Evening star., 1926-05-01

for this purpose, but that the bonds
Of the contractors are paid for as
part of the cost of the contract and
eventually comes out of the District.
The District itself does not give any
bonds in condemnation proceedings or
appeals from decisions.
Mr.. Gibson questioned Mr.. Rudolph:
Have you in fact made no progress
on a merger of the street railway
companies?" When the Commission
er said that the companies have held
out some hope Of reaching an agree
ment Mr.. Gibson commented that
public service corporations are pro-
life in promises, and / say that as
having been attorney for some"
Mr. Gibson told the Commissioner
that he had heard many complaints
about the street lighting and said 1t
is reported that this is the poorest
lighted city of its size in the country.
Mr.. Rudolph expressed the opinion
that the city is pretty we'll lighted
and that considerable improvement is
being made. Asked in more detail on
this subject, Mr.. Rudolph admitted
that he has not been informed and
that the committee must get further
information from Engineer Commits
siOner Bell.
Asks for Suggestions.
In reply to another question from
Mr.. Gibson. Mr.. Rudolph said he
knows nothing about guardianship
fees or about other matters on which
committees Of Congress have been
questioning Mr.. Fenning.
In reply to a question by Mr.. Bow
man as to whether he had any sug-
gestions or recommendations to make
fnpr y-H
provement and betterment of the city,
Mr.. Rudolph said there might be
some, but he did not care TO make
them "offhand tonight" He was
asked TO file such suggestions and
recommendations in writing to the
committee the early part of the week.
Mr.. Gibson asked Commissioner Ru-
dolph TO identify certified copy OF
the action taken by the Commission
ers at the time of the demotion of in
spector Headley.
Mr.. Gibson then discussed with the
Commissioner the action taken by
District officials in setting aside pro
yisionsin the social disease bill passed
by the last Congress and in not living
up TO a requirement in the traffic act
for resistance of drivers permits. en-
phasizing that this latter disregard OF
the law is cutting off 100000 reve-
nues from the District government
which is needed for public improve
mentS.
Assistant Auditor Called.
Alva W. Collins. assistant auditor
of the Veterans Bureau since it was
started in August. 1921. and before
that with the Federal Vocational
Board. was next called and testified
regarding bodies of two veterans who
died at st. Elizabeth's and which had
been turned over in a mutilated con
ditiOn to the contract undertaken for
Veterans Bureau. He testified that
this undertaken gives as good q fun
e~al to the veterans for $50 and S66 as
other people pay 500 and S125 for.
He testified that the bill from the out
side undertakerS who had the body
of Bernard Murdie had put in a bill
for S108.50, while under an act OF Con-
gress the limit of cost is 500.
Mr.. Bowman challenged this wit
ness rather vigorously regarding his
testimony as to mutiliation of bodies
and asked what he had done about
IL in reporting to the Veterans Bu-
reau. At the close of his testimony
Mr.. Bowman said: IF we can fol-
low this up and find these bodies
mutilated without authority. we
should get,the officials here to testify.
Nobody is going to stand for cut
ting up the veterans without author
ity for an autopsy upon them. " Mr..
Blanton stated for the record that
he is informed that the doctors at
st. Elizabeth's perform autopsies on
most of the bodies of those who die
in that institution and that medical
students are brought out there re-
peatedly for clinics on these bodies.
Mr.. Gibson asked whether the Vet
erans' Bureau claimed any right to
give authority for an autopsy on
these bodies. The opinion was eX-
pressed that the Veterans Bureau
has no such authority.
School Board Head Called.
L. c. Graham was next called and
Mr.. Gilbert ASSIGNED to interrogate
him. He testified that he is president
Of the Washington school board,
which has nine members. In private
business he is president of the Ma
tional Electrical Supply Co. He tes-
titled that members of the school
board are appointed by the judges of
the Supreme Court, but did not agere
with his questioner that Chief Justice
Mccoy takes a more active part than
the other judges. Mr.. Graham also
testified that he is vice president of
the Washington Board of Trade, was
a member of the Federal Reserve
Board at Richmond and is a director
Of the City Club.
Mr.. Graham was questioned regard
ing how much stock he has in the
National Electrical Supply Co. and
when he said between 25 per cent
and so per cent the subcommittee
could not understand such q wide
margin. He explained that he has 25
per cent Of the common stock and
about one-third of the preferred stock.
This company, he said, has capitali-
zation of 100000 each on common
stock, which pays 6 per cent, and pre-
ferred stock, which pays S per cent.
He said that If it Is selling supplies
to the District schools he does not
know about it, because what Is bought
for the schools is bought by the pur-
chasing agent for the District. He
said that the School Board, or officials
under them, have nothing to do with
these purchases, and that the only in
fluence that they can have is in an
indirect way on the volume Of sup
plies.
Denies Rudolph Acts.
He was questioned if, as one-third
stockholder and president of the COM
pany, he would take oath that the
school system is not one Of the biggest
purchasers from his corporation, He
said he, could not give the information
and when pressed as to who could
give 1t. he said the properly clerk of
the District. He does not believe that
hiA company could tell whether the
supplies are delivered to the schools
or not. He was asked by Mr.. Gilbert
whether, as president Of the school
board and president Of the company,
he did not think he should be able to
throw light on dealings between the