The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-05-18
RIGGS BANK LEGAL . FIGHT OPENS WITH
 BITTER ARGUMENT
Council for Williams and McAdoo Seek to Dismiss the Injunction Brought
 Against Officials

Washington, May 17.-Areument on mo- tions by government counsel to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction the injunction suit brought by the Riggs National bank against treasury officials began today in the District of Columbia supreme court. An indication of the bitterness with with which the litigation will be fought developed soon after the case was called. The opposing lawyers engaged in heated wranele over publicity methods employed in the proceedings, on which Justice Me Gov, presiding. called a halt with the an- nouncement that this court is not going to be used as a laboratory to test bad blood.
 Louis Brandes, Samuel t-ntermeyer and associate counsel for SecreNry McAdoo, Comptroller of the Currency Siluams and Treasurer John Burke. charged with con spring to wreck the Riggs bank. filed briefs in support of their motions to dis miss the proceedlngs They maintained that the suit involves the property of the United states. is a suit against the United States and that the government cannot be maue Il party to e"ie ~'''oe. ifs consent. The officers in their dealings with the bank, it was declared, acted in their official capacity and within the law.
 Right to Sue Challenged
 | The right of the bank to sue in equity also was challenged on the ground that it had an adequate remedy at law.
 | Frank J. Hogan, for the bank charged 1 in his argument that political aspect had been injected into the case and thai
 most of the affidavits filed by Secretary tMcAdoo had nothing to do with the pro
 oaedings He cited authorities to show that officials of the government may be
 ,,,aaa amenable to the court when they .ttemnt to usurp authority, and asserted that Mir McAdoo usurped authority b, ,yithholding 5000 interest on bonds due tn' Riggs bank. ,x- Hogan said: We hale to the par an Tn | divid,,aI who has abandoned peing iav oa,,inis,rator and become law violator.'
 nha attorney dwelt at length on de
 nas for information made on th' lhank bv MT. Williams. He said the direc tars of the bank last summer asked tn
 comptroller just what he desired th'
 honr to do. but that no advice or sug restions were recelveu.
 Erroneous Calculation
 IT., aamanding a penalty of $5000 iron tha hank for failure to submit 6 re mort of the loans of the institution TO 70 years MT. Hogan declared that Comp ltroIler Williams made an erroneous cal ] culation to stipulate that amount, wnic
 was due in interest to the bank, an
 ant,s,ed the bank that it would be sub ,ect to further and continuing pen
 alty." continued the attorneyFIt now appear from Williams affidavit that he mere Iv was attempting to bully officials 0 fine hank He now says he had no in tention of exacting further penalty an Inc makes no attempt to calculate tn 2 amount that had been incurred. il Touching upon the statement in Nil McAdoos affidavit that the Secretar knew but two officers of the Nations Citv Bank of New York and that h : had no dealings with that institution t , arouse hostility Mir. Hogan said tn National City bank was in no way con . nected with this case and did not ow
 dollars worth of stock in the Rige 5 bank. | lbly two more days would bo occupte lby arguments on legal phases of tn , l proceedings. If the court should ovei II rule the motions to dismiss. the d fendant officials then would have { show cause why they should not | ! l permanently enjofned from continuin ialleged unlawful interference with tt lbank-