The Washington times., 1923-01-07
FORBES GIVEN
SHARP REBUKE
BY SHERBURNE
Counsel for Medical Officer
and Veterans Bureau Head
Engage in Hot Verbal Clash
uNFAIRNEss IS CHARGED
Hearing at Boston of Loyalty
of DR.. David J. Flanagan
Is Interrupted by Encounter
Special to The Times-Herald.

0UCCAAA 80 AhC 4AaHC0-AAGA .
BOSTON, Mass, JAN. g. Lash
ing out at each other, their voices
raised to high pitch, Gen. John
II. Sherburne and Col. Charles r.
Forbes, the latter chief of the
Federal Veterans Bureau, engaged
In a verbal clash today which
spectators at the DIR. Bride hear
ing feared would end in a fistic
encounter.
SCORES FORBES.
The clash came when General
Sherburne, appeared Unexpectedly
at the hearing and denounced
of DIR. David j. Flanagan, sus-
pended district medical officer,
whom Colonel Forbes scathingly
arraigned while General Sherburne,
his counsel, was absent from the
hearing.
I'm view OF what has happened,
have doubts as to the way this
hearing is being conducted" Gen.
eral Sherburne, his customary dig
nifty. thrown off, shouted to Colonel
Forbes.
His face flushed, and his voice
stirred to the indignation pitch,
Colonel Forbes stood up and
roared at Sherburne:
General, you may have all the
doubts you please; but you are not
going to dictate to me how to run
this bureau
No" General Sherburne, edg-
ing closer to Forbes, hurled back,
II viii show you now this bureau
II being run"
Well, go ahead and start some.
thing. but don't threaten me-
MOST SCANDALOUS.
am not threatening you,
colonel, but / will say that of ali
the judicial proceedings this is the
most scandalous thing I ever saw
General Sherburne retorted as he
turned on his heel and left the
hearing ROOM
You are attempting to try DR..
Flanagan on the witness stand
General Sherburne declared in OPEN
ing his attack. do you believe he
Is guilty of disloyaIty.''
do" Colonel Forbes replied.
Then you are judging him be-
1ore his case comes up for hear
mg, General Sherbourne shouted.
speak only from personal
knowledge" Forbes replied.
OTHER HEARINGS 10 CONE.
DR.. Flanagan. who was suspended
by Colonel Forbes at the same time
as DR. Arthur e. Brides, head of
eccusers. DR.. Brides reply was to
prefer charges against Flanagan
and Capt. William j. Blake, his
other accuser. A hearing on the
charges against both DR.. Flanagan
and Captain Blake is to be held at
the conclusion Of the Brides hear
ing.
DIR. William English, in charge of
the Providence division of the bu-
reau, testified that Miss Mary
Burns, a nurse attached to the
Boston office. was assigned to at
tend the wife OF Arthur Lake, Of
Providence, when she was dying.
Lake, DIR. English characterized as
q man who had done more than
any one else in Providence for
former service men, giving freely
Of his time and money in their be-
half
Lake was a little short of funds, /"
he said, sand / believe DR.. Brides
said he could have Miss Burns on
her own time, not the Governments,
until he found a housekeeper. She
did remain at the Lake home for
three weeks at the expense Of the
Government, and DIR. Flanagan told
me he had assigned her to the work"
BLAKE ON STAND.
Captain Blake, called to the stand,
denied vehemently he was a candi-
date for DIR. Brides job.
I never wanted the position and
wouldn't take it if 1t were offered
to me-" he asserted.
Captain Blake was put on to give
evidence on the charge against
Brides that he slandered President
Harding. Blake failed to offer any
positive evidence in this connection
except to say that at meeting of
the Roxbury Post of the Legion,
DR.. Brides declared the white
House was controlled from Wall
Street"
Evidence on the charges against
DIR. Brides will be completed by
Monday noon, it is expected. Then
DIR. Brides will begin his defense,
having already summoned a number
Of witnesses.