Evening star., 1926-04-25
FENNINC COOLLY GIVES THE LIE
TO ACCUSER In BITTER CLASH
Emphatic Denial of Charges Evokes Unprintable
Epithet From Texan-Remark Stricken From
Record of Sensational Hearing.
Testimony in Part.

gestion. ] thank the gentleman from
Texas for his apology
Testimony in Part.
The Official transcript Of the crnss-
examination Of Mr.. Fenning by Mr.
Blanton follows. in part
Mr.. Blanton: MIR. Fennine, YOU be
came Commissioner of the Disiric:
Of Columbia when"
Mr.. Fenning June :. 1929
You took Office and took the oath
prescribed by the Constitution Of
the United States, didn't YOU"
Il took an oath. | presume it Vas
the one prescribed in the Copstitu-
ton"
Well, as Commissioner If the
District of Columbia and as lawyer
for rs years you know that YOU were
required to take the oath prescribed
by the Constitution Of the United
States?" ''.
Yes"
You know that the District OF Co.
lumbia is the seat of government of
the United States, don't your"
Yes. sir"
1t is the only seat Of government
Why. yes"
Here in the District Of Columbia
are situated the White House. the
Capitol and the departments OF the
Government, are they not?'
Yes
Not Up on Blant0n Dates.
You know flom your. familiarity
with affairs here thar for 4 long time
l. u
the United States and Congress, our
o. lhe United States Treasury. paid
one half of all the fiscal expenses Of
this District, don't you:'
II have not verified those dates.
bit / know thai for a long period (
time 1t -dii.
You are not prepared to state that
that is not so?'
"Oh no.
"1ou perha Ps know that from the
cessation of paying $50, beginning
with 1)2I and on and up until 1921.
| Congress, out Of the peoples Treasury
of the United States. paid 40 per cent
| of the fiscal expenses IF the District
of Columbia. Don't voH know that 80
Yes sir. | haven't verified the
dates, but | am quite willing To accept
| your dates.
| And you do know that since 1924
and now the Congress # the United
| States, out of The peoples Treasury.
| Is paying $9 900 600 in cash toward the
| expenses of this District besides Civ.
! ing to the District various fees which
| formerly went partly into the peoples
| Treasury. and which fees amount ia
practically $1,000, 900 a year; isn't that
SOP
| Il think So
Asks 4AbOu. Center Market.
You know that in addition the
| Government of the United States fur
| nishes all the big market space down
| here al the Central Market, bropertv
owned by the Government, to the
people of the District? You know
that, don't you
II presume that is so"
And you know further that the
Government of the United States has
provided for the people of the Dis
trict. big and little. altogether / 200
parks"
II know that there are parks. /
! don't know how many. II you say
! there are 1900. | will accept YOUR
word. ] know there are q large mum
| ber of them
But as an excuse. II il is such for
| what you have done you say that
| this section in the Revised Statutes
mentioned in article of the i'm
peachment charges, which provides
that an officer of the Government
cannot prefer claims against the Gov
| ernment, does not apply TO you, be-
cause you claim that you are not an
officer of the United States?"
| Mr.. Blanton, you don't mean TO say
| that ] offered IT as an eXcuse?"
|
Denies Law Violation.
NO, sir. | don't offer anything ae
an excuse for what ] have done. i
made the statement few moments
ago that from the standpoint of fact
| l have not done one single thing thai
\ is a violation of the statute, and then
! | go further and say that from the
| standpoint of the law the statute thai
| YOU are talking about does not touch
| me.
You say it does not touch YOU he
| cause
Because the law Of the United
| States says" interrupted MIR. Fen
| ming.
You say you are an officer OF cor
| poration and not an officer of the Gov
ernment of the United States" pur-
sued Mr.. Blanton.
Il didn't say that: the law says it,"
| You claim that the law says it,
| Il say that the law says ii. I leave
| it to these lawyers here on the com
mittee.'
THAT is what we are coins to de
| termine by our hearings, and by the
| courts"
Mr.. Blanton. you can't prove the
| law by me-"
I'm not trying to prove II by you.
I don't expect to prove it by you. |
don't want to prove 1t by you"
Quizzed Regarding Courts.
Now. you know" Mr.. Blanton
| continued that the Supreme Court
| Of the United States has held that the
| Supreme Court of the District of Co
| lumbia and the other courts of the
District of Columbia are United States
| courts, don't you?"
II understand that the courts of
the District of Columbia are United
| States courts.
They are United States courts.
Continued on Fifth Page.
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