Evening star., 1919-09-04
Diary May Be Called For.

sdering whether it should request
Mr.. Williams to submit such portions
of his diary to it which related to
the Riggs Bank controversy. Mr..
Hogan had requested that the COM
mittce call for il. il an c1ort. a, h"
said. to prove that Mr.. Williams did
have part in bringing about the
indictment of Riggs Bank officials for
perjury-wilich Mr.. Williams has de-
nied-and also to prove that Mr.. Will
liams was animated by personal ami
mostly toward officers of the bank
rather than by any desire to aid the
bank in his course toward that in
stitution.
Senator Owen of Oklahoma. a men,
Der of the committee. asked Mr.. Ho-
gan how he knew that the private and
personal diary of Mr.. Williams had
anything in it about the Riggs Bank
case.
Tells of Employees Offer.
Il have never lodged question in
my life" replied Mr.. Hogan. He then
told the committee about the offer
made by a confidential employe of the
controller. Mr.. Hogan said that he
did not know the name of the en-
ploye.
Senator Owen suggested that the
word of such an employe would not be
worthy of consideration.
Mr.. Hogan replied that as Mr.. Will
liams had testified he had nothing to
do with bringing the perjury case
and that he had not been animated by
animosity toward the officers of the
bank, the committee might be eg-
lightened by the diary.
Hold Animosity as Natural.
Senator Owen said that officers of
the Riggs Bank had appeared before
j ha a
iiams was nominated as controller in
1914, and had made "lively attack
upon Mr.. Williams 1t was natural to
expect. he said that the of Officers H;,,;e would
and that he, too, might feel animosity
toward them.
Mr.. Hogan replied that the Riggs
Bank officials were the only witnesses
who had appeared at that time against
Mr.. Williams, and that MIR. Williams
later had singled out that bank for
attack. after he became controller.
The committee finally decided to
have Mr.. Williams present such por-
tions Of his diary as related to the
Riggs Bank case in executive session,
after Mr.. Williams had expressed a
Willingness to do SO.
Misunderstood as to Records.
At the outset of the hearing today
Mr.. Williams told the committee he
closed Tuesday that it was the desire
of the committee to have the records
of the controllers Office, asked for
by Mr. Hogan on that day. submitted
committee letter which he had sent
to Chairman Mclean in reply to
request from Senator Mclean for the
Official ss;d records in which Mr. Will
desires that the information request
ed be submitted to him. To quote
from his testimony. I request that
there be brought here before ,nis
bank examiners reports themselves
He also states that he does not
suggest that this report be incorpo-
rated in the printed record of the
hearing, for the obvious and exceed
ingly fair reason that they will con-
tain data of confidential character
referring to citizens of this country
having no relations whatever to the
controversies in which Mr.. Williams
had been involved
Il am directed by the Secretary of
the Treasury to- state that he is en-
tirely willing for me to present to the
committee in executive session any Of
dcial report or data in the possession
of this Office which the committee
desires to examine in confidence. and
which with propriety can be submit
ed by the Treasury.
Guards Confidential Data.
He is entirely unwilling, however.
that l expose to Mr.: Hogan. who is a
director of one local bank and attor-
ney for another Washington bank,
confidential data obtained from the
banks generally of this city in the
performance Of my official duty. Mr..
view that this information of con-
hdential character should not be in
corporated in the ,p<inted records
m 100 hn I..A
the further statement that, for the
| same reasons for which it is denied
to the public. it should be denied to
Mr.. Hogan.
Il am willing to go even SO far as
to show the members of the commit
tee my personal diary, so far as it re-
lates to the Riggs controversy. possi-
bly, deleting in the case of confiden-
mentioned therein. This is my per-
4 sonal property, but if the committee
\ is interested in seeing 1t / shall be
happy to comply with its request.
am not willing, however, to hand over
Il my personal diary to Mr. Hogan"
H Mr.. Hogan told the committee that
Il he had no desire to see the confiden-
\ tial reports or Mr.. Williams diary.
He said that he had merely asked for
| them so that the committee might use
| the information to be derived from
\ them itself. He asked to have the
i record corrected so that it would not
/ show that he asked for these docu-
\ ments for his own use.
I Use of Numbers and Letters.
\ Chairman Mclean said that he
II thought it wise to put as much of the
H matter in the public record as pos
II sible. He suggested that it might be
II possible to designate banks by num-
II bers and loans and deposits by let
II ters, so that the data could be print
II ed in the public record without dis
II closing the names Of the banks or
II officers to whom loans had been made.
II Mr.. Williams said he thought this
III would be very difficult and might lead
III to a disclosure of confidential in
III formation. where one bank in the city
III had certain officers.
Ill Mr.. Hogan was asked to explain just
III why he desired these official records
III submitted to the committee. He re-
III piled that he proposed to show that
III at the time Mr.. Williams was de-
iii nouncing Riggs National Bank and
III its officers for loans to its Officers
Ill eleven other national banks in Wash
III ington carried loans on their books tc
III officers and directors. and that Mr.
iii Williams had mover criticised them
Hi He said that he also proposed to show
lll that while Mr.. Williams was attack.
Hi ing Riggs Bank because he charged
Hill that 1t was short in it's reserves an
I'LL other national bank had been shoI
I'LL tn Ito CnnRrf