The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-07-04
Remarkable Circumstance Joins
Comptroller of Currency
With Gold Hill Case
Brother Berkely
Investigated Mine
Richmond Man I estihes. How
ever. That His Only Connec-
ton Was in His Official Ca
pacity

Washington, July 3.--The name OF
John skelton Williams comptroller NJ
the currency. is connected with the
Gold Hill mining venture through a
Remarkable set of circumstances.
These circumstances are almost as
extraordinary as the exploitation OF
the mine on aenate stationery from
the offices OF two senators, who are
Stockholders. without airy knowledge
OF the senators.
Comptroller Williams testified to-
day before the senate that his only
Interest In the matter was 10 deter
mine whether or not there mad heea
Sufficient development IN gold produc-
ten in Norih Carolina 10 warrant the
reopening Of the United States ASSAY
ONCE al Charlotte; that what he had
/. done Was done solely In sis official
Y ca pacsty, ana WAS q part of his GntS
as assIstant secretary ~ the treasury
Tf.@ was ne sole reason for sendinA
an expert from Tho government assay
cffaee 10 tire North Carolina mine 70
make an Investigation
The days testimony. however.
brought ne statements that Joht,
skefs n Williams, {hen assistant sec
retary az he tire asury at the sugges-
ton of Walter George Newman, the
promoter If the gold mine. met Hen
men Jennings. mining engineer Of
4 considerable wealth who was former
fiy associated with Mr.. Williams On
the directorate of the SeaeoaId Air
Line.
Proposition To Bur.
That Ne wsnan rfet Jennings In Mr.,
Williams atfice and that the latter
asked If Newman would sell control
Of the property
That john shelton williams later
suggested ard arranged a conference
between Newman and Cleveland
Perkins, aro1 her mining engineer.
who had been associated with Mr.
jennings In extensive ventures and
who also served on The Seahoard AIT
Lime directorate with Mr.. Williams.
That at this conferences inquiries
\ were also addressed 10 Newman as to
willingness to sell control.
That Mr. Williams later suggested
to his brother of Richmond. that he
ana Mr. Jennings stop eff at Salts
bury. n. G.. and inspect the Newman
mine and that Berkeley (the brother)
did make the trip with an expert and
Investigated the property.
I These were The most interesting
developments OF the days hearings.
Most of the statements were made by
Walter George Newman. the promo
Ter. Some az these were borne out
Ny the testimony of the comptroller
himself
Paints RoScate Picture.
Newman seized every opportunity
to paint iii the rogfest hue the pros
poets OF Geld Hin, In fact, he was so
deeply moved by his own statements
that the tears ran down his cheeks
on several occasions. He not only
denied he was attempting 10 hocss
ythe stock on senate stationery. but he
declared that his mine did not need
any boosting; that the gold stood out
IN some OF the veins like fat In
porterf1ouse steak.
He had pleaded with the mining
Nngtneer who had made the report
produced on senate committee letter
heads to reduce his estimated va'ue OF
The mine. Newman begged him 10
put the figures at not more than $40
DOC. 1000 or $4,000 GOO, but the very
beet he could do was to get Senator
kChflton's expert to make an estimate
Of e20.0oo.0oo and reduce his original
figures from ss0,0oo,ooo to $50, )
600.
Not the least interesting disclosure
0f the day was that Senator
Pomerene, OF Ohio, who was one of
the Gold Hill stockholders, was in
DO