The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-10-09
(HARGE: 5
COME AS
SURPRISE
Court Adjourns After Widow
Of DirigibIe Chief Repeats
First Statement
By WILLIAM X. HUTCHINSON
international News Service

Defending the memory Of her
husband, Mrs. Margaret Ross
Lansdowne, widow of Commander
Zachary T. Lansdowne of the ill
fated Shenandoah, today placed
responsibility for the dirigible dis
ester directly upon the Nay De-
partment in testifying before the
Naval Court Of Inquiry.
Mrs. Lansdowne fatty told the
court her husband had protested
vigorously against the flight, but
that he was overruled by higher
officers.
Was Very Much Opposed
The Shenandoah's commander, she.
said, was Every. much opposed" to
the flight and protested as vigor-
ously" as it was within his power
to do so. He went as far in his
protest as he could without being
held guilty OF characterization, she
declared.
"He felt the Shenandoah should
only be used for war purposes,
said Mrs. Lansdowne, "and not for
commercial purposes, such as a
flight to the Middle West 50 the
taxpayers there could look at their
property.
.'The flight was made solely for
political purposes" Mrs. Lansdowne
charged. She said her principal
purpose in appearing before the
court was to state that her charges
had been borne out by official
correspondence revealed at the IN
quiry.'
She told the board that her state
ments were amply supported by OF
fetal documents in the Navy pc
partment and she then proceeoeo
t. read the documents.
One of these was the record Oh
Transformers protest, which was OIL
ficially marked "disapproVeo.
Statement Is Surprise
Her statement came us startling
surprise to the court of inquiry, as
Mrs. Lansdowne had once repuolat-
ed a similar declaration made the
morning after the disaster.
Mrs. Lansdowne's statement, pre-
pared i'm advance, was received IN
dead silence. The boards surprise
in fact, was so great that its mem
hers conferred for five minutes In
whispers before continuing the IN
quiry.
The court adjourned until Monday
Immediately after the whispered con
ference without subJectlng the
widow Of the commander OF the
Shenandoah to any cross-eXalnlHa'
ton. v,a 10
clared. regarded the Shenandoah as
a imam Of war" lie took the snip
on its last voyage, she added, De-
cause he did not want 10 receive
the Stigma of cowardice.
Asks to Be Sworn
His protest, she declared, was
OFFICIALLY oyerruIed because State
first week Of September, and must
first week OF september, and must
be flown over as scheduled.
In beginning her statement MRS:
Lansdowne asked to be Sworn.
She said sho preferred TO make her
statement "under oath"
A. second protest made by Lans'
downe, the widow testified, was
against flying the ship to Detroit
on the flight over State fairs with
out first testing the mooring mast
in the Michigan city. This protest,
she added, was also disapproved.
Mrs. Lansdowne, dressed COM
pIetely in black, appeared very
youthful as she took the stand and
won the sympathies of all in at
tendance. The court treated her
with the utmost, consideration.
Statement in Full
Mrs. Lansdownes statement in
full follows:
Immediately after the Wreck of
the Shenandoah and the death of
my husband, stated to the news.
Continued on Page 2. Column ~