Bisbee daily review., 1920-11-27
BOILING CHARGE.
 |S BRANDED 'bLACKMA|L'
Shipping Board Investigator
 Says Charges Against Presi- dents Brother-in-law False

NEW YORK. Nov. 26.- John T. Meehan, deputy chief of the shipping boards bureau of investigation. tes- tified before the Walsh committee today that charges of alleged divis ion of money by R. w. Boiling, Pres ident Wilson's brother-in-law; Les ter 'Sisler, and Tucker K Sands, ob- tained from the Downey Shipbuild- ing Corporation of New York for a favorable contract" were not thor oughly Investigated" by the board Sisler is former secretary of the board and Sands former Washing ton bank official
 He explained the departments failure to go deeper into the charges as due to his opinion that Boiling. now treasurer of the shipping board was the victim of attempted black mail" Meehan testified, however he had received no instructions to halt the investigation and that it was still open.
 Meehan had testified previously that he was recalled by the commit tee after Sands had repeated his al- legation that Boiling and Sisler were involved in the division of money. the proceeds of notes given to him by Wallace Downey.
 Explains Opinions
 The extent of his bureaus inquiry. Meehan testified, was to talk to Boil ing Admiral Benson, Martin Gillen, ial i-fa Payne, and to ascertain if the depart ment of justice had investigated the subject
 The investigation, insofar as the shipping boards men went into it. he said took place about June I this year.
 Meehan added that his opinion that the charges were without foun- dalton was, to certain extent. in duced ty the reputation of the men from whom he believed the charges emanated. He admitted he did not examine Sands books and that he didn't go to the Downey Shipbuild- Ing Corporation to ascertain why it would be necessary for them to pay S4O.OO0 to secure contract when they had previously been awarded one by the board for a much larger sum.
 Chairman Wish asked him if he knew of q single investigation that the shipping board made prior to 1920 and Meehan fsSkied that he did not.
 Meehan said his first knowledge of the charge came to him in Janu- ary, 1920, when he was at Philadel- phia. He went to Washington. saw Alonzo Tweedale. comptroller of the board. and told him of the reflection on MT. Bolling's character and stand. ing.
 'I was informed by Mir. Tweedale," the witness said, that it had been and that he. Tweedale. ! was satisfied there was nothing to do it." He then said he went to ! Boiling and Boiling readily agreed 1 that his private books should be ex- which Meehan did. He said he saw an anonymous letter address , ed to Secretary McAdCd touching i on the uaiter and he also ascertain l ed that the department of justice in vestigation of the matter had dis ! proved the allegations.
 Alleges Blackmail
 The summing up of the matter. as he stated. that Boiling to his mind , was an attempted victim of black mail on the part of Sands. He said i he did not wish to spread the report further which he was satisfied was sroundlsss. by carrying it along as 6 government investigation
 He explained investigations worked , great damage to person who was 
 'I felt" he said. that in view of the character of the men under in vestigation, We have gone far enough" |
 He also said he had talked with | Gillen and that he also gathered ! from Gillen that the investigation { had gone far enough-that Boiling was straight"
 Meehan agreed with Chairman Walsh that, in view of the serious ness of the charges, it was right" that they should be publicly inves- !, tigated and either proved or the men against whom they were aimed clear