The Washington times., 1916-04-05
Statement Given Out
:. By Riggs Attorneys

The following statement was Issued
this morning By attorneys for the
Riggs Bank
Charles c. Glover, william J. Flath-
er, and r. II. Father. respectively
president. vice president. and ex-
cashier of the Riggs National Bank,
fled by their attorneys in the Supreme
Court OF the District Of Columbia to-
day motions urging that their trial
under the indictment for perjury
brought against them on october l..
last, be expedited, and asking the
court. to instruct that they be furnish
ed with bill OF particulars on which
ne indictments are based. The at
torneys appearing for these officers
are j. J. Darlington. Frank ]. Hogan.
William G. johnson. George p. Hoov-
er. and Daniel w. ODonoghue
The motions and accompanying nf-
hdavits set forth the repeated efforts
OF the indicted officers to procure an
Nay before Mr. Justic. IS s aS% sst a rod
their earnest and futile efforts to
procure from the District Attorney a
pill OF particulars. The startling IA ct
ls asserted that the banks charter ex-
SHELTON Williams, Comptroller OF the
Currency. hRa indicated before trust
worthy witnesses his purpose to deny a
renewal Of the charter and to utilize
the pending indictments as a pretext
Tor such refusal
Filed Suit in 1915.
TT will be recalled that in April. 1915.
the RiEgs National Bank filed suit
against John Shelton williams. Comp
troller of the Currency: William Gibbs
McAdoo. Secretary of the Treasury. and
other Treasury officials. charging those
officials with a conspiracy to wreck the
bank. and asking that the court re-
strain them from such efforts and from
further persecution. During the pre-
llminary hearing. had In Nav before Mr..
Justice Mccoy. Samuel Untermeyer,
chief counsel for the defense. charged
and obviously created the impression
that the Riggs National Bank had been
Specializing in stocks through the firm
of Lewis Johnson & Co.
Messrs. Glover. William ]. and II. II.
Flather met that charge with an AMI
davit asserting that the bank had never
bought or sold stock. or made short
sales through Lewis johnson g. Co.
Following the submission OF that af-
fidavit the defendants introduced a
transcript of an account found on the
books of Lewis Johnson & Co. showing
a great number Of transactions. approx
imately 5000 In all. Under the name Of
the Riggs National Bank. and Samuel
Untermeycr then described the plain
tins AFFIDAVIT as a grave abuse of the
processes OF this court and sought. to
create the impression that II was false.
Attorneys for the bank explained
that tho inference attempted to be
drawn from books of Lewis johnson Il
Co. was Incorrect, and that any stock
transactions appearing thereon IN the
name of the bank were actually tran
sactions conducted for customers trans
mitted by the banks officer for the ac-
commodation OF such customers. and
that the bank incurred thereby neither
chance of gain nor risk OF loss.
No Decision Rendered.
'"rhe preliminary hearings before Mr.
Justice Mccoy were concluded on May
q. when the court took under consider.
alton the motion u the Government 10
dismiss the suit oil tho ground that a
court OF equity had no jurisdiction over
the acts OF the Comptroller of the Cur
rency and ether defendants No de-
cision on the motion 10 dismiss hal
yet been rendered.
ION October /, 1915. however. Their,
were returned &c the criminal branch oil
the Supreme Court of the District In
dictments charging Mr.. Glover and the
Messrs Flather with perjury, such in
dictments Icing bused ON the AFFIDAVIT
outlined.
ION the Gay the indictments wer,
filed, according to afflduvits filed today
counsel for tho eaLk officials inquire;
OF the District Attorney regarding th'
trial. and wos Informed that trial be
fore the Christmas h0lidavs would BIZ
Impossible, because o: the state OF bust
ness In the District Attorneys office.
Immediately after.thc Christmas re
cess. the papers filed today show, Of
forts were Instituted b. the officers in
dicted to procure q billofparticulars set