The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-11-19

Washington. Nov. -. PD Deny
inc tha. he had sought 10 influence
the testimony Mrs. Margaret Ross
Iausdownc gave before tn" Shcnan-
doah court of inquiry last month,
Captain Paul Foley testified today be
fore that body that the statement
he sent to her ''contalned nothing
that Mrs. Lansdownc had not SAID
to me in the presence Of three wit
ncSScs.'
The statement prepared for her
consideration. he added, was IN a
forum that would make unnecessary
her cross examination before the
court and with Il view to leaving
Mrs. Lansdownc in IA dignlflcd posi-
ton" The widow of the former cap
tam of the Shenandoah declared be
fore the Mitchell court martial last
week that part of the statement was
false" and waS an "imsult |" tn"
memory Of her husband.
The Statement
Captain Foley repeated to the nav
III court the statement from his mem
DRY as follows:
Immediately subsequent to the loss
Of the l.. S. 5. Shenandoah, felt 1t
my duty to say for my husband
things which he was no longer IN
position to say for himself; that he
was opposed to sending the Shcnan-
doah on the mid western flight dur
ing the thunderstorm period and mad
protested so doing to the navy de-
partmcnt Ny husband regarded the
Shenandoah as Il manof-war He was
ready at all times To take the snip
out for military mancuvciS, but was
opposed to using her for non II
ta,y duty.
"'Had known at the time ac-
rcpted the invitation of the court to
appear before it that the correspond
Cnrc i'm the case would have ben IN
PRODUCED into the record Of the court
as it since has. | would not have ac-
ccptcd the invitation of the court to
appear.
''As things now are. | am not on
" willing. but would prefer to leave
the entire matter to the judgment
of the court in which | have every
confidence.
Notes Were Destroyed
Captain Foley said that only "a
single typewriter copy of the state
inent was made, .'as the matter was
one personal to Mrs. Lansdovnc' and
shat for the same reason the notes
from which the statement was typed
were destroyed Immediately after
wards.
Mrs. Lansdownc testified before
the Mitchell court that she destroy
cd the copy sent to her.
Explaining that. as judge advocate
of the Shenandoah court, It was MS
,iutv to interview Mrs. Lansdownc be-
fore her appearance as witness
'aptaiu Foley said he arranged Tor
he meeting through Mrs. William b
Mason, Mrs. Lansdowne's aunt. Dur
ing this telephone conversation II de-
veloped that the captain mad known
Mrs. Mason as "A girl at Annapoil'
and it was arranged that Whch ne
allied that evening he would oilhG
Mrs Foley with him.
After rcciting that besides hlmsci'
and Mrs. Foley. there were present al
the interview Dr.. and Mrs. Mason
and Mrs. Lansdownc, Captain FolcH
gave this version of the conversation
and of subsequent events;
Capt. Foley's Version
"Thc conversation in connection
with the Shenandoah was opened by
Mrs. Ian sdownc in the following
language: Well, Captain Foley, what
does the court intend to do with
me-? To which replied; Well
Mrs. ansdownc, don't know that
the court intends to do anything with
you. If you will tell me what Is on
your mind perhaps | can better ad-
wise you
Then ensued a general exchange
of conversation, which summarized,
was about as follows: Mrs. Lans-
downe said that in the statements