Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1915-04-17
CABINET MEETS.
TO CONSIDER CASE
Riggs Suit May Be Cause Of
;. Bringing Other Banks ;.
in Case
STAND BY OFFICIALS
Samuel Untermyer Probably viii
Advise Secretary of the Treasury
as His Close Friend.

~
Washington, April 17-More ru-
mcrs concerning broadening out of
the controversy between ! the Riggs
National Bank and Comptroller vii.
liams and Secretary of the Treasury
McAdoo are current today.
The fact that President Wilson is
displaying a personal interest in the
case: that he apparently has dlrecTed
Attorney General Gregory to back
up Treasury officials to the utmost;
that the Cabinet discussed the fight
Mt its regular meeting yesterday; that
the Comptroller has intimated con-
sideration will te given to possible
criminal actions: that hundreds OF
other banks have written letters
giving moral support to the Riggs
bank, and that there is reason to be-
lieve on the one hand that powerful
financial interests are friendly to the
halh in its suit. and, on the other
hami, that The Treasury officials are
giving their attention to these in
terests( with view to finding out
whether any of them have beenviolat-
::rg the law all these phases of the
struggle and others have led to the
belief that Washington and the coun-
Try have seen only the beginning OF
tie trouble.
Washington. April 1.-THE suit
of the Riggs bank against the United
States Treasury officials was discns-
sed at the Cabinet meeting yesterday.
Attorney General Gregory as he left
the White House said that no steps
had been decided upon. There was
plain intimation, however, that the
President and the administration
generally woull stand behind the
Treasury Department.
At the request of counsel for the
government, TIE District Supreme
Court yesterday morning postponed
until May u the preliminary hearing
in the injunction proceedings of :he
Riggs National Bank :. against Sec
retary McAdoc, Comptroller Of the
Currency John Shelton Williams and
United States Treasurer Burke.
There was report that Samuel
untermyer, Of New York, was to be
engaged as senior counsel to look
after the interest of the. government.
MIR. Untermeyer came to Washington
quietly. Thursday evening, and 1t is
known that he had conference WITH
Comptroller Williams. 1t is said that
he visited the President in the White
House, going there without passing
through the, public Offices. No in
formation concerning this alleged
visit WAS given 1T the White House.
At the Department; of Justice there
was absolute silence on the subject
Comptroller Williams stated that
Mr.. Untermeyer had not been en-
ployed, so far as he knew, and that
if he were to be engaged the De-
Gartment of Justice would be the
department that would employ him.
AT the office of the Secretary Of The
Treasury it was said that Mr.. un'
termyer had net "yet" been employ
ed IN the case, and it was not knowr
there whether he would be.
1t was learned that Treasury De
ra1tment officials were not contem
plating retaining Mr.. Untermyer a
counsel, but that he probably woul'
sdyise Secretary McAdoo as clos
nersonal friend OF wide experience Il
banking matters. 1t also was learne'
,hst Solicitor General John W. Davi
probably would appear among coun
eel for the government officials.
A large array of legal talent o
10th sides and Che interested parne
were in court when the case wa
called Yesterday morning.
-O--