Evening star., 1925-11-15
SHENANDOAH CASE
NOW IN L|MEL|GHT.
Foley Expected to Testify in
Inquiry in Reply to
Mrs. LansdoWne.

Public interest in the Mitchell court
martial now in threeday recess, TO-
morrow will be turned to the Navy
Department, where the court of in
quiry into the Shenandoah disaster
reassembles and hears Mrs. Margaret
Ross Lansdowne, widow of the diri-
s:hie's commander, who Thursday tes-
titled under oath before the court
martial that Capt. Paul Foley, judge
advocate of the inquiry board. had
attempted to influence her testimony
prior to her appearance at the naval
court in the early part of October.
Mrs. LanSdowneS declaration that
a paper given to her by Capt. Foley,
bearing testimony she was to give be-
fore the court was false" and IAN in
suit to the memory of her husband,
resulted in a request by Capt. Foley
that he be relieved as an official of
the court and the decision yesterday
of Secretary Wilbur TO accept it.
Maj. Henry Leonard, u. S. NJ. c., re-
tired, was appointed to succeed him.
Denied Leave to Testify.
Capt. Foley failed to obtain per-
mission of the Mitchell court martial
to testify before il Friday. and it was
regarded as certain that he would be
q witness at the Shenandoah inquiry
this week. In his letter to Secretary
Wilbur, requesting his relief. Capt.
Foley said. Il may he in "a position
to be called before that court as an
interested party should the court deem
1t advisable" ="
On her first appearance, October 9,
before the Shenandoah court, Mrs
LanSdowne declared the chief of naval
operations had diSapproved several
reCommenda tionS made by her huS-
band in connection with the itinerary
OF the flight Since that time it de-
Veloped an effort was alleged to have
been made to influence Mrs. Lans-
downe's testimony, and Capt. Foley
has stated publicly he sought to de
termine who the person was. When
he found Mrs. LansdOwne referred to
him, he said he Immediately requested
his release from connection with the
court.
Letter to Wilbur
Capt. Foley's letter to the Secretary
OF the Navy follows:
"On November 70. 1925. Mrs.
Zachary Lansdowne, widow of the
late Lieut.. Comdr. Zachary Lans-
downe. L. s. Navy, testified in the
PROCEEDINGS,
against Col. William Mitchell, U. S.
Army, that l, as judge advocate OF
the Court of Inquiry to investigate
the loss of the Shenandoah, had at
tempted to induce her to give false
testimony before the Shenandoah
court.
No November 13, l presented my
self before the general court t-mar-
tial, above referred to, and request
ed that as matter of personal priv
ilege and in the interest of public
and private justice. l be allowed 10
appear at once as a witness befol$
that court to controvert the testi-
mony given by Mrs. Lansdowne NV
request, supported by the judge ad-
Vocate of the court, was objected to
by Mr.. Reid. counsel for the defense,
and the objection was sustained. I
was not permitted to testify.
Il now request to be relieved from
duty as judge advocate of the Shenan-
doah court to permit this court to
proceed in its own way and without
embarrassment to itself with the fur
ther investigation of this new phase
or the inquiry and in order also that
l may be in a position to be called
before that court as an interested
uarty should the court deem it ad-
viSabe."
Expected to Take Stand.
If Capt. Foley is made an interested
party in the inquiry-a usual course
under the procedure of naval courts
of inquiry-he will be represented by
civilian counsel. He also will take
the stand to give his version of the
conversation which he had with Mrs
Lansdowne before she appeared be-
fore the Shenandoah court and the
circumstances under which he pre-
pared and sent to her a statement
which she was to make to that court
Mrs. Lansdowne has accepted serv-
Ice on subpoena as the first witness
In this phase of the inquiry. The
present Intention is to question her
on the basis of her testimony before
the Mitchell court-martial as well as
certain statements which it is claimed
she made previously to newspaper
correspondents.
Other witnesses will include DR..
William B. Mason, uncle of Mrs. I,ans
doWne, and Mrs. Mason and Mrs. Jo-
sephine Foley. wife of Capt. Foley.
VINO We're present at the interview be-
tween the judge advocate of the Shen-
andoah court and Mrs. Lansdowne.
Mrs. George w. Steele, jr, wife of the
commandant of the Lakehurst air sta
ton, who delivered to Mrs. IansdoWne
the statement prepared for her by
Capt. Foley, also has been called as a
witness.
Others to Be Called,
Among others who probably will be
heard by the naval court are Com
mander Pierce, "a law officer of the
court. who saw the statement sent to
MRS. l.anSdoWne. and the stenogra-
pher who typed the statement.
The court has been called into ses-
sion tomorrow to begin this inquiry.
but whether it will proceed at that
time is problematical. Maj Leonard
may ask for continuance in order
that he may acquaint himself with the
vast volume of testimony which the
court took at Lakehurst, \. J., and in
washington in late September and
early October.
The Mitchell proceedings will reopen
Tuesday and the high light Of testi.
mony Will be given by Admiral Will
liam 5. Sims. L. S. N, retired. arch
critic of the Daniels cabinet in the
Navy and admirer of the accused.
Numerous Army aviators and reserve
pilots also will be brought to the
stand during the week while the
naval court once more is hearing testi-
mony and endeavoring to fix respon-
sibilfty for the loss of the dirigible.
Among these is Reed Chambers.
Americas outstanding fighting war
pilot, with the exception of Capt. Ed
ward V. Rickenbacker.