Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-11-30
BOILING DENIES
BRIBERY CHARGES
! MADE BY SANDS
neIIs Ship Board Probers
Anonymous Letters Were
His First Intimation.
ASKS THAT BANKERS
BOOKS BE PRODUCED
Says Fuller's Statement of Checks
Receipt Is "Unquai-
fiedly False"
By the Associated Press.

NEW YORK, November 30.-R. W.
Boiling. treasurer of the United States
Shipping Board and a brotherin-law
of President Wilson, was the chief
Witness called to testify today before
the Walsh congressional committee.
which is investigating alleged cor
1upt practi@s in the Shipping Board.
The committee planned to question
him regarding testimony recently
given before the committee by Tucker
Il Sands, former Washington
Cd. Co. bank official. to the effect that
Mr. Boiling shared in $4,000 said to
have been paid by the Downey Ship
building Corporation to the Shipping
Board to secure contract. Mr.
Boiling already has issued public
denial of the charge.
Lester Sisler, former secretary of
the Shipping Board. who was alleged
by Mr.; sands to have shared in the he
present to testify, as was Alonzo
Tweedale. former controller of the
Shipping Board, who is said to nave
investigated Mr.. Bolling's alleged
participation in the division OF the
money.
Representative Joseph Walsh. Mas
sachusetts. chairman of the commit.
tee said these witnesses had not
been asked to waive immunity.
Bolling's Statement.
A denial that he had ever taken
money for influencing the dispose
tion Of contracts or mach1nery Dy o
charged by, Sands. coupled with re-
quest that all of his business transac-
1ions with Sands be investigated-"both
for my own and my family's sake-was
made by Mr.. Boiling. Mr.. Boiling told
;aft0 n
dating back to 1916 and earlier years.
out OF which grew several financial
transactions He told the committee
that his personal records were all
available to its inspection. Sands has
testified that he received $4,000 from
for Representing it before the board,
out OF which, he paid money to MT.
Boiling.
Tesk No Coatraetor's Profit.
Mr.. Boiling said that after banking
with the institution which Sands was
ccrnecfed with for several years. he
had taken contract in 1916 TO build
a house next door to his own for the
banker. and in making settlement for
its cost with Mr.. and Mrs. Sands. had
foregone any profits becauserof objec-
ton by the Sands to charge for ex-
traS.
AFTER q great dea1 Of talk on the
subject Of the charge for extras"
said Mr.. Boiling. II volunteered to
cancel my share of this charge. which
figure $600) represented most of the
profit that had expected to make on
their unpleasant attitude. but the un-
derstanding was that my associate
was to be paid his share for these
extras f$600) in full. / did this be-
cause / had built a home for myself
on the lot adjoining Mr.. Sands. and
n davolnn
which would have in any way caused
disaereeable feelings on the part of
neighbors. Mr. Sands agreed to this
settlement and it was made accord
ingiy. He gave me his note for $4,000.
which indorsed and discounted in the
Commercial National Bank. of which
institution he was then vice presi-
dent"
At this juncture Mr.. Boiling offered
in evidence his personal banking pass
book showing he had deposited the
proceeds of the note November Is, 1916.
However. a short while afterward
Mr. Sands told me that he did not
want me to lose any of my commits
sions for building the house. and that
he had accepted this reduction only
because his wife was very much wor-
ried that the house should have cost
more than they had originally plan
ned. and that he intended paying me
the additional 5000 above referred to.
Tells OF Machinery Case.
Early in 1918 Mr.. Sands sent Mr..
Cranor to see me in regard to some
machinery, which was to be used in
connection with construction Of ves-
sells. Mr.. Cranor told me that the
machinery in question was bending
rolls and was to have been shipped
TO his company from the factory. but
at the last minute some other COM
pany succeeded in having the order
changed. and that this machinery
would be diverted to them; that a
great injustice was being done to his,
Mr.. Cranor's company.
II knew nothing about the construc-
tion division. so in ene presence of
Mr.. Cranor I called up Lester Sisler,
who was then secretary of the Ship
ping Board, and explained the matter
TO him. He said he would look into
II. and subsequently told me that he
found upon inquiry that the rolls had
been promised to Mr.. Cranor's COM
pany. ard would be shipped to them"
Mr.. Boiling in answer to questions
said that he did not see Sands at any
time during the bending rolls incl
dent" He testified 10 having gone to
Sands hotel room in Washington, but
did not recoliect ever having been there
alone with him. Once. he said. Mrs.
Boiling and he had taken dinner with
Mr.. and Mrs. Sands at the hotel. Mr..
Boiling said that the Shipping Board
gradually reduced the funds IN Sands
bank in the regular course OF business.
He continued:
Said He Would Make 81 600.
"A short time after this Mr.. Sands
told me that he had made, or would
make. $1,000 in connection with this
;ransaction--though he now states
he has no recollection Of the matter
and that he was going to take care
OF me- | told him / would accept
nothing. He then mentioned the $500
which he still owed me in connection
with the changes made in his house
saying that he had not forgotten it.
and would pay It,
Il gave no thought as to what Mr.
sands relationship was to the princi
pal. but looked upon him as the vice
president of large bank. and a man
who was Justly indebted to me.
therefore told him that I would be
glad to have him pay what he owed
rue. but that IL could in no way be
connected with fees or commissions
involving government work-and this
no clearly understood.
Upon my request he paid me sub.
sequeutly the $500, as follows: Feb.
ruary Is. 1918. $500: June 26. 1918
seoo. and August 5. 1918, Slo0. I have
no knowledge of where this money
paid me by Mr.. Sands came from.
'hr. Sands also made mc n loan OF
$500 on May Fl. 1918. for which