Evening star., 1915-04-12
ALLEGES A CONSPIRACY
TO INJURE INSTITUTION
Asks Court to Protect It Against
Unlawful Interference With
Affairs.
SAYS OFFICIALS INsULTED
Statement Sets Forth Charges
Against John Skelton Williams,
Who Investigated the Con-
Germs Status.

I The Riggs National Bank today filed
a suit in equity in the Supreme Court
| of the District of Columbia, seeking to
| enjoin William G. McAdoo. Secretary of
the Treasury J. Shelton Williams, con-
troller of the currency. and John
Burke. treasurer of the United States.
from interfering unlawfully with the
affairs of their Institution.
! Former Senator Joseph W. Bailey and
Frank ]. Hogan represent the bank.
| There are thirty-seven counts in the
+, bill in which, it is charged, to quote d
summary of the bill filed in court, Civ
en- out by the bank, that "the said Nc
Adoo and Williams have conspired to
irreparably injure the plaintiff bank
| and have flagrantly exceeded the pow
ers conf1ded to them by law and abused
the powers SO confided to them and
prostituted their high Office to personal
matters, seeking unlaWfully to destroy
/, and unconstitutionally to confiscate
without due process of law the prop
| erty of said defendant bank and to
harass and injure the regulations of
| its officers. although said defendants
| have never discovered, or alleged
soever upon which to question
| the solvency of the plaintiff bank, and
| that said defendants have unlawfully
withheld $4,000 due the plaintiff bank.
| the said $4,000 being interest on gov
| ernment bonds the property of said
! plaintiff bank and held in trust by the
treasurer of the United States to Sc
cure circulation; the plaintiff bank pc
ant Williams from interfering or in
termeddlin9 in any unlawful man
ner with the property of the plain
tifr or with it's officers. or sub
5ectns them tt to .n;nn ANY penalties sia
Williams from refusing to approve the
| plaintiffs bank as a depository for the
| funds of other national banks; to en-
| Join the plaintiff McAdoo from assisting
| or abetting the said Williams in the
aforesaid manner: to enjoin the plain
| till McAdoo from assuming or usurping <
| the duties and functions of the treasu-
| rer OF the United States: to declare the
| aforesaid penalty of $1,000 null and
| converting the said $1,000 into the
| Treasury of the United States, etc, etc"
Relations Strained.
| 1t has been a matter of more or less
common knowledge in financial circles
| and also by the press that the relations
| between the Riggs National Bank and
! the controller Of the currency were
| seriously strained, but few looked for
7
| the former to resort to the courts for
| relief.
| The first evidences of the friction
| came shortly after the Munsey Trust
Company Of this city took over the
| United States Trust Company. then on
the verge of failure. The New York
| Tribune carried series of articles
casting blame on the Treasury Depart
| ment for certain action in connection
with the advance to the Munsey Trust
4 %< .
| 900. on assets Of the United States
| Trust Company, and the assumption of
| responsibility for the note by the ma
| tional banks of the District, the Treas
| ury Department having no relations
| direct with other than national insti-
| tutions.
! The Riggs National Bank, in it's state
| ment published below makes record of
ia very sharp interview in the Office of
the Secretary of the Treasury, when
bank were called on the carpet and
| charged with responsibility for the ar
| ticleS in the Tribune.
Mr. Williams was then an assistant
secretary Of the Treasury. Later,
when his nonina ton as controller of
| the currency was up before the Senate
| for confirmation. the United States
Trust Munsey Trust Company matter
| was brought up for consideration. and
two officers Of the Riggs National were
| called to testify before the currency
| committee Of the Senate.
| At that time NJ. b. Allies vice presi-
dent of the Riggs National. asserted
| that he believed MIR. Williams enmity
| toward him was inspred~by the fact
| that he tAiles) had succeeded Mr.. Will
| liams as director of the Seaboard Air
Line and that he had not had any
thing to do with Mr.. Williams retire
| ment."
Goes Back to 1896.