Evening star., 1915-04-13

UOIIUI WIlUIHlO
ABOUT riggs BANK
CONTINUED from First Fase)
rect statement of tine resources and
Liabilities Of the bank.
Alleges a Conspiracy.
The bill further alleges that tho
defendants, Williams and McAdoo. have
confederated, combined and conspired
40 to use and abuse and exceed the
powers conferred on them by the lawn
of the United States as to impose upon
said plaintiff bank unlawful. excessive
and ruinous penalties. and entirely cut
off the plaintiff from certain very
iarge bank deposits heretofore held by
Il, and greatly to injure said business:
ana that il is the purpose and intent OF
said defendants willfully and malicious
ly to inflict irreparable injury on the
plaintiff bank in defiance OF law and nd
wrongfully to subject the plaintln
bank to their uncontrolled and aroi,
trary actions. which are unauthorized
The bill charges also that said Will
liams has called on plaintiff bank for
alleged special reports which are
wholly impertinent and irrelevant 70
fun and complete knowledge OIL It's
condition, and which are unnecessary
for that purpose IN any reasonabIe
Judgment of the controller OF the cur
rency. and has wrongfully and mali
ciously subjected the plaintiff, by con,
~szt, and
INA uthorized inQuistion. to compliance
with many such calls at great expense,
and has imposed upon plaintiH on.
GERS and employees an appalling amount
Of totally useless work. In hlndrance
and detriment TO a proper and orderly
conduct of the banks business"
Quotes Secretary McAdoo's Threat
P1aintir recites tho alleged incidents
Of an Interview in defendant McAdoo's
office December 4. 1913. and charges
the said defendant falsely charged the
oflcers of plaintiff bank with having
inspired certain articles which had ap-
reared in the New York Tribune. and
declares that the defendant McAdoo.
United states, in the official Office as
signed to him as such Secretary OF the
Treasury. arose from his chair and ad-
vanced menacingly toward Milton ~
bank, and in great anger shouted, with
blasphemous oath. I will order you
out of my office and then turning to
Charles c. Glover. president OF the
YOU know what this means to the
Riggs National Bank"
The plaintiff AYERS on information
and belief that when the nomina-
Williams. was under consideration by
the committee on banking and currency
Of the United States Senate and before
said committee would consent to re-
port favorabiy said nomination. the de-
fendant Williams was fnterrogated as
to whether he would be fair and just
in the administration of the office of
controller of the currency. said VIII
lams fervently and solemnly assured
said committee that he could and would
fairly discharge the duties Of said Of
fee. notwithstanding the hostility be-
tween him and the Officers Of the plain
tiff bank.
Takes Away Deposits.
Plaintiff further AYERS that In May.
1914, .rhe defendant McAdoo arbitra-
riIy eliminated tho plaintiff bank from
its normal share OF the District Of
Columbia tax moneys deposited with
other national banks Of the District
of Columbia according to a system Of
Il
such system would have required that
one-fifth of the amount so deposited be
deposited In plaintiff bank. whose de-
positors had paid about one-fifth of the
total taxes axes .hsG asG gd1. gad And further
the plaintiff bank. inquired the reason
for such gross discrimination. defend
ant McAdoo replied that plaintiff bank
did relatively small commercial busi-
ness. and added. It It my purpose to
withdraw all government funds from
the Riggs National Bank and that
he did SO witferaw such government
funds. and did discontinue said bank
as government depository"
The bill then charges tina. .Messrs.
McAdoo and Williams conspired to
take away from the plaintiff bank the
Panama canal funds and did effect
their withdrawal In the amount of
withdrawal Of nearly ,2,soo. 900 at a
time when all banks in tho United
states were making strenuous efforts
20 husband their resources and at a
time when the plaintiff bank could not
dispose OF the bonds which had been
pledged az collateral for such Panama
funds because Of the European war"
Mr.. Williams Took Away Funds.
The plaintiff bank charges that Mr..
Williams. ae treasurer of the Red
cross, took away from the bank the
funds of that organization.
Plaintiff again AYERS that the defend
ant Williams has attempted to assert
extraordinary. far-reaching, unauthor-
zed and unlawful inquisitorial and
visitatorial powers against said bank
and threatened the bank and its ofiicers
with unspectded punitory action and
has threatened to impose the imposi-
tion of extraordinary and unlawful
penalties: and that, whereas, tho plain
Tin has received from former con-
troliers of the currency during the
nearly eighteen years of its existence
only twenty-seven letters, that said
bank has received from said williams
and his subordinates fifty-one letters.
and that it's correspondence with the
controller of the currency covers 5O3
printed pages, which do not include
very voluminous tabulated statistical
statements prepared at the demand of
and submitted to tho defendant Will
liams In . futile effort to meet and sat
isfy and prevent a continuance of his
unlawful demands"
inquiry pursued by chs defendant Will
hams. his demands for tho deposit bal
ances Of individual depositors; for de-
tailed Information regarding tho telephone
and private telegraph wires maintained
IN the bank by certain OF its correspond
onts: all Of which. plaintiff AYERS. tho
controller was without authority TO ask
for. because such Information does not
come within the statutory provision" con-
ferring on said official power TO call for
special reports
Says Mr.. Williams Threatened.
Plaintiff further AYERS that when, IN
reply to certain unlawful ard unreason-
able demands. plaintiff suggested that