The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-19
RIGGS BANK HAS
PROVED NO PLOT,
JUSTICE SAYS
Asks for Conspiracy Evidence
Counsel Promises to Pro-
duce It Later.
WITHDRAWAL OF N
DECLARED UNOFFICIAL

,ric, Of Columbia, presiding over the
pirs, Bank case. interrupted tho ar
,,ment to-day OF Attorney Hogan for
n. bank 10 say that he saw no evil
d,nce in the case to prove a CON
,~n,racy' on the part ~ Secretary OF
m. Treasury McAdoo and Comptroller
AZ the Currency John SHELTON Williams
10 injure the Riggs National Bank.
In other made by the pre-
aiding Justice in the course OF the argu-
men,s. limitations were thrown out
which seemed to Indicate that the court
did not agree with the allegations in
the bill nled by the bank.
Mr.. Hogan. replying to the
a, the Judge about the absence OF evil
dence OF conspiracy" said that the
evidence would be furnished by wit
nesses who would be called when the
casa reached the stage where the bill
uas TO be considered on its merits.
Al another time In the argument OF
Mr.. Hogan the trial Justice inquired
whether the attorney for the bank
meant TO contend that there was a
poysr "in this court" to require the
Secretary of the Treasury to restore
10 Inc flRks jain 1tS StHtuS as u re-
serve agent for other banks, which had
been taken away. Justice Mccoy in
tlmated that the approval OF reserve
agents was discretionary with the Sec
rotary OF the Treasury and the Comp
troller. The Justice said that as to the
question OF the $1,000 interest due the
bank on Government bonds deposited in
the Treasury which had been withheld
on orders OF the Comptroller of the
Currency. IL would he considered sep
arately from the other issues in the
case as presenting a distinct PROPOSE
tNh.
Conspiracy Evidence Questioned.
The most interesting feature OF the
case to-day vas the colloauy between
tie presiding Judge and the attorney
for the bank over the Conspiracy"
charge. Mr.. Hogan had reiterated his
allegation made In the bill filed by the
bank that Secretary of the Treasury
McAdoo had practically threatened the
bank with arbitrary power when he
ssld 10 President Glover. after denoun-
cling vice-President Allies "You know
wat this means for the Riggs bank?''
Inc attorney charged that from that
hour a corrupt conspiracy" existed
between Secretary McAdoo and Comp
lNliN q " haItSS anu dHflO1
and ruin the Riggs bank.
Where do you find evidence here
TO sustain the charge OF a conspiracy"
inquired the Judge.
Mr. Hogan quickly enumerated the
successive steps in what he character
lied as the conspiracy, These began
with the interview between the Secre-
tary Of the Treasury and President
Glover Of the bank last December, at
which the charge was made by Mr..
McAdoo that officers OF the bank and
particularly Mr.. Allies, one OF the vice.
presidents OF the institution. had
inspired newspaper attacks on the Sec
rotary and the Comptroller in connec-
ton with the Munsey Trust Company's
absorption of the United States Trust
Company in Washington.
Repeating the alleged quarrel at the
time and the implied threat made by
Secretary McAdoo TO President Glover
OF reprisals against the bank. Attorney
Hogan declared that a conference fol-
lored Immediately between McAdoo and
Williams. and from that time on the
bank was harassed by a series OF de-
rands for reports that had TO be pre-
pared at great expense, and that step
BY step the conspiracy had developed.
The Justice suggested hat the bill
did not specify any act by the Comptrol-
Ter that had been the subiec, OF corr
pain, from the bank until months after
the interview. He minated thar suf-
ncient time a elapsed for the hot
blood OF the quarrel to have cooled.
Mr Hogan replied that Comptroller Will
ANS did not begin reprisals al once.
for the JASON that he did not become
Comptroller until some time afterward
And was IN no position to make demands
T'"' 'e"s'monS haser.
Judge Mccoy insisted that the record
Disclosed no evidence OF a conspiracy
and that ~ the demands of the Treas
ury Department for reports and the
other acts compiained ~ were IN he AZ.
,rbuted to The MARE n would be ius,
A fair 10 saw tba, tho harL had r.,,sod
TO respond IN demand. ~ tha Tr.asury
Depa r, linen, for rennr,. h.ca,.a GO N.
same quarrel and ths ,se,,ne srnuins
out OF il ~ ~
.t,or
the bank as a stem in the consniracv and
~ justice insisted that this was an
"tIaI act Finally the colloquy
va brought to an end by the sug-
SsLoh OF the banks attorney that the
question OF the existence OF the alleged
.onsplracy' was not really before the
.oult AT this time, but that when 1t did
.ome witnesses would be called by the
'anN TO establish the conspiracy.
LOUIS 4. Brandeis Of Boston. attorney
,o' the Comptroller, used twenty minutes
" strictly legal argumen In support
o. Tho motion to dismiss the bill. His
a'sument was free from personal refer
sn'tS and he made no answer TO the