The sun., 1918-05-11
Attempted Secret Partner.
ship in New Company,
Officials Charge.
NAY WIDEN INQUIRY
Boosted of Influence With
Wilson and Sought to
Exploit 1t.
SENATE GETS EVIDENCE
Sculptor Said He'd Get Rid Of
Air Board-British At
tache Involved.
SENATE GETS EVIDENCE

WASHINGTON. May TO- Sensational
Developments came from the aircraft
hquiry to-day when the spotlight Of
publicity was turned on the activities
0, Gutzon Borglum. who was the Pres
dents so-called personal investigator
os aircraft conditions and is now the
author Of the sweeping charges against
the Signal Corps and the Aircraft Pro.
dlction Board.
Evidence supported by documentary
proof was turned over to Senator
Thomas tCol.) from files Of the War
Department showing that Borglum
while acting as Investigator sought to
exploit his influence with the President
FOR his own benefit in an aifpiane COM
pany. that he sought to keep the
transaction under cover and that part
Of this secret plan involved getting rid
o. officials against whom he has now
trough, charges.
Thomas Gives Evidence.
The Borglum exposures were read
into the record by Senator Thomas
They are in the form Of Statements by
Kenyon W. Mix. son Of the president
o. the Dodge Manufacturing Company,
Mishawaka, Ind. and Henry Harrison
Suplee. his consulting engineer. with
whom Borglum had dealings. corre-
spondence ana kilograms concerning
the scheme from Mr.. oorSlum himself.
They form a chain Of evidence ap.
parently complete. so far as exposing
Mr. Borglum's double purpose Is con-
cerned. The evidence incidentally
drags in II. G.. Gibson. sttache OF the
British Ministry Of Munitions: Lieut..
Roberts OF the British army and
others
l, was said in army circles tonight
tina, the dragnet would extend far
wider IL the investigation should be
continued along this line. for Mr.. Bor.
gum is considered merely one OF many
who for one reason or another have
sought to break down the personnel oe
the Aircraft Production Board.
Several members OF the Aeronautical
Society Of America arc understood tc
have been mentioned by secret service
reports of the War Department con-
,erning recent agitation In connection
ai:h aircraft work.
This agitation. however. or its expos,
ure, will not affece the investigation o,
the Senate Military Committee or th<
Department Of Justice In continuing III
'squ'ry TO place blame for any wrong
doing found to exist among officals II
enarge Of this work for the Government
The committee. satisfied that there haI
been a fall down In the aviation pro
gramne, holds that II devolves upon y
10 place the blame and satisfy the puo
-!c whether or not there has been wrong
doing in connection with It.
BorgluIns exposure Is duo to the rae
tha, Mix became suspicious OF him afte
te learned that Borglum was seeking u
exploit his position as investigator 10
financial gain. Mix waited until he wa
.are Of his slsricions and then informe'
Howard Coffin, former chairman OF tn
Aircraft Production Board. and Maoo
Cen. Squier, chief signal ofhcer.
Charges Summarized.
The charge. against Borelum in the
elementary evidence follow:
Armed with the Presidential letter
o. January he entered into scheme
to be a silent partner in an airrlane
manufacturing concern In which he
would obtain an interest in exchange
FOR his personal friendship and asso-
Cation with President Wilson Bor-
g!lln added that ''he could do anything
ne wanted to" with tho President.
lie represented to his prospective
partners that he could obtain FOR their
use plans and technical details by
virtue Of his position with the Air
craft Production Board and the aerial
section OF the Signal Corps.
He made 1t clear that he could not
afford to be represented openly In the
prospective company and. therefore.
selected a Mr.. Harris to be his repre-
tentative
He informed these partners that he
dd not like the personnel Of tho Air
craft Production Board and that he
proposed TO change It "by virtue OF his
friendship with President Wilson
He even went so far as to ask Mr.
sipl"e 10 suggest men for the places
sculptor Goes to New York.
Rorsium was not available to-da
Vhtn requests were made to see him
ne Albany Hotel. InQuirers were II
''"'-'' however, tUdt uV. ANlChO
would be glad to see any newspaper me
,''caols said that Borglun would be
hs Office at 10 30 tonight In New Yor
Nr, Nichols IL mentioned In the co
Isponisnce as having Informed the pr
ao'ers Of the airplane scheme that
no's'1m could put through anything
aht'd TO that had merit. but that
no's'um must keep under cover. Bo
s'ln "as here up to to-day. but lie
'19l'ny this afternoon. He has n
II sH been summoned by any OF the al
rs:t iHvestigators.
The evidence shows that the sculpt
'sc taken up an idea for an airpla
az September and had written
aalor-jcn. Squ!cr OF the subject. II
p'an was rejected later BY Col. Dee
Sh' efforts to bring II to fruition failt
Co-,inued on Fifth rage.