Arizona republican., 1920-11-27
BOLL|NGCHARGES NUT THOROUGHLY
 INVESTIGATED BY SHIPPING BOARD
Deputy Chief Gives Opinion Boiling Was Victim Of Attempted Blackmail; Probe Not Thorough
IRepubIIcan A. p. Leased Wlrel

NEW YORK. Nov. 2s.--John T. Nee han. deputy chief of the shipping boards bureau of investigation. testi- fled before the Walsh committee today that charges of alleged diversion of money by R. w. Boiling, President Wilson's brother law; Lester Sisler and Tucker K. Sands. obtained from the Down Shipbuilding corporation of New York for a favorable contract" were not thoroughly investigated" by the board. Sisler is a former secretary of the board and Sands former Wash ingSon bank official. He explained the departments fail- ure to 60 deeper into the charges as due to the opinion that MT. Boiling, now treasurer of the shipping board. twas the victim of attempted black mail" Meehan testified. however. he had received no instructions to halt tho investigation and that it was still open.
 Meehan had testified previously that he was recalled by the committee af- ter Sands had repeated his allegation that Boiling and Sisler were involved in the division of money, the proceeds of notes given to him by Wallace Downoy.
 Tho extent of his. bureaus inquiry, Meehan testified, was to talk to Boll- ing, Admiral Benson, Martin Gillen. special assistant to former Chairman Payne and to ascertain if tie depart ment of justice had investigated the subject.
 The investigation. m so f.; as the shipping boards men went into it. he said, took place abount June of this year.
 Meehan added that his opinion that the charges were without foundation was to a certain extent induced by the reputation of the men from whom he believed the charges emanated. He ad- mitted he did not examine Sands books and that he did not go to the Downey Shipbuilding corporation to ascertain why it would be necessary for them tC pay $40,000 to secure a contract when they had previously been awarded one by the board for a much larger sum.
 Chairman Walsh asked him If ht knew of single investigation that the shipping board made prior to 1920. and Meehan replied that he did not.
 Meehan said his first knov ledge ol the charge came to him in January 1920, when he was at Philadelphia. H. went to Washington, saw Along Tweedale. comptroller of the board, ant told him of the reflection on MT. Boil ings character and standin~.
 T was informed by MT. Tweedale. the witness said. "that it had been in vestigated and that he. Tweedale. wa satisfied there was nothing to it." Fl then said he went to Boiling and Boil ing readily agreed that his privat wrI,r I.e.r fr,c cH w4rIsf han did. Ho said he saw an anony nous letter addressed to Secretar McAdoo touching on the matter. an he also ascertained that the depart ment of justice investigation of th matter had disproved the allegations.
 The summing up of thu matter, ( he stated. that Boiling, to his mind. WI an attempted victim of blaclmail c the part of Sands. He said he did n' wish to spread the report any furth' which he was satisfied was groundles Investigation"
 He explained investigations works great damage to a person who WI innocent.
 "I felt" he said, that in view of u character of the men under investigl ton We have gone far enough"
 He also said he had talked wi Gillen and that he also gathered fro Gillen that the investigation had go straight
 4 Meehan agreed with Chairm Inilltary control l have not concur of the charges it was right that tn should be publicly investigated a- either proved or the n1en against who they were aimed cleared of all su picion.