Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-15
Record of Excise Board Chair
man Scored by Revs. E. N.
Ramsay and J. McMurray.
SENATE subcommittee
HEARS CHARGES MADE
Connection of Gen. Smith and Secre-
tary Tumulty With Liquor In
terests Is Alleged.


Robert G. Smith, Secretary Joseph
Tumulty and the liquor interests was
given by Rev. DIR. John McMurray, pas
tor of the Union Methodist Episcopal
Church, at the hearing today on the
nomination of Gen. Smith as MEMBER
Of the excise board before the subcon-
mittee of the Senate District commit
tee to which the nomination has been
referred.
2. DIR. McMurray declared that in his
opinion the acts OF Gen. Smith as chalr-
man of the excise board were always IN
the interests of the liquor people. He
said he believed these acts could not
have been displeasing to the President
himself, since the President has reap
pointed Gen. Smith. His testimony was
to the effect:
That Cen Smith received his appoint
ment as a member Of the District excise
board through the recommendation OF
the secretary to the President.
Acted for Liquor Interests.
That Mr. Tumulty when an attorney
practicing in Jersey City appeared very
frequently in cases as attorney for the
LIQUOR interests, and that he presumably
is friendly to those interests.
That Gen Smith. being the recipient of
favor from Tumulty in the matter OF the
appointment. naturally acted as he
thought Mr.. Tumulty would have him act.
Senator Phelan of California, chair
man of the investigating committee, de-
manded to know il DR.. McMurray was
speaking of his own personal knowl-
edge when he said that Gen. Smith re-
ceived his appointment through Secre-
tary Tumulty.
"Oh. no; how could I?'' responded DR..
McMurray. He said that it was incon-
ceivable that if he went to Mr.: Tum-
ulty for information along this line
f.; he would get it. He suggested that the
committee might ask Cen smith
Mr.. Tumulty for the place.
DR.. McMurray testified that he had
formerly lived in Jersey City, where he
had been pastor and taken an active
interest in temperance matters. He
said he had frequently seen Mr..
Tumulty appear as attorney for liquor
interests there.
Were Close Politically.
He said Gen. Smith belonged to the
Bob Davis branch of the democratic
party in Jersey City, and that Mr.. Tum-
ulty had been protege of Bob Davis
Questioned by Senator Phelan, DR..
McMurray said he had heard it stated
that after Mr.. Tumulty became secre-
tary to the President he had cut loose
from any connection with the liquor
interests
II hope that is the case said DR..
McMurray.
Senator Sheppard of Texas. who has
appeared before the subcommittee to
protest against the appointment of Gen.
Smith. and who told the committee yes
terday he believed that the President
never would have reappointed Gen.
Smith had he read the report and the
hearings of the Senate committee
which investigated excise matters here
nj 10
a letter which the President wrote him
November 80 last, after he had reap
pointed Gen. Smith. and after Senator
Sheppard had written to him protest.
Ing against the reappointment. The
Presidents letter. after apologizing for
not answering Senator Sheppard ear
lier, said:
Your memorandum about the excise
board note with concern. because 1 have
had the impression that the members
of the board were confronted by a very
difficult and almost impossible task. 1
have not read the report of the investi-
eating committee, but / have seen a
summary of 1t, and / am very much
concerned what to do in the matter"
Rev. e. n. Ramsay Testifes.
DR.. McMurray was preceded on the
stand by Rev. E. NJ. Ramsay. who de-
clared that the whole country knew Of
the manner in which the excise law had
been administered here by the present
excise board, including Gen. Smith
1T is notorious as a liquor board for
It's violation of the law and for its
leaning to the liquor interest" he said
Things have come to a pretty poor
pass when the people elect their repre-
sentatives and send them here to make
laws and then the President appoints
men to carry out these laws who make
the laws as naught. The people de-
mand that these wrongs be righted"
Mr.. Ramsay referred to the case of
the liquor license which was granted
across the street from a Greek Catholic
Church. the church occupying the sec
: ond floor OF building across the street
from the saloon. He also went into
other alleged violations of the liquor
law by the board.
DR., McMurray then took the stand
He said he was representing himself
and others who had protested against
the actions of the excise board. and
against the reappointment of Gen.
smith. He declared he had no personal
feeling against Gen. Smith, that he had
known him as a gentleman both in
Jersey city and here.
But Cen Smith is not temperament
ally lifted for the place SAID Or. Nc