The sun., 1919-07-17
LIE GIVEN TO WEEKS
BY COMPTROLLER
Williams Says Former Sena-
tor Knew He Spoke I'm
truth in Charge.
COMES BACK AT CRITICS
Denies Withdrawing Red
Cross Funds From Certain
Banks i'm Washington.

WASHINGTON, July I6.-John Shelton
Williams. Comptroller of the Currency.
appearing to-day before the Senate
Banking Committee which Is considering
his nomination. struck back at his critics.
passed the lie to former Senator Weeks
OF Massachusetts, who bitterly opposed
his nomination at the last session and
denied charges recently made that he
had caused the withdrawal of Red Cross
funds from certain Washington banks.
Mr.. Williams announced when the COM
mittee adjourned until next Friday that
he would at that time reply to allega-
tons made by John Poole aid Frank ].
Hogan. local bankers, relative to alleged
discrimination against certain banks
Mr.. Williams gave his testimony to-
day after A. Z. Bones, representing
stockholders of the defunct First Ma
tional Bank of Uniontown, Pa, of which
]. V. Thompson, wealthy coal land
owner, was formerly president, had
Charged Comptroller Williams with mis-
management of the banks affairs so as
to cause the stockholders a loss OF $2,-
100000.
Jesse c. Adkins an attorney for the
Government in the Riggs Bank case. and
another witness refuted testimony given
by Mr.. Hogan that the Comptroller had
prosecuted the Riggs Bank and charged
that the bank had repeatedly violated
Federal banking statutes until COM
PEELED to desist by Mr.. Williams.
The Comptroller read to the commit
tee a letter which he sent recently to
Senator owen of Oklahoma, former
chairman OF the committee, alleging that
the resolutions presented to the commit
tee last session by former Senator Weeks
from the Clearing House Associations OF
Winchester. KY. and Lexington. KY.
were "imrositiois" upon the committee.
Mr.. Williams declared no such organiza-
ton exists in the former city. but that
the resolutions were "concerted by
two Junior local bank officials. pppar-
entity at the instance or influence of some
peryon CT persons whose identity has not
ret been disclosed" in an effort to de
ceive the Senate committee and inture
me-
The Comptroller quoted Senator
Weeks as telling the committee that In
Ave years he had not received COM
munication which had mot been critical
of the Comptroller" In reference to
this Mr.. williams in his letter charged
that he had proof that the former Mas
sachusetts Senator at that time had in
his possession n letter from former
president of the Kentucky Bankers As
ISOLATION protesting against the Sena-
tors opposition. ...
That statement was made by him
(weeks) deliberately and the record
shows that in making II he uttered an
untruth," Mr.. Williams in the letter as
serted.
Replying to charges that Red Cross
funds had been withdrawn at the in
stance of the Comptroller from the Fed
eral National Bank in Washington, Mr..
Williams read letters of denial from
Hugh s. Bird assistant treasurer. and
z. c. Haneke. second assistant treasurer
of the Red Cross. The letter OF the lat
ter asserted that "Mrs Poole had DELHI
erately given the committee information
that is absolutely not true Mr.. Bird
explained that s3se.0o0 had been with
drawn, but said this was done owing to
the fact that money belonged to sep
arate division and had been deposited
by mistake in that bank.