Evening star., 1926-05-29
PROBE OFFICIAL
ACTS OF FENN|NG N \ J
House Committeeman Hear
Testimony Of Former
D. C. Officers.

Frederick A. Jennings activities
since he beca me Commissioner, con
tinued to be the subject Of inquiry
yesterday afternoon by the House
committee hes ring impeachment
charges brought by Representative
Bla nton. Democrat. Of Texas.
Doctors Accuse F'eDning.
Only one witness wa. "a He'd In con-
nection with case prior to his ap-
pointment.
Mr.. Biz nton brought to the stand
in the following order DR.. G. J. Muir:
ply. DIR. F.. G. Wilson. retired Police
sergt. Robert F.. Lee, Henry r. Da Wis,
III. G. Black man and DIR. W. e.. Fow-
Ter. District health ohficer.
Drs. Murphy and Wilson testified
that on different Occa sions they. had
been summoned before mir. Fennins
and told TO resign. The. Commits
sioner, they declare, informed them
they could set forth the reason for
their action az being due TO the in'
crease. OF their privafe practice DIR.
Murphy was n police surgeon and Or
Wilson school physician. The
former compiled with the request. as
sertina II ne didn't lie he would
have been kicked out nd the lat
ter declared he refused TO submit hi,
resig ma ton and later was dismissed
by action Of the Board OF Commits
sioners.
Serst. Lee testified as to his retire
ment against his will. declaring he
was not physically unfit to perform
his duties as the retirement bOarC
found. He declared the action OF tho
board worked a hardship on him. Al
ne was sending his children through
school and buying q home.
Blackman. a policeman and La stu
dent. said he had been ordered by thu
department to liouidate q small in
debtedness; that he obtained employ
ment at a depa artment store as hoo'
walker on four successive Saturds vs.
for which he received $24: that he wa
tried for violating a regula tion which
he said did not apply TO him; was
hned 2b, forced to turn over the 81
earned to the department and suspend
ed fOa II days without pay. He sal
he appealed the case to the Commits
siOners.
Davis Tells of letter.
Mr.. Davis. described by Mr.. Blan
ton and Mr.. Hogan as the dean Of ths
District har. identified a letter hi
aNIOtS 10 MI. r eNnlHk M tne fStaCkHlaH
case, which set forth the view thai
the officer had been improperly found
guilty and punished. Mr.. Davis In
terest In the case was brought abou,
Z accidentally. and the letter was writ
ten before the present prOceedin n
were launched against the Commits
siOner. the witness said.
DIR. Fowler testified regs riding or
ders received not to enforce certs In
provisions Of the Gilbert bill. These
instructions were received before Mr.
Fennin9 became Commissioners. he
testified and on May u he was rein :
strncted Ia enforce the entire pro
visions. The ohjectiOna ble part con
eerned the reporting by physicis M
of names OF persons suffering from
venereal diseases.
Mr.. Blanton brought ont that Mr.
f'ennins. as attorney for the Medi-
cal Society. appeared before the
commissioners and argued against
the enforcement OF that provision.
Then when he took ONCE as
Commissioner he knew the law wa,
being viola ted" asked Mr.. Ris nton
=. There IL no question ahont IT,
replied DR.. Fowler.
The health officer stated DR.. Wilson
had made an applics tion for rein
statement e. school physician. hui
that he will mot recommend" IA
rora BILE acfion on IL.