The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-02-27
EXCISE B0DYIS
Set OF PUPPETS
Rev. John MacMurray, Testi-
flying Before Senate Com
mittee, Says So.
SMITH UPBRAIDS PASTOR
Hints Other Senators Than Those OPP
posed to Liquor Should Con-
duct Inquiry.
SMITH UPBRADS PASTOR

Rev. John MacMurray. pastor of Union
NJ. f. Church, yesterday charged that
the members of the Excise Board are p
set of puppets in the hands of political.
liquor and brewing interests" He made
the accusation in closing his testimony
before the Senate committee investigat-
ing the Excise Board. The charge ere
ated a sensation.
Gen Smith. chairman of the Excise
Board, took the stand and made the Iol-
lowing statement in reply to Rev. Mr..
MacMurray's sweeping accusation:
II am an unfortunate culprit before
this august body. and it does not seem
fair for gentleman, particularly one
of the cloth. to come here and malign.
that man of his cloth should do such n
thing and afterward meagerly apologize
for It, What did he call us-puppets?
HE was referring to members of the
board. and I think might have had one
champion on the committee who would
ask that that be taken back"
"NO Kick COMING" Says senator.
Senator Sheppard, chairman OF the IN
vestigating committee, said to Gen.
Smith:
You have said now about as much as
he did. and so you've got no kick COM
ing"
The session was at once adjourned and
a lively wrange ensued. Attorneys rep
resenting the liquor dealers buttonholed
Senators Sheppard and Thompson, the
only two committee members present,
and vigorously protested against Rev.
Mr.. MacMurray's accusations.
Senator sheppard said during the argyll
ment:
Rev. Mr. MacMurray only expressed
an opinion. and this committee is going
to base no findings on nero opinions
Anybody will have the right to come
before us when We resume hearings at
1890 o'clock Monday morning and answer
the clergyman's charge"
Levi Cooke, attorney for the Liquor
Dealers Federation. was insistent that
the charge should be stricken from the
record The argument waxed warm.
and finally Senator Sheppard terminated
the talking by declaring: I'VE are going
to run this investigation as we see Mt"
Rev. Mr.. MacMurray declared he would
make the charge against the Excise
Board from the pulpit of his church so
that members OF the board may sue him
for libel if they insist the charge is I'M
true
The statement of Rev. Mr.. MacMurray
created the first sensation Of the in
quiry The reply by Gen Smith that
he might have had one champion on
the committee was accepted as inter
preting a feeling that a committee fnves-
tigating the Excise Board should include
Senators other than those opposed to
liquor.
Sheppard Chief Inquisitor.
The inquiry has been conducted almost
wholly by Senator Sheppard, who tried
to make the District dry" Senator
Thompson. from the prohibition State Of
Kansas, has been the most active COM
mittee member. Senator Jones. of
Washington. one OF the trainers Of the
Jones' Works excise law. has been present
nearly half Of the time. Senator Dill
bingham, whose mind Is said to be open
on the liquor question, has been pres
ent but once or twice for a period of a
few minutes Senator Hughes, the sole
wet" Senator of the committee. has not
been seen once during the investigation.
The LIQUOR men claim they have not been
fairly represented.
When the afternoon session was begun,
Senator Sheppard read into the record
a letter from Attorney James A.
OShea, representing Mr.. Marks. proprie-
tor OF Marks Hotel. at Tenth and Il
streets northwest OShea wrote that he
wished to correct certain accusations
and aspersions made against Marks Ho-
tel that have put Mr.. Marks in the
wrong light" The attorney said that
il Mr.. Marks had violated the law as
the vice squad charged. II would have
been fair to Mr.. Marks to arrest him
and convict him instead Of making the
charges before the inquiry committee.
Saloonkeeper Makes Complaint.
Timothy Hanlon. saloonkeeper at So II
street northwest. testified that he be-
lieved testimony given against him pre-
viously by DIR. Cole was due TO malice.
Hanlon said he was told by Policeman
Beach. of the Ninth precinct that DIR.
Cole had said he was living for the
sole purpose OF putting that Hsnlon out
Of business
DR. John T. Cole took the stand and
said: IT disagree with Mr.. Hanlon that
NV testimony was malicious. am not
after Mr.. Hanlon. l am after the FIX
else Board 7 object to Mr.. Hanlon's
saloon being next to my home. but l have
no malicious feeling toward Mr.. Han
lAt