Evening star., 1926-06-01
RUDOLPH.A AND BELL
DENY PART IN CASES
Denoted HeadIey on Advice
of Fenning, They Testify
at Hearing in House.

Eight witnesses. including Commits
sioner Cuno ii. Rudolph, and EnSl-
neer Commissioner j. Franklin Bell.
testified TODAY as witnesses OF Repre-
sentative Blanton. Democrat, of Texas,
before the House judiciary Subcom'
mittee investiga ting Impeachment
charges against Commissioner Fred
erick A. Fenning today.
The testimony of the two Commits
sioners was not directly against their
colleague, although both admitted they
had nothing to do with the cases or
Inspector Headley. Sergt. Lee, Drs.
Wilson and Murphy and Pollcema
Blackman. These cases were dis
posed of by the board and are part
of Mr.. Blanton's charges OF "hlsn
crimes and misdemeanors, which
have been lodged against Mr.. Fen
ming.
Col. Bell testified his reason for vot-
ing for the demotion of Inspector
Headley to the rank of captain was
based on a conclusion formed after n
discussion with Mr.. Fenning and
Traffic Director Eldridge. Col. Bell
declared that he found out Mr.. Ell
bridge would be very glad If given
another assistant instead of Headley.'
He also asserted that he and Mr.. Ru-
dolph considered the advisability of
retaining Headley in the rank OF IN
spector and that "if it had been prac-
ticable we would haze created an
other district for him.
Fenning Urged DemotiOn.
On the same question of Headleys
demotion, Mr.. Rudolph testified thor
ough discussion was had at the board
meeting. ''Mr. F'enning made
voluminous statement and convinced
me the step should he taken" de
clared Mr.. Rudolph. He added that
there had been some differences be-
tween himself and Headley for sew
eral months prior to the Traffic Bu-
reau chiefs demotion.
In the matter of the other cases
which have received widespread at
tention here through Mr.. Blanton $
charges, the two Commissioners dis
claimed any knowledge of the facts
prior to their presentation at the
board meeting.
Crandal Mackey, an attorney, the
first witness at the morning session,
testified he had seen Mr.. Fenning
present patches of papers to judges
on the bench who, while trying cases,
signed them without reading the
orders. He also declared that prior
to the present investigation of Mr..
Fenning he had a good reputation
in Washington.
Francis II. Stephens, corporation
counsel was questioned by Mr.. Blan
ton on the amount of money owed the
District by large corporations here.
Questions Declared Irrelevant.
MIR. Blanton insisted the amount
was 5000 900, while Mr.. Stephens de-
clared the suits in his Office totaled
$500, 900. Chairman Dyer. Represent
ative. Missouri, questioned the rele-
vancy of the testimony and Mr.. Blan-
ton insisted that it was Mr.. Fenn.ng' 5
duty to see that the corporation ""un-
sci carried out his duties properly.
When Mr.. Blanton asked the wit
ness if he had ruled that Commits
sioner Rudolph could carry out his
duties although connected with the
tions of relevancy to the Fenning
issue were raised. Mr.. Blanton in
sisted that Mr.. F'enninG permitted
this condition to exist and in the dis
cussion that followed the answer was
overlooked. On cross-examination by
Frank ]. Hogan, chief defense coun-
sci. Mr.. Stephens testified he had
never talked with Mr.. Fenning about
the money owed in delinquent taxes
and had not discussed with Mr.. Ru-
dolph the question of his qualifica-
ton as Commissioner because of busi-
ness connections.
DR.. Henry Ladd Stickney, in charge
of a Veterans Bureau hospital in
Massachusetts, identified a report to
the director of the bureau made in
1924 by him following an investiga-
ton at st. Elizabeth's Hospital. In
this report he declared Mr.. Fenning
appears to have certain privileges
and concessions" and there is no
criticism of his guardianship, but that
he constantly opposes the transfer of
his wards" DR.. Stickney testified his
Information came from confidential
sources" and under cfoss-examination
could not, through lack of memory,
recall the names of his informants.
Appeared i'm Three Roles.
Just before the luncheon recess was
taken Robert II. Mcneil, a member of
the District bar, who obtained the
relief of the Corbett women on
habeas corpus writs in 1906 from St
Elizabeth's Hospital. testified that in
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