The Washington herald., 1920-11-21
SHIPPING BOARD HEADS DENY
BRIBERYCHARCEDTOB INC
MOTHERS; ROBE ONIN N. Y.

to sign the afidavit and Destroyed
the original.
After a short consultation the
committee decided to call Sands as
the next witness. Sands was in the
court room but the committee hesi-
tated for a while. fearing possibly
his appearance on the witness stand
under oath might provide immunity
In any subsequent proceeding. How
ever. IL was finally decided to have
him sworn.
Sands testified that he was a res
ident OF Washington for a number
of years and that he was formerly
vice president of the Commercial
National Bank there. He now lives,
, he said. at AL West Fourty-fourth
street
Questioned by Chairman walsh,
he admitted he had been indicted
In connection with some oyerdrafts
on the account OF the General Ship
ping Company. He said he had tried
to settle this case out OF court but
had failed.
Sands said that he had given to
Mccain and Mr.. Schwartzkopf the
facts on which the afidavit they
wanted him to sign had been drawn
up in his once in Washington. He
said the facts in the photostatic
copy were true with the exception
that he did not know IL he had paid
Boiling anything; that now he
didn't believe he had.
He said he talked TO Boiling with
regard to the disposition Of the
notes Downey gave in connection
with the AFFAIR. This was abou;
May, 1917. in his rooms in the Will
lard Hotel.
There was a general talk. Sands
said, about him (Sands) using his
influence 20 get the contracts for the
Downey people.
Uncertainty Over Letter.
Sands told Mr.. Walsh he did know
Downey had bought a house OF
Boiling and that all the notes were
for the balance not paid on the
house. He couldn't recall he had
ever got a letter from Boiling. but
when Mr.. Walsh produced one. he
agreed he possibly had received it
This letter was read into the rec
ord and showed that Boiling. on the
apparent request of Sands. had do
clined to intercede in Sands behalf
with the District Attorney OF the
District Of Columbia to have the in
dictment against Sands dismissed.
He said that he had met Downey
and believed he may have intro
duced Downey to Boiling and Sis.
- --as - an~iorS -
get contracts. He said he supposed
Sissler had nothing to do vita .,.ii .-
ping Board contracts He said he
supposed Downey had told them that
he had gone TO proper shipping
Board authorities and failed to ge,
contracts.
Sands said that he believed CranoI
suggested the $4,000 to Downe,
after the latter's ffrm got the con-
tract Ne said he did not remember
anything was said about payment
before the contract was made. Hs
said. however. IL was expected. Il
the contract was awarded, the grouT
would be paid.
The witness said that Cranor IL
| various conferences had told then
Downey was willing to pay. He de,
MED he had ever heard that BollinE
or Sissler were going to get money
! Downey never told these two. n,
said. they were going to get any
money so far as Sands knew. He
said he told Boiling and Sissler they
were to get money IL he (Sandsl
got IL. He said he supposed he wa:
to be paid because he had intro
: duced Downey to these people.
e admitted that he knew that
neither Boiling nor Sissler had any.
4Afnar 70 10 rdi Shfnnfnp
Board contracts. He said It was
difficuIt at that time to know who
was authorized to make contracts
, He had never gone. however. tC
anybody at the board to find IL out
He said he had been told IL was
hard to get contracts. but could moi
. tell who had said.
He said Cranor. Boiling. Sisslei
and himself were to share in th'
I $4,000. He said Downey came e
washington and that he, Sands, re-
ceived s35.0oe in notes.
All the notes were made payable
to Sands He said he didn't expect
payment in that way: he expected
cash. He actually got. he said, s5o,-
geo altogether.
He said Downey made such kick
he cut out one note and later gave
Downey 5000 back. He discounted
one note at $4,000
He said he didn't believe Boiling
got any of the money because he
wouldn't take IL. He said Boiling
had expected to get IL. but he
couldn't say that anything had been
said to Boiling directly about this
Then the witness said the state
Observation-Disclosures right vheu
IL said that Boiling was to get S..
900 Of the amount realized by the
discounting Of the note, but he said
Boiling grew wary and refused to
take the balance
Les. Advanced BeIlinE.
Sands said he had advanced to
Boiling some $500, but he said
this was in the nature of = loan.
He said Boiling had since paid him
back $500. He had taken no note
from Boiling, and never exjevted
to collect the balance. as he sup
posed the money was TO be part
payment of Bolling's share.
Then he said he did not thing
Boiling ever got a cent from any
one The money Sands had advanced
to Boiling was. he said, in final
analysis a loan. In the next SEN
tence he stuck to his statement that
the understanding was that Boiling
was to get a share. Then he said
his recollection was that Boiling
did say something about this.
- - q 4 II