Evening star., 1925-11-17
MRS. LANSDOWNE'S
COUNSEL ELECTED
BY Marine GUARD
Shenandoah Court Refuses to
Allow Lawyer to Assist
Commanders Widow.
WITNESS DENIES SOME
OF PUBLISHED STORY
Says Effort Was Made to Have Her
Twist Facts" Not Testify
Falsely.
Rv the Assoclated Press.

Ry the Associated Press.
Mrs. Margaret Ross Lansdowne
told the Shena ndoah court today that
shc had not used the expression false
testimony" in describing in a news
naper interview the efforts she said
We're made to guide her testimony be
foUe the court.
After once refusing 80 testify be
cause her attorney had been excluded
from the courtroom by a Marine
guard. she reversed her decision and
said that what she had charged
was that Capt. Paul Foley. formerly
The courts judge advocate. sought TO
have her twist the facts"
Her counsel, Joseph Davies. a for
ner chairman of the Federal Trade
commission. had been elected after
the court had overruled his plea that.
even though she occupied no status
in the court except that of witness.
the widow of the commander of the
Shenandoah was entitled TO counsel.
Davies had been excluded on the
ground that Mrs. Lansdowne, as
witness merely. was not entitled TO
counsel, and when the refusal was
reiterated she refused TO testify.
AS soon as she took the stand Judge
advocate Leonard objected to Mrs.
Lansdowne reading memorandum.
Il respectfully decline TO testify,
she had replied
And I now advise the witness that
she should not testify" said Davies.
\ marine, under orders, then led
the attorney from the room.
The Judge advocate declined to eX-
Cuse the witness, however and went
m with his questions.
Did you make the statement at
;,ihuted to you in the Article?" he
asked. presenting a story distributed
by the Universal Service, quoting her
as saying that Capt. Foley had sought
TO have her give false testimony.
Il did not make all OF the state
ment," Mrs. Lansdowne replied, Il
did not use the expression false testi-
mony' What I said was an attempt
had been made TO make me twist
the facts
Mrs. Lansdowne pointed out sew
eral things in the story which she
said We're not strictly accurate. Pre-
viously the author Of the article.
Charles p. Farmer, had testified that
Mrs. Lansdowne had made ell the
statements he attributed to her, and
in that language.
Describes Foley Visit.
Describing Capt. Foley's visit TO her
before she appeared in court the first
time, Mrs. Lansdowne said that those
present included Mrs. Foley and DR..
and Mrs. William B. Mason, her uncle
and aunt.
The first half hour was taken up
with social conversation" she said.
I got very bored and finally said,
Well, Capt. Foley what's the court
going to do with me?' He replied
What are you going to do to the
gourt?'"
Then she said:
Il told Capt. Foley / preferred TO
tell the court what I had to say. He
said, Yes, but lets rehearse it now.
What's on your mind; what's the OBJ
ject of your appearance?
Il answered the object was to lay
emphasis on the fact that the court
had evaded what / regarded as an i'm
portant matter; that the official cor
;espondence sustained my statement
Immediately after the accident, and
his had been slurred over.
Capt Foley told her. she said. that
The court was not to question her;
hat she merely was to make state
ment.
MY uncle said. Capt. Foley, l think
hat fair enough she continued.
Conversation With Foley.
Her uncle excused himself and Went
into the hall, the witness added, and
beckoned to her to follow him, then
said to her: Don't tell him q damned
hing. He is not here for your good"
Mrs. I.ansdOwne said Capt. Foley
argued with her against saying the
Shenandoah trip was a political flight.
and asked her aunt not to let her
make a long statement
Then Capt. Foley said to my un-
lie: I'm afraid Mrs. Lansdowne is go
ing to make Il very difficult witness
My uncle replied: No; she is go
ing to tell the truth and that should
not give you any trouble That was
good night. The conversation ended
there"
She then told of receiving, the next
day. the celebrated statement from
capt Foley. which, she understood,
she was to read to the court.
Reaffrming her vision of this state
inent as she gave il recently before
The Mitchell coIrt-martial. the wit
ness said she had not meant during
!eer appearance before that court to
saw that the whole of the Foley state
ment was. false. She had referred
solely, she said, TO the assertion that
her husband was ready at all times to
lake the Shenandoah on military
flights.
Believed "Whitewash" Tried.
Mrs Lansdowne testified that She
came to the opinion that there was
IN effort by the court to ''Whitewash'
the Shenandoah accident, and that
she had voluntarily told Col. William
Mitchell that Capt. Foley had sought
10 influence her testimony before the
Shenandoah court.
She said she had been pursued by
the Navy about her statement and
uad made up her mind when the court
began inquiry into her husbands post
fumouS article in the Saturday Eve
ming Post that it was to be war to
he flnishI with the Navy.
Her opinion that the Shenandoah
inquiry was Il whitewaSh was based
on several things, Mrs. Lansdowne
testified.
There was the effort TO sway my
testimony and make me in a subtle
manner retract the statement | had
made" she declared.
The court was trying to place the
blame on some one who could not
speak back and had stopped to trying
20 sway the widow of that person"
Did you think the court had sent
apt. Foley 10 you?''
THAI was my general opinion; that
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