The Washington times., 1921-12-24
DAD-|N-LAW
PROTECTED
FRUIT HEAD
A I I ACk

lin HI | Hun
Letters Of Local Attorney Reveal
Complaints Of Wife Stealing
We're Ignored.
BY JOHN X. WINKLER.
NEW YORK, Dec. 24-The sud
den resignation Of Eugene w. Ong,
general counsel. vice president and
director Of the 100000, 900 United
Fruit Company, came, it was learn
ed yesterday, five days after Walter
Scott Penfield, Of Washington, noted
international lawyer, had addressed
q letter to each individual director
Of the company-with the exception
Of Ong.
Asked Secret Triai.
In this letter Penfield requested an
opportunity to appear before the
board ''for tho purpose OF producing
evidence and witnesses bearing on the
fitness and qualifications Of Eugene
w. Ons to be continued in his official
connection with the United Fruit Com
pany and its subsidiaries" ~
PonfieA tuclosaA col6es OF letters
written over period Of mary weeks
to Andrew W. Preston. Ong's father
inlaw and for many years president
Of the great corporation. This CORE
spondence, obtained by The Washing
ton Times from one of tho men to
whom 1t was addressed, reveals the
astounding fact that PenfIeld demand
ed to havo his charge against Ong trtcd
bo selected BY counsel for both sides.
Drawn Into Scandal.
These charges, a. Tho Washington
Times has told exclusively. concern
the alleged association between Ong
and Penfield's wife, Mrs. Alice Lucille
Bacon Penfield, afterward divorced.
In the letters, old Andrew w. Pres
ton. dominating. powerful. with . per-
sonai fortune of moro than 37.000, 900.
Is drawn into the Ong-Penfield scandal
In q new way.
The Washington lawyer alleges tha4
Preston did everything possible to pro
tect his son-in-law. Ong. and repeatedly
refused Penfield an opportunity to
present his alleged evidence against
Ong.
Raid On Apartment.
This evidence concerned a raid BY
private detectives in October, 1870,
upon an apartment In tho Hotel Lafay-
ette, Washington. The apartment was
occupied by "E. Walker Owen and
wife" Penfield alleges "Owen" was
Eugene w. Ong and the wife" was
Mra pAnf1nlA natal unv,n~ ao~fAty
matron and famed for her beauty and
personality.
Tho Penfield letter to the members
of the board Of directors was written
on Thursday, December 15. Curiously
enough. this was the day before the
appearance Of The Washington Times
exclusive disclosure of Penfield's
charges against his former intimate
friend. Ong. The Washington Times
had been conducting an independent
Investigation Of the affair for some
time.
The failure Of Andrew w. Preston,
father-in-law Of Eugene w. Ong, to
reply to Penfield's letter Of December
] last, demanding hearing before the
| directors of his charges against Ong,
impelled Penfield q week later to send
the president of the United Fruit
Company this letter:
December s, 1921.
Andrew w. Preston, Esq:
Dear Sir.-I have not yet re.
ceived q reply to my letter of De.
cember !. / must therefore con-
clude either that you are still ig-
noring my letter or else, as has
been suggested to me, they may
have been Intercepted and their de-
livery to you prevented. But what
ever may be the case you will sooner
or later see copies Of the entire cor
respondence that 1 have sent you,
You probably know tnar pro-
posal was made verbally by my
Boston attorney on January last
| to Mr.. Ong and to his attorney, Mr..
Robert G. Dodge, Of the law firm
of Storey, Thorndike. Palmer &
Dodge, general counsel or the
United Fruit Company, and who
serve as such under said Ong as
vice president and counsel and head
of the law department of the COM
pany, to submit said Ong affair to
the decision of some private arbi-
traitor to be selected by counsel for
both sides, In order that the ques-
ton of his guilt could be determined,
and In this manner the issue could
be decided without publicity or no
| toriety.
REFUSED TO SUBMIT.
You were undoubtedly informed
that said Ong refused TO consent To
submit to arbitration.
You also probably know that my
Boston counsel on January sent
q letter to Mr.. Dodge, stating, II
| have just heard from you by tele-
| phone that MIR. Ong does not care
! to accept the proposition for the
determination Of the question OF his