Evening star., 1925-11-12
Widow Informs Court Mar
tIal Capt. Foley Sent Her
Note With Testimony to Re-
peat at Airship Inquiry.
CLAIMS 1T WAS INSULT
TO HUSBANDS MEMORY
Declares Writer Visited Her Two
Days Before and Asked Her to
Tell Him What She Would Say.
Paper Given Her by Wife of
Lakehurst Head.

That Capt. Paul Foley, L. S. n,
sent her prepared statement
through Mrs. George w. Steele,
which was to be her sworn testi-
n"ny before the naval court of
inquiry into the wreck OF the air
snip Shenandoah. which her husband,
Lieut.. Comdr Zachary Lansdowne,
commanded on its fatal flight, was
the sensational testimony given to-
day by Mrs Margaret Ross Lans-
doWuc. appearing as a witness before
the Mitchell court-martial. Capt.
Foley was the Judge advocate OF the
naval court OF inquiry
1t was the first time that Mrs.
Iau downe had made public the
her the paper on which was written
the canned testimony" and it was
forced from her by a demand from
Col. Sherman Moreland, the trial
Judge advocate Mrs. Steele is the
wife of Comdr George w Steele.
I. S. n. commanding the naval air
station at Lakehurst, n. J., and also
the dirigible Los Angeles, the non
mlIitary aIrShlp.
Substance of Statement.
Although Mrs. Lansdowne said that
she tore up the statement. she gave
10 the court what purported to be the
substance of it. but only after a 25-
minute verbal contest between coun-
sci for both sides when the prosecu
iiun sought 70 keep ii out. Repre-
sentative Reid said that he was going
IL show by the testimony that the
Navy was going to try to white
wash the Shenandoah wreck.
Although Mrs. LanSdown said that
the statement was on plain paper, it
bore the Government watermark.
When asked how she could identify it
as coming from Capt. Foley she said
she had the statement from her friend
who brought il, and ii was then that
the prosecution insisted on the name
being given. although Mrs Lansdowne
pleaded to be excused.
Insult to Memory"
The Testimony" prepared for her,
she said was an insult to her hus-
bands memory. She then told of
capt. FOley'S calling at her home
I'm Washington two nights before she
was to appear before the court of
inquiry, at which time he sought to
get from her an outline of just what
she would tell on the witness stand.
She told him at that time, she
testified before the court. that she
would make her statement only
when she was before the court and
sworn as a witness. 1t was the sec
ond dav after this conference. she
continued. that the canned 'testi-
mony" was handed her by Mrs.
Steele.
When Representative Reid sought
to put certain naval correspondence
relating to the shenandoah into the
record it was handed first to Col.
Moreland, the trial judge advocate.
Then there occurred a lull in the
proceedings, during which the judge
advocate conferred with two men in
civilian dress, sitting close to him.
After the lapse of a few minutes Rep
resentative Reid rose and demanded
10 know who they were. The judge
advocate responded that they were
t'apt. NJ. q. Cook and Capt. A. w.
Marshall United States Navy. Rep
resentative Reid pressed for answer
as to who they represented and
whether they were sent there by the
Navy Department. and Col. Moreland
responded that they were there to
advise him.
Mrs. I.anSdowne Called.
The court session got under way IN
a buzz of excitement when. immed1-
ately on convening, Representative
Reid called for Mrs. Lansdowne as
The first witness. She was ushered
into the room, and, as she approached
the stand the board of general Off
GERS and the entire courtroom arose
and paid respect to the widow of the
Shenandoah'S commander, while Pres
ident Howe greeted her with Good
morning" She was sworn by the
prosecution and turned over to Repre-
sentative Reid for examination.
What is your name and address?
asked Representative Reid.
Margaret Ross Lansdowne, 1140
NJ street northwest. Washington, ID.
c." she replied.
What was your husbands s name?'
Zachary IanSdowne. lieutenant
commander. United States Navy, com
lnauder of the Shenandoah"
''Do YOU remember the occasion OF
the court of inquiry into the Shenan-
dnah disa ster?
Yes
Did Capt. Paul Foley Of the court
deliver a paper 10 YOU before YOU tes-
ti6ed?"
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