Evening star., 1926-04-21
COLLADAY DENIES
BLANTON REMARK
Never Indicted, He Says, in
RepIy-AnSWer Is Kept
From Floor of House.


The reply of Edward F. Colladay
Republican national committeeman OF
the District of Columbia, in refuta-
tion of a statemem in the House last
Monday by Representative Blanton
of Texas that Mr. Colladay had been
indicted and remanded to Jail, was
offered to the House today by Repre-
sentative F>airchild. Republican, of
New York, who had objected at the
time the statement was made.
When Mr.. Fairchild asked unani-
nous consent to address the House TO-
day Representative Connally, Demo
'crat, of Texas asked the subject, and
Mr.. Fairchild said, Il am going to
deny the statement made on MONDAY
by Mr.. Blanton."
Mr.. Blanton said he would not OBJ
ject provided he was allowed min
utes in which to reply.
Urges Committee Discussion.
The House minority leader. Repre-
sentative Garrett Of Tennessee. then
pointed out that the subject matter
had been taken from the floor of the
House 1y Impeachment charges and
that any further discussion should be
before the judiciary committee
Mr.. Blanton demanded the regular
order and Speaker Longworth from
the chair condemned the growing
practice of making consent condi-
tional on granting the privilege of
replying
MIR. Garrett then made the point
that today is calandar Wednesday
and when both Mr.. Fairchild and Mr..
20 lrn
openly, the one to insert a denial in
behalf of Mr.. Colladay and the other
an opportunity to answer It, Repre-
sentative Begg. Republican, of Ohio.
and several other members cried: ~
object" which ended the matter for
the time being.
Mr.. Fairchild later made public
letter he had received from Mr.. Cola
day, denying Mr.. Blanton's state
ments. The letter follows in full:
Text of Colladay Reply.
April 20, 1926.
Honorable Benjamin L. Fairchild.
limited States House of Representa-
tives,
Washington, D. c.
'My dear Congressman Fairchild:
Il note by the Congressional Record
House of Representatives of April 10,
1926. that you interviewed in a discus
sion in which my name was men,
toned.
The Record contains the inquiry
by Representative Green Of Florida, as
follows:
al want to know if Colladay is the
man who was indicted years ago in
the District for misdemeanors and
high crimes
Representative Blanton Of Texas
answered as follows:
He was charged with forgery, and
was granted $500 bail, and was dis
charged on habeas corpus, but finally,
on appeal, was remanded back to Jail;
but later he got his case nolle pressed
THE statement that I was indicted
Is false, and the statement that l was
in Jail is equally false.
"The facts are that more than %
years ago a charge was made against
me by an employe of the United States
Civil Service Commission in the mat
ter of employment of woman
through civil service, in the Govern
ment Printing Office. This woman, in
her application TO the Civil Service
Commission, had made an allegation
relating to her previous experience
which was untrue. This was discov-
cred by the Civil Service Commission
after this woman had been in the en-
ploy of the Government Printing Of
flee for about a year, and the said en-
ploye of the Civil Service Commission
charged that I had procured the max
ing of the. untruthful allegation. My
only relation to the matter was that
this woman had handed to me her ap-
plication and asked if l could help
her, and | sent in the application. I
aid not procure the making by her of
the untruthful allegation contained
In her application and 1 was entirely
innocent of the charge.
mot for one moment was I ever at
any time in Jail. Neither was l ever
indicted. After my arrest, immedi-
ately sued out writ of habeas corpus,
and the late Justice Andrew Bradley,
after full hearing, rendered a lengthy
opinion, in which he held that no
crime was charged and ordered my re-
lease. The United States district at
orney appealed from Mr.. Justice Brad
ley's decision and the Court of APP
peals reversed the case in an opinion
written by the late Mr.. Justice Bar
nard, in which he held that the case
might properly be presented to the
grand jury, and IL an indictment should
be found by the grand jury then all
the questions sought to be raised by
the habeas corpus proceeding could be
properly raised in a further trial of
the case in the trial court.
The case was presented to the grand
Jury in due course, and after hearing
all witnesses the grand jury refused to
return an indictment. After eight
grand juries had sat without return
ing an indictment, through my attor
ney l demanded the dismissal of the
case, and, therefore, on motion Of the
United States district attorney the
court dismissed the case.
THE statements herein contained
can be verified by the court records,
Of which I am sending to you certified
transcripts.
VERY truly yours,