The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-11-21
r. W. Boiling and Lester
Sisler Are Named i'm
$4,000 Deal.
WITNESS Is EVASIVE
Contradicts Testimony as
to Disposition of Bic
Tribute Sum.
DENIES ACT OF REVENGE
Tucker Sands Closely Oues-
toned On Alleged Deal in
Downey Contract.
DENIES ACT OF REVENGE

The Walsh committee attempted
yesterday to thresh out the charges
that r. w. Boiling, brother-in-law of
President Wilson and treasurer of the
United States Shipping Board, and
Lester Sisler former secretary Of the
board. shared in a bribe of $4,000
given by the Wallace Downey Ship
building Corporation for unusual fa-
vors in connection with Government
shipbuilding contract.
Tucker X. Sands, former vice presi
dent of the Commercial National Banl,
Of Washington, ID. c., and the alleged
go-oet~een in the dealings of the
Downey company with the Shipping
Board officials, was called by the com
mittee and questioned at length, but
ms answers We're evasive, contradic-
tory and insufficient 10 show the exact
| disposition Of the $4,000 or the DUR
poses for which It was paid. Accord
ing TO testimonA there was an under
standing that $4,000 was to 60 IN
John Cranor. lobbyist, who was said
to have been interested in SHINING
Board contracts, and that the remain
ing S25,O00 was 10 be divided among
sands, Cranor, Boiling and Sisler. Civ
ing them $6,25O each.
! No Trace of Investiuation.
a. NJ Fisher, secretary of the walsb
committee and Alfred w Mccain a
newspaper man, testified that efforts had
been made TO have the bribe story IN
Vestlgated. but that SO far as they knew
no such investigation had been made
Mr. Mccain said the matter was erst
called 10 his attention BY a Mr. CAM.
tormer district auditor for the Shinpin,
Board. who told him that a $4,000 600
loan had been made by the board n
tho Downey concern "over his head apd
without his approval" Mr.. Mccain said
! ne learned that four notes totalling s40-
/ oVo had been handled by Mr. Sands
Visit 10 Mr.. Sands on May .. 1920 tho
witness said, resulted in the preparatio,
| ny the witness Of an affidavit embodyln,-
the charges Of bribery. Upon being pre-
sented with the copy Mr.. Sands made .
Few corrections. and then on the advice
I N
Sands destroyed the original Mr. No
Cam said. but not until pho,ostat co,tas
had been made by J. T. Meehan denr,,
| chiet oil the bureau OF investigation. Mr.
McCann testified that Sands refused 10
sign "hen he found the AFFIDAVIT wa,
10 De used for newspaper purposes.
MT sands. who now lives AT "a yves,
Forty-fourth street. testified that bs
had been indicted In connection with
some overdrafts on the account OF H.,
General Shipbuilding Company.
Knew Boiling Very Wen.
Representative Joseph Walsh =,
Massachusetts, chairman OF the com.
mittee. produced the photostatic co,,
or the AFFIDAVIT which Sands re,,sad .,
sign and which gave the details q, ,ha
| alleged bribery Sands said no t,a,r
Cranor' Frank Fuller. William Mr.
taugh and a Mr. Musher OF the pom.
peiian OIL Company. and that he knew
Boiling very we'll
Inc iacts as set forth IN tho pho,o.
static copy were true. Sands said ,,,,h
the exception that he did not knon,
whether ne had paid Boiling anything
He said he didn't believe he had ,ho,yh
he had talked 10 Boiling about tho dI,-
position Of the Downey notes some ,Iy,.
In May 1917. In his room at the win
lard Hotel In Washington. Sands said
he had never received letter rror,
Boiling. lie told Mr.. Walsh he did NOT
Know that Wallace Downey had bought
| a house from Boiling and that tha
notes were for the balance not paid on
the house When Mr.. Walsh produced
a letter from Boiling the witness ad-
mitted that possibly ho had received SUCH
a letter.
The letter. which was read into the
record, showed that Boiling. on the an.
parent request Of sands. had declined "a
intercede In Sands's behalf with tho Dis-
trict Attorney OF the District OF Colur7-
bia TO have the indictment agains.
Sands dismissed
Sands said he could not recall spe.
cifcally the conference with Craror.
Sisler and Boiling, as they were at his
room nearly every evening. lie said
he had met Downey and believed ne
had introduced Downey 70 Boiling and
Siser. He said he supposed Downey
knew that Bollings and Siser had nota.
Ing TO do with Shipping Board contracts
The $780, coo. Sands said be believed
was suggested 10 Downey after Dow
ney's firm received the shipbuilding
contract. and that he did not remember
anything which was said about payment
before tho contract was made He said
Il was expected. however. that II the
contract was awarded tho group Of four
would BE- paid
Contradictory Testimony.
In various conferences. Sands said
Cranor told them that Downey was will
Ing 10 pay. lie denied he ever heard
that Boiling and Sisler were to get any
money The next minute Sands tesu-
Ned that he Boiling and Sisler were
20 share IN the money. Downey. hc
said. came 90 Washington and was sa.-
isnod with the contract
Sands said he received $500 from
DoWney, who wanted the notes FOR that
amount TO appear ostensibly as security
~