announced he had no in
tention of resigning and wanted a
record vote on the Robinson resolu
tion asking him to do so. From the '
senate Jloor Senator Robinson replied
that such a vote would be sought at
the earliest possible moment.
At the department of justice it was
indicated that Mr. Daugherty, who
is in Florida, had entertained no in
tention of retiring from office. A
resolution asking for his removal
and making references to unpross
cuted charges made both in the vet
erans’ inquiry and the oil investiga
tion was drawn up by Senator
Wheeler, Democrat, Montana.
'1 he resolution declared the presi
dent has lost confidence in Mr.
Daugherty as exemplified by employ
ment of outside counsel to.zprosecuts
the oil annulifTent suit. It,also as
serts that Mr. Daugherty has lost
the confidence of congress and of the
American people and that the depart
ment of justice has “fallen into dis
repute.”
Cabinet Debates Matter
Although he went over the whole
ground at the cabinet meeting, Pres
ident Coolidge delayed for the pres
ent his choice of special counsel to
prosecute the oil cases. He expects
to act after the senate, probably late
today, has adopted the Walsh resolu
tion asking for such prosecution. He
will ask for senate confirmation for
the men he selects.
When the cabinet assembled for Its
regular Tuesday session, there were
renewed indications that Mr. Cool
idge expected the navy secretary
to retain his pest. Jn this at
titude, the administration has the
support of the titular Republican
leaders of the senate.
The attack on Mr. Denby, as well
as the proposal to employ special
counsel to prosecute the oil annul
ment suits, was talked over at a
White House conference last night,
attended by Senator Lodge and sev
eral other senators. The president
was not yet ready today, however, to
announce who would be chosen to
conduct the prosecution.
President Coolidge, asked a direct
question by callers to his office to
day relative to thb Robinson resolu
tion requesting the resignation of
Secretary Denby, replied that it was
a matter he did not care to discuss.
The president considers the whole
oil leasing investigation as having
resolved its p lf into two major prob
lems forth eexeeutive branch of the
government first to determine .
whether thr-re was criminal liability, 1
and second, to ascerUt’-n whether fl
the leases are legal and to the best I
interests of the government. All J
other matters are of lesser impnr- 1
tance In his opinion. |
These two problems are to he I
worked out by the special counsel I
to be employed by the president, and A
there is no indication that the execu- 4
tive at This time is contemplating A
any additional action. He discussed
the matter today at a cabinet ses
sion lasting nearly two hours.
Selection of counsel to prosecute ■||
the oil lease cases, it was indicated
today at the White House, Is being
held up to await action by the sen- W
(Continued on Page 3, Column 4) fl
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