Evening star., 1926-03-12
LOCAL MEN CALLED
| TO ACT ON PROBE
Will Plan Next Step in Re-
ply to Charges Made by
Committee.

members OF the washington Reta1l
Coal Merchants Board Of Trade will
meet in executive session this after
noon to consider their next step in
connection with the Senate District
committees audit of their books.
This was decided at a meeting of
some members of the board in the
offices of Leland & Beck, public ac-
counts, in the Southern Building, to-
day. Leland & Beck, together with
Harry 7. Peters, with Offices in the
Woodward Building, have been re-
tained by the local coal men to assist
accountants from the Office Of Con-
troller General McCarl conduct an
audit Of the merchants books.
The Senate District committee an
nounced late yesterday afternoon,
after an executive session, that 1t had
exanAned the information obtained
by the auditors from three local com
panies, and that there was still some
data to be obtained. Senator Capper
said he would invite the coal men to
anothAr conference CO. March 22, to
ask them to supply the auditors with
the additional information desired.
SubpOenas Considered.
Senator King of Utah, member OF
the District committee, today ap-
proved the decision reached yester'
day. IL the proposed meeting should
fail to bring an agreement under
which the dealers would furnish the
figures the committee wants. senator
King believes the committee then
should consider issuing subpoenas'
The committee has authority from
the Senate TO compel the dealers 10
submit their books.
Members of the firm of Leland u
Beck said at the meeting today that
the auditors from Mr.. McCarls once
had been supplied with all of the In
formation definitely requested by the
District committee, both in writing
and by verbal suggestion. They also
said they never had been asked to give
statements on the business OF the j.
Maury Dove Co., which the Govern
ment auditors are said to nave re-
ported was declined.
Roger ]. Whiteford. who was re-
tanned as counsel for the coal dealers.
will he present at the meeting this
afternoon. Jesse G. Suter. managing
director of the Coal Merchants Board
of Trade. said that the dealers haf eX-
pressed readiness to do everything
in their power to assist the Senate Dis
trict committee investigate charges OF
gouging.
Following an executive session OF
the Senate district committee yester-
day afternoon, Chairman Capper an
nounced that the auditors of the Con-
troller Generals Office had not heen
able to obtain from local coal dealers
all the information the committee re,
quested in connection with the inves-
ington.
Senator Capper declared that the
Treasu Department auditor assigned
to assist the committee had an unSat-
isfactory experience in seeking TO col
lect the facts the committee asked.
The committee will meet in open ses-
sion Monday, March %, at which time
the coal dealers will be asked to at
tend.
Senator Capper stated that the COM
mittee at that time would endeavor to
find out from the coal dealers whether
they are willing to give the committee
the information being sought.
Presents Data Obtained.
II. A. A. Smith. the Government
auditor, presented to the committee
figures which he obtained from three
lealers-namely. the Griffith Coal
Corporation. J. +. Asnew 4 co. and
William King < Son.
Smith reported that the Griffith Co.
and William King 4 Son gave figures
for the last nine months OF 1925, but
did not furnish data for the first
three months of the year. The Sena-
tor said he underst ood this course was
taken on the ground that their books
ran for the year from March 81. The
Agnew Co. Senator Capper said. gave
figures for all of 1925. but the Sena-
tor added that the Government au-
ditor was not given access by any of
the dealers to the general ledger or
the balance sheet. He said that the
information that was furnished did
not show the amount of capital in
vested and was not as complete as
the committee desired.
Would Continue Inquiry.
Senator Caprer stated that the J.
Maury Dove Co did not furnish any
data to MIR. Smith of the controller
generals office.
The chairman Of the committee
stated that he gained the impression
at the conference which the commit
tee held with representatives of the
dealers several weeks ago that Mr..
McCarl's representative would be
given access to all of the figures re-
auested by the committee. The Sen
tor sa i'd 1t was the opinion of the men,
bers who attended yesterdays meet
ing that the committee should hold
the later meeting and invite the coal
dealers to be present. He said the
committee recognized that the situa-
tion no longer constitutes an emsrg-
enoy since the Winter Is practically
! over. but that 1t was felt they should
pursue the inquiry further in an en-
deavOr to get the figures they had re.
QueSted.