Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-04-05
Charles C. Glover, William and
Henry H. FIather File Mo-
tionS in Criminal Court.
FEAR PERJURY CHARGES
WILL HOLD UP CHARTER
Statements Made That Controller of
Currency Would Use Pending
Indictments for Refusal.

Motions to compel the United States
attorney to assign an early date for the
trial Of the perjury charges against
Charles c. Glover. William J. Flather
and Henry H. Flather. president, vice
president and former cashier. respec-
lively, of the Riggs National Bank, and
to require the government to specify
more fully the charge against them
were filed today in Criminal Division 1
of the District Supreme Court by the
accused financiers. The defendants are
represented by Attorneys J. J. Darling
ton, Frank J. Hogan. William G. John
son, George P. Hoover and Daniel w.
O'Donoghue.
United States Attorney Laskey had
decided to try the case May s, and yes
terday issued subpoenas for the at
tendance of two witnesses on that date.
Counsel for the accused bank officials
are not satisfied with this date, and
seek to have an earlier trial, declaring
they have importuned the United States
attorney on many occasions for
speedy trial.
In the motion the statement is made
that the charter of the bank expires
July l, 1916. and it is alleged that John
Shelton Williams. controller of the cur
rency, has indicated before witnesses a
purpose to deny renewal of the char
ter and to utilize the pending indict-
ments as pretext for such refusal.
History of the Case.
In April, 1915, the bank filed suit
against Mr.. Williams. Secretary Nc
Adoo of the Treasury and others.
charging those officials with a con-
spiracy to wreck the bank, and asking
that the court restrain them from such
efforts and from further persecution.
During the preliminary hearing, had
in May before Justice Mccoy, Samuel
Untermeyer, chief counsel for the de-
tense charged, In effect, that the Riggs
National Bank had been speculating in
stocks through the firm of Lewis John
son & Co.
Messrs. Glover, William J. and H. H.
tlather met that charge with an affi-
davit asserting that the bank had never
bought or sold stock or made short
saies" through Lewis Johnson e. Co.
Following the submission of that af-
ndavit the defendants introduced a
transcript of an account found on the
books of Lewis Johnson & Co. showing
great number of transactions, APP
proXimately 5000 in all, under the name
OF the Riggs National Bank. and Sam
uel Untermeyer then described the
plaintiff's affidavit as "a grave abuse
of the processes of this court
Attorneys for the bank explained
that the inference attempted to be
drawn from books of Lewis johnson &
Co. was incorrect. and that any stock
transactions appearing thereon in the
name of the bank were actually trans
actions conducted for customers, trans
mltted by the banks officers for the
accommodation of such customers and
that the bank incurred thereby neither
chance of gain nor risk of loss.
The preliminary hearings before Mr..
Justice Mccoy were concluded May 81,
when the court took under considera-
ton the motion of the government to
dismiss the suit on the ground that a
court OF equity had no jurisdiction over
the acts of the controller of the cur
rency and other defendants. No de-
cision on the motion to dismiss has
yet been rendered.
October l. 1915, there were returned
to the criminal branch of the Supreme
Court of the District indictments
charging Mr.. Glover and the Messrs
Flather with perjury, such Indictments
being based on the affidavit outlined.
Early Trial Sought.
On the day the indictments were filed
according to affidavits filed today, conn
sci for the bank officials inquired of the
district attorney regarding the earliest
time the case could be set for trial and
was informed that trial before the
Christmas holidays would be impossible
because of the state of business in the
district attorneys Office. Immediately
after the Christmas recess. the paners
filed today show, efforts were instituted
by the officers indicted to procure a
bill of particulars setting forth which
of the approximately 5000 transactions
nsted the government charged were for
the account of the bank. and seeking an
early trial under the indictments.
hnF foil
efforts by counsel for Messrs. Glover.
Flather and Flather to obtain the
earliest possible trial." but these ef
forts having proved futile, the defen-
dants MADE their formal appeal to the
court today. according to the state
ment in the motions.
The aff1davits filed today further
state that as long, ago as February ii.
of counsel for the officers, the dis
trict attorney promised the defendants
such bill of particulars as they had |
outlined, but that he has thus far failed |
to furnish it.
They also state that since January g. |
last. the district attorney in numerous
and letters has been
urged to grant the defendants an on
portunity to meet in court the charge |
against them; that March 20 the dis
that the Postmaster General Mr. BurIe- |
son, had informed counsel for the de-
PENDANTS that the Attorney General had |
stated that the defendants could have
a trial as soon as they desired it,
March 81, the district attorney ad- |
vised counsel for the defendants that !
he had applied to the Attorney General
for the aid of additional counsel in the
cas- Sc. and that he could give no definite
answer until after further conference
with the Attorney General. and that he
finally, March 25, set May 8 as. the date
for the trial, saying that the designa-
ton of that date takes into account
wish for the earliest pos
sible trial"
Serious Menace to Business.
Counsel for the defendants then wrote
the District attorney, the court is told.
that not only would delay until May
; prove a severe disappointment to
.hem, but that it would prove a serious
menace to business and financial inter-
80 Tho h;~hosf pco in u,sI, |