The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-05-11
BORGLUM CHARGES
TURNED AGAINST
ACCUSER HIMSELF
Afidavtts Show He Was Trying to
Form Aircraft Company Of Hts
Own Without Putting Up Cash.
"vNPIUTSCTe WITH WILSON
ONLY ASSET HE CLAIMED
Represented He CDuid Have BOARD
Changed as He Dcsired--Leave@
Washington After Evidence IL Read
Into Record.

Washington. May lo.---A new and
sensational twist to the army aircraft
controversy was given today when
the war department turned on its
principal accuser. Gutson Borglum
Through Senator Thomas. OF Colo
rado. spokesman for the administra-
ton on the military affairs commit
tee. the government ca used to be read
into the Congressional Record 1900
words OF correspondence and affida-
Wits tending To show that, at the
very time Borgmm was collecting In
formation upon which he cha rged of
ficers OF the government with graft.
he was using his position as the
presidents investigator, 10 organize
an aeroplane company.
with him in the proposed formation
Of the company. the correspondence
and affifavtts tended 10 show, was
Hugo e Gibson described as an at
tache OF the British ministry OF war
Henry Harrison Suplee, OF the Dodge
Motor Car company. who was 10 have
been associated with Borglum and
Gibson in the enterprise, furnished
the military Intelligence section OF
the army. which is the military secret
service, with the following afIidayits;
Confidential Information.
-JFITlCTdnAuTl ibf tue NC'tiR'ANtA
information Of military intelligence
section. T., s. A.
4. That in all Of the relations con-
corning the matter 81 prom otion Of
stock company for the manufacture
~ airplanes. during which I was pres
ent at several conferences with the
projectors OF this enterprise, as con-
sulting engineer. | desire 70 state that
there was never any other under
standing OF This project but that Mr.
Borrlum was TO he represented In the
corporation by Mr. Harris and that
his sole asset in the transaction was
to he, first, his personal friendship
4 nd association with President Wilson.
whom he stated he could do anything
he wanted with
so AS a further asset In this COM
mercial venture, Mr., Rorglum stated.
and gave every ore concerned IN the
matter to understand that hts posi-
lion with the....a.r craft. Production
board and the aerial section OF the
signal corps, II. s. A.. was such that
he could obtain for their use plans
and technical details which this COM
pany could use and thus save con-
siderably. both in time and money in
beginning.
"s That one Of the IA rtners OF this
concern was to have been Mr.. Hugo
G. Gibson who is connected with the
British ministry Of war in the United
States. office al 100 Broadway. New
York city. who proposed that certain
patents which he controlled would
be used by This company, and who
also stated that he would be able TO
influence orders for airplanes in such
way that this company might re-
ceive the benefit therefrom.
- That I was given TO under
stand by Mr. Borgium that the present
personnel OF the aircraft board was
highly distasteful to him and he was
constantly criticiztng their work, That
he definitely proposed to change this
personnel ny virtue OF his friendship
with President Wilson and that he
asked me 10 suggest members for the
new board which would he more
friendly 10 him in his projects. That
avoided giving him any definite an
swers along this line. That in the
event OF newly created aircraft
board being formed, there would then
he no difficulty in securing advantage
TO tse proposed organization.
Borglum according to an affidavit
supplied by Kenyon c. Mix, Jr.. one
Of the controlling owners or the Dodge
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