The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-05-15
SUMTER, s. c., WEDNESDAY, MAY H. 1914
GIBSON DENIES CHARGES.
DEFENDS HIMSELF AND GUT.
ION BORGLUM.
Declares Sculptor Washed Hands of
All Connections With Manufacture
ing Organization.

New York, May 1O.-Hugo G. Glib
son, who is an assistant here in the
munitions purchasing department of
the British military mission, issued q
statement late today defending him.
self and Gutzon Borglum in connec-
ton with the disclosures made in
Washington of Borglum's alleged ac-
tivities in aircraft schemes.
"Mr. Borglum washed his hands of
all connections with negotiations
looking to our organization of an
alrplane manufacturing enterprise as
soon as President Wilson granted him
authority to investigate the handling
of aircraft production" said Mr.. Glib
son in making public his statement
He added that had the corporation
that was discussed ever reached the
point of actual organization, he in
tended to be a stockholder and de-
clared that lin the end, think a good
financial reason will be found for these
charges being made. / believe there
may be ample reason for certain per-
sons to consider it desirable to head
off or choke the inquiry which Mr.
BOrglum started"
Gibson explained further that il
1911 and 1912, he was engaged in
the manufacture Of airship propel-
lers in this city.
"BOrglum was actuated wholly by
patriotic motives in the investigation
he understood because he was one OF
those who were crazed by the rotten
manner in which the aircraft pro
gram was being handled" he assert
ed. In his formal statement, Gibson
denied that he had told H. H. Su
plee that he had authority of oppo,
tuniU" to influence orders for air
ships and disclaimed any knowledge
Of Borglums "confidentiar cOnnec-
tiOns with the government which
were referred to in the Suplee state
ment The statement, prepared af.
ter he had listened to questions, fol
lows:
Mr.. Borglum. in December. in
tended to engage in a commercial en-
terprise in which should have been
interested. After he had received au-
| thority from President Wilson to in
vestigate the aircraft situation, he
withdrew entirely. giving as his rea
son to me that he considered dual
activity as entirely incompatible with
the position he then found himself
in. Since he made that statement to
me. he has not even discussed the
proposed commercial undertaking.
Il do not understand the object o.
the statement purporting to come
from Mr.. Henry Harrison Suplee. I
met him on not more than two occa-
sions and had neither authority no,
opportunity nor did / say / could O,
might influence orders for airships
I'm reply to question as to tho
Mix affidavit: Mr.. Borglum has nc
confidential connections with the gov.
ernment that l know Of at the time.
I'm reply to a question as to why
Mr.. Borglum was valuable in con-
nection with the commercial enter
prise: Mr.. Borglum was interested in
q propeller design OF his own, or a
suggestion of such and discussed it
with me because l know something
about propellers"
In n statement issued here late to-
night, GutZOn Borglum characterize.
as "scurrillous frame up the
charges made against him in Wash
ington today in relation to his connec-
ton with the investigation of air
plane production in the United States
This scurrillous frame up which l
charge it to be. has been in the hands
OF the government for months" he
said, "and is now sprung when it has
finally become evident that l shall
persist until the airplane failure is
honestly and thoroughly investigated
The charges of Mix, a confessed tool
OF Deeds and Mix's engineer. are
lies unreservedly, both in Inference
and statement as applied to me in
anything ] ever did directly or indi-
rectly that was improper in my ca
pacity as representative Of the
president
"On the contrary, Mix sought my
assistance TO help him find men of
aeronautic ability and other aid that
produce, small plane he had i'm mind