Evening star., 1926-03-22
BLANT0N NAMES b
VETERANS IN NEW
ATTACK ON FENN|NG
Charges the Commissioner
Works With Dr.. White to
Get Guardian Fees.
103 OTHER NAMES GIVEN
IN RENEWAL OF ATTACK
Jekyll and Hyde Picture Drawn
Before House on Conditions
Involving St. Elizabeth's.

Citing list Of IS names of World
War veterans from whose estates. he
charged, District Commissioner Fen
ming is receiving 10 per cent commits
sion. with an additional 10 per cent
under certain circumstances, which
list he was furnished by the Veterans
Bureau. and calling attention to an.
other list containing 103 names. Rep.
resentative Blanton, Democrat. of
Texas, renewed his attack on Com.
missioner Fenning in the House to.
day.
Mr. Blanton told the House that Dr.
William A. White, in charge of ST.
Elizabeth's Hospital, and Commission
er Fenning are working together 20
that the District Commissioner Is hay
ing himself appointed guardian for
veterans of the World War on recon-
mendation of DR.. White. and is col
lecting large sums OF money for the
service in fees.
The names of Carl Fenning, brother
of Commissioner Fennlng. and Dis
trict Coroner hewitt were brought
into MIR. BlantoE's charges.
The Texan said a congressional In
vestigation of st. Eliza beths is nece<
sary.
Funds for Institution.
Mr.. Blanton reminded sss col
leagues that St. Elizabeth Hospital
is a Federal institution naintaintd
by the United States Government to
house and care for menal detectives.
For the present fiscal year Congress
has appropriated $1,023.000 out of
the Federal Treasury. he said. In
addition to this, in the District ap-
preparation bill for the present fiscal
year Congress appropriated and
turned over to the Board of Char
beths Hospital on the indisept In
sane Of the District. and in the de.
ficiency bill Congress gave the Board
of Charities for the same purpose an
additional sum of $2so.o0o, making
81 10000 given to the board for the
present fiscal year to care for in
disent insane in the hospital. For
the next fiscal year Congress has
already appropriated $1,000, 900 for
the same purpose, and for the next
fiscal year Congress has already ap
propriated for st. ElizAbeth's 1924.
600 out of the Federal Treasury, he
added.
Mr.. Blanton explained that 1t IL the
take into custody any person alleged
to be Of unsound mind to send them
to Gallinger Hospital for observation.
whence sooner or later they are
sent to St. Elizabeth's Hospital under
what is known as certificate for
80 days. In this connection, he said,
1t is interesting to note that in the
District appropriation bill for the next
fiscal year the sum Of $637,550 is
carried for Gallinger Hospital.
Reviews Previous Attack.
Mr.. Blanton reviewed what tran
spired in the House last Thursday,
when he opened fire on Commissioner
Fenning by calling attention that in.
generations in the asylum are by
executive order, and moved to strike
out an appropriation of $4,000 from
the District appropriation bill. At
that time MIR. Blanton drew from
Chairman Madden of the House an.
preparation committee the statement
that Commissioner Fenning Ought to
be put out of office" if the charges
made on the floor by Representatives
Blanton, Green of Florida and Gibson
of Vermont were found to be true.
Early in his speech today Mr.. Blan-
ton promised his colleagues proof
of the charge. He then quoted a let.
ter which ne had sent the day be-
fore TO Commissioner Fenning, asking
for the following information:
Since what date have you been
the guardian of Fred Hall, now in
ST. Elizabeths Hospital; what re-
do you receive from such
case? Please advise the number of
cases in which you have been the
guardian during the past year. the
names of the wards and the remu-
neration you have received in such
cases. Such information is neces.
sary just now in justice to yourself.
as many charges concerning same
have come to me and, 1 find. to 9th
ers of my colleagues, and desire to
know the real facts"
Picturing Commissioner Fenning as
a "Dr. Jeckyll and Mr.. Hyde" in the
conduct Of his Office as District Com
missioner and as guardian for insane
of the Veterans Bureau.
Mr.. Blanton said that Mr.. Fenning
had to transform himself" before
replying to his letter from his law
Offices in the Evans Building. In MIR.
Jennings reply, which MIR. Blanton
read to the House, he was told that
'all of the information that you re.
quest Is of record at the courthouse,
where / anticipate that it can readily
be obtained under the rules and
regulations Of the clerks office."
Other Information Sources.
Telling his colleagues that. fortunate
ly he had other sources of infornna
ton, Mr.. Blanton said: II learned
from the United States Veterans
Bureau that Mr.. Commissioner Fen
ming. attorney in the Evans Building
Is now guardian for IS World War
veterans who are claimed to have lost
their minds. and concerning whose
property and compensation Mr.. Com
missioner Fenning. attorney In the
Evans Building, receives 10 per cent"
Mr.. Blanton then read a letter,
dated March 10, from Gen. Frank T.
Hines, director Of the Veterans Bu-
reau. in which he said: II am at
taching a list of the cases for which
Col. Fenning Is now guardian or COM
mittee, and will furnish you as soon
as the information can be prepared
details as to where the wards live and
In what institutions they now are.
"In order for me to give you the
exact amount of compensation which
has been paid out of the estate Of the
wards upon order of the Supreme
Court Of the District 1t will be neces-
sary for me to have reviewed the ac-
counts which have been filed by Col
Fenning with the Supreme Court and
audited by Herbert L. Davis, auditor,
acting for said court.
"Col. Fenning has heen allowed by