New Britain herald., 1925-10-09
LANSDOWNE'S WIFE
 TESTIF|ES TODAY
1als Shenandoah Board Navy Dept. DiSreSarded His Protests
SAYS HE OPPOSED TRIP
She Quotes From Official Corres- pondence in Attempt to Refute Denial that His Protests Had Been Oycrruled.

Washington, Oct. P) - Mrs. Margaret Ross Lansdowne, widow of Commander Zachary Lansdowne, captain of the Shenandoah, reiterat- ed today before the naval court of Inquiry that the navy department had ordered the airship on the west ern flight for political purposes over the protest of her husband.
 To support her statement she read from the official correspondence in- troduced into the record showing that Lansdowne wanted the flight postponed to the second week in September and also wanted a trial flight to test the Detroit flying mast
 My husband was very much op- posed to this flight she said. My husband also felt that the Shenan- doah was a ship of war and should not be taken inland"
 Pointing out that war craft were not taken to the Great Lakes from the coast, Mrs. Lansdowne said:
 Tt has been proved it could not be done in the case of the Shenan- doah."
 No Questions Asked
 Neither the court nor any of the interested parties had any questions to ask Mrs. Lansdowne and she was excused after being on the stand only Is minutes.
 The widow of the airship com mander was dressed in black. She walked rapidly to the witness chair, and stood without tremor as the oath was administered. At the end she said firmly: 'I do" in response to the injunction to "Tell the truth and nothing but the truth"
 After she had identified herself as the widow of the Shenandoah's commander, she began the reading of her statement. She read in a firm clear voice without interruption to the finish.
 Repeats Her Statement
 Immediately after the wreck of the Shenandoah and the death of my husband" Mrs. Lansdowne's state ment said. 'I statedato the news papers that my husband was or dered by the navy department to proceed on this flight to the middle west. in spite of protests made by him to the department, and that the flight was made solely for political purposes.
 Secretary Wilbur was quoted in the press as saying that my hus- band had made no protests against going at this time, and one of my reasons for appearing before this court is to emphasize the fact that my statement had been substantial ed by official correspondence read into the courts record.
 Quotes Correspondence
 The main points in this cores pondence as I see them are all em- bodied in letter to my husband from the chief of naval operations, dated August ?, 1925. in which the recommendations of my husband are disapproved as follows:
 "1.-Recommcnded that the flight be made at the end of the second week of September. Disapproved because the state fairs occur the first week of the month and must be flown over as scheduled.
 "2.-Recommended that a trial flight be made first to Detroit to test out the new mooring mast there be- for making the long swing around over the state fairs. Disapproved because Its necessity was not ap- parent to the department, in spite Of the definite reasons for the rec ommendation given as follows in letter from my husband to the chief of naval operations, August 4, 1925"
 "In view of the fact that the sue cess of carrying out this proposed itinerary and scheduled necessitates landing at the Detroit mooring mast, It is recommended that the Shen- andoah make a trip to Detroit dur Ing the last week in August to test
 tcontinued on Page 3o)