Show NE NEW REFUSES H TO GIVE FACTS f IN I N P PI O. O 0 P PROOf R 0 13 E i Blame faine Sees Growing Chain o of 5 Circumstances Pointing I to Collusion S WASHINGTON Feb 20 O tp- tp Former Postmaster General New re refused refused re re- fused sed to today May tay to tell the senate committee committee com corn investigating postal leases whether the St. St Paul commercial sta sta- sta tion post post office le lease c was discussed at a meeting of President Coolidge's cabinet I II r decline to testify to anything that took place In a a. cabinet meetIng meetIng meet- meet InS Ing Ing- Ing he said In reply to a question by Chairman Elaine Blame Did you oU at ata a a cabinet binet meeting charge with responsibility for tor the lease Elaine Blame asked referring referring referring refer refer- ring to H. H Bartlett first assistant assistant assistant assist assist- ant postmaster general under New DENIES CHARGE Never there or anywhere else tse New ew replied Bartlett had testified New at attempted attempted attempted at- at tempted to blame him for the tho lease Jease He did not know whether it had been dl discussed cussed by the cabinet however New reiterated today that Bartlett Bartlett Bartlett Bart Bart- lett lettas was as familiar with the negotiations negotiations leading up to the lease Jense 11 If It he thought I made a mistake it was his Ws dut duty to tell me New said A grand jury investigated the lease and found evidences of fraud and recommended a full tion Con Blaine yesterday asserted there was a a growing chain of circumstances circumstances circumstances circum circum- stances to support a a belief that there was collusion to ta prevent a second grand jury inquiry The lease Jease l in question was executed executed exe exe- to replace one already in ef ef- ef feet In return for relinquishing a a. cancellation clause the government received a lower rental New has testified d this saved sa the treasury ury LETTER READ Blame Blaine read a letter from Director Lord of the budget bureau to New NewIn Newin Newin in October 1926 reviewing the facts fact of the lease and recommending the government purchase the commercial commer commer- cial cia station building Under questioning New said he did not e belle he any action to buy the building What was was' I going to b buy it with marbles he asked Questioned by Elaine Blame Nc New agreed he had not recommended condemnation tion of the property or appropriation tion of af money for purchase of the building He said aid he informally recommended construction of a new building |