| Show PREPARE PREPARE- TO FIGHT BANKERS BANKERS' CHARGES Government Will Back Up to Utmost Treasury Officials Accused of Attempting to Wreck Leading Fin Financial Institution in Washington CASE PUT IN CHARGE oi OF SPECIAL COUNSEL I Bank Denies Irr Irregularities Alleged by Comptroller and Answers A Sta Statement ement That Department Department De De' De- De of Justice Was Investigating Its Aff Affairs irs EXPECT BITTER CONTEST I W ASHINGTON v April 13 Oc cl vv op today indi indicated al d the tue gO government intended to do its Us utmost ost to back up Secretary of the treasury and Comptroller of ot the Currency Williams in iii the legal fight ed by the Riggs National National Na Na- Hona bank baik complainant in equity proceedings to enjoin these thc officials from alleged l attempts to drive e that institution out of busin business s through systematic and lorig- lorig long continued perse perse- cut cution ion Attorney General Gregory announced tonight A that the department of ot j U u Hl OUIS JOUIS jj lJ O oc Boston special ClI counsel for tor th the Interstate interstate interstate inter inter- state ct cf commission In the per cent rate case casc to defend le and McAdoo in In Inthe the Injunction proceedings proceedinG's He declared his department depart depart- ment meat and the treasury w were re In accord a and heartily heartH operating co In these pro pro- It became known also that Je Jesse se C. C A kins former attorney general gen gen- en- en eral who took a prominent part Dart In negotiations which wl preceded the tOE dissolution dis ds- solution suit under the antitrust act ct against the tho New Haven Ha railroad l also had been heen retah retained d In this ca case c. c Officials ls declined to lo say av whether the go government at tI this 15 time contemplates an any an- affirmative proceedings In add tion to the defense of or Mr 11 McAdoo and Mr Ir Williams In fn the injunction case May Go Up to Supreme me Court Lawyers ers in the tite case gave gaYe attention today to the question of or whether the comptroller had hatI exceeded his hits powers in certain acts of ot which the bank complains complains com corn plains an and it was maintained that f for forthe forthe r the sake of oC precedent to to establish this alone would be e sufficient to insure a a. strong sh-ong Il defense r n e b by the government It Jt was recalled that while the courts court have nave consistently declined to Interfere with the tho ordinary executive functions unc lons by b- a n government go official the supreme court has decided that where an ex excess excess ex- ex cess of such power Is disclosed an In Injunction Injunction injunction In- In junction ma may be obtained That the present case caso ma may go to the supreme court seemed entirely probable for fer Cr both sides e apparently are prop preparing to fight Ight to the end The Time bank tonight gave ga out H a Jon Ion long statement reviewing charges made b by Mr Williams last night The bank statement called attention to the time announcement announcement announcement an an- made b by Mr 11 Williams that investigation of or the bank had disclosed irregularities and that Ithe he thc department of oC j justice hat had engaged the services o of Louis D. D Brandeis some weeks ago as an special counsel In the case The statement statement state state- toda Attorney ment mont recited that at noon today hey ney General Gregory stated that Mr Ur had not been engaged aged by b- the tho department of or justice and that the statement that he had hall been retained was Incorrect at the time It was mad made Dank mIr Answers Charge The bank in Its statement declares that Mr Ir Williams takes credit to himself himself him him- self for tor the thc fact that it Is Js solvent sol when in fact tact ho lie caused time the withdrawal ot of s of or thousands of oC ot dollars dollart duing during du dur ing Ins tho tita summer and fall u of lIr 1914 1911 at ata a time when financial conditions were exceedingly uncertain in this country because of or th the great grent war in iii Europe The statement st. answers Mr lr Williams Williams' charge made mado In letters to lo the bank that it loaned large sums to women for fOI speculative purposes by br saying Unit that Washington n ton has hns probably more women than any city of oC Its sh size In tho tile world who have havo fortunes and amid ad adds that IU It-i losses through loans to such clients have e be been n negligible Gae Gavi- 11 Up UI Scat Tile fact Is is says the tho that the officers of oC this bank have e never lever all l advised ell or 01 cn encouraged lua cd any person person per per- son man or woman young oung or old to speculate in iii stocks or buy stocks for forIne In e investment and the tho comptrollers comptroller's In Insinuation Insinuation itt itt- to th tile tho contrary is a gross perversion of or the truth of oC which no officer of the lie government go ou ought ht to b ba be gubity with respect to an any matter and specially the tha comptroller of the currency currency cur cur- rency rex be guilt of It for lor the purpose of oC Injuring a bank in the thu nubile esti cst mation tIon The statement points out that off off- cers cr rs of or the tile bank who held seats scats on tho thu Washington ton stock stock- exchange thy 11 ly gave them up In 11 1911 1 because tb they y belIeved helle the thc federal deral reserve reser act might night forbid orb Id an officer r of or a bank acting s JI J a broker on oh a stock r j r I. |
