Evening star., 1925-07-08
Board of Trade and Chamber
OF Commerce Reiterate
Demands for Facts.
DEM0TI0N WAS MADE
AT ELDRIDGE'S REQUEST
Chamber Takes Exception to Fen
ning's Explanation to
Four Directors.

Despite the decision yesterday of
/ the District Commissioners to take no
! further action in the case of former
Inspector Albert j. Headley, denoted
I 10 a captaincy and placed in command
J of a police precinct, those who have
/ been advocating his right to fair
! trial showed no inclination TODAY TO
! drop their pleas for reconsideration of
! the case
! Following closely the action Of the
chamber of Commerce last night in
| adopting a resolution calling on the
! Dlstrlct commissioners to reconsider
/ inspector Headley's case Odell S
/ Smith, chairman. Of the Board of
! trades committee on public safety.
called at the District Building TODAY
ana saw Commissioner Fenning for a
Few minutes. The latter had to at.
| tend board meeting, however, and
arranged an appointment later with
! Mr.. Smith
! The Board of Trade received a letter
/ Yesterday from the Commissioners de
| caring they saw no reason why the
! case should be reopened. The letter was
| IN reply to one he had sent requesting
an interview as a representative of
the Board of Trade. He said today
| he considered the reply unsatisfac-
! tory and that he had been ignored as
the spokesman for the Board of Trade.
I NOAAfhSsIOHSFS silent.
In the meantime there was no in
dlcation on the part of the Commits
sionerS of taking up the case again.
+. Commissioner Fennins declined TO dis
cuss today the reasons for Inspector
/ Headleys demotion, despite the fact
mat at last nights meeting of the
Chamber of Commerce he was repre-
sented by four directors as having
| explained TO them the reasons lying
he
THESE, briefly, were that Inspector
deadley had failed TO cooperate with
| Traff1c Director Eldridge, the latter
had threatened to resign II such CO.
operation was not Forthcoming, and
| that the change in the Office OF chief
! OF the Traffic Bureau had resulted
i Commissioner Fenning denied today
I that in talking with certain directors
/ OF the chamber yesterday he had any
| intention OF trying to influence their
| action in the Headley matter.
! II was simply q courtesy on my
| part, the Commissioner said. II felt
/ they should know that the action In
! the Headley case was taken advisedIy
| and after due consideration. had no
| thought of influencing their action
| The Commissioner expressed the be.
| lief that after mature deliberation the
| directors of the chamber would
! recognize the spirit of courtesy in
| which he talked with certain of the
I directors.
Awaits Communication.
| He said he had not vet received a
| communication from the directors of
/ the chamber and that it would be
! placed before the Board of Commits
! sioners when it reaches him.
/ The statements of the four direc-
tors fell as a bombshen upon a
dramatic meeting of the chamber
! last night, which finally adopted a res
| olution asking that the Commission
| ers rescind the demotion and that
Capt. Headley not be denoted unless
charges are publicly made, substan-
/ tiated and clearly established.
| The four directors conveying the
message were Martin A. Leese, vice
president of the chamber; J. Manson
Foote, w. X. Shipley and j. H.
| Hanna, president of the Capital
| Traction Co. Mr.. Leese, Mr.. Foote
and Mr.. Shipley all declared that they
/ had discussed the matter individually
with Commissioner Fenning, who,
! they said. stated he understood the
! chamber was to discuss the Headley
matter and wished them to convey a
| message to their colleague Each of
! the directors talked to Commissioner
| Fenning. not knowing at the time
/ that the Commissioner had spoken to
any other member of the board.
Orders Not Obeyed.
! Mr.. Foote stated Commissioner Fem
| ming told him Traffic Director Ed
| ridge had complained that he could
| not function as traffic director as
| long as Inspector Headley was in
! charge; that Mr.. Eldridge had com
| planned of lack of co-operat ton, and
| that he had given orders to the TrafTic
| Bureau that were not carried out Mr..
Foote said Commissioner Fenning told
| him that after investigation he felt.
! "Headley was a square peg In a round
hole" He also said the Commissioner
stated that it was natural for Headley
! not to cooperate because he was dis
| appointed in not getting the job as
traffic director. Inspector Evans. he
! said submitted the name of Capt.
| Brown as Headley's successor, and
Eldridge declared that either he or
| Headley would have to go.
These messages followed the report
of Charles w. Darr, chairman of the
police and fire protection and public
| safety committee of the chamber,
recommending that Inspector Headley
be given hearing. The report was
| finally adopted by the chamber.
AS the meeting proceeded and three
| directors rose in turn to explain they
had been called on by Commissioner
| Fennirg individually, surprise was ex-
| board. Mr.. Darr decried the pro-
! ceedure of picking out certain mem
bers of the board to discuss the situ
! alton with and to bring a message
He deplored the fact that the Com
missioner had overlooked the presf
| dent of the board, James T. Lloyd
! and declared that the Commissioner
! should have communicated with the
| entire board instead of calling in pick
ed men one by one.
All Wanted Change.
! Mr.. Leese declared that he had also
been summoned to the District
Building by the Commissioner, who,
he said, stated that he heard the
| chamber was going to discuss the
Headley matter and requested Mr..
Leese to convey a similar message
/ to the board. Mr.. Leese said that
| the Commissioner told him he made
| study of the chiefs of the depart
ments under him and was particu-
| larry interested in the Traffic
Bureau; that he. had learned one of
| the heads of the departments was
Continued on Page 2. Column 81