Evening star., 1926-06-04
BLANT0N FINISHES
FENN|NG EVIDENCE;
TO LEAVE CAPITAL
Is Going to Avoid Requests
That He Be "Guardian"
OF D. c., He Says.
ASKS GIBSON COMPLETE
PROSECUTION OF CASE
Long.Heralded Witness From
Texas Heard-Commissioner
Resumes Testimony.
Representative Blanton. Democrat.

Representative. Blanton, Democrat.
of Texas today rested his case
against Commissioner Frederick A.
Fenning. and at the same time served
notice on the House Judiciary subcom-
mittee hearing the impeachment
charges that he would leave the city
at 10 o'clock tonight.
Mr. Blanton explained emphatically
and dramatically that he is getting
away from the continuous flood OF re
quests by people in the District to at
tend to their business.
They call my telephone all day
long and knock at the door of my Of
fee" he declared. Then they call me
at the house at II O'Clock at night
and O'Clock in the morning. They
think I am attending to their bust
ness. am not their guardian"
He requested the committee to in
vite Representative Gilbert, Demo
crat. of Kentucky. to assist the pro
ponent in case the session does not
end today. Mr. Gilbert Is willing To
step into Mr.. Blanton's shoes provided
he is invited by the committee. Mr..
Blanton also asked that the committee
request Crandall Mackey. attorney, TO
argue two important questions of law.
explaining the lawyer Is willing to do
it II requested.
Nathan Robbins Heard.
The onE,heralded witness. Nathan
Robbins of San Antonio, a, former
resident here for So years. finally ar.
rived on the scene TO-DAY and proved
to be of little or no assistance to Mr.
Blanton. Following appearance on
the stand, Mr.. Fenning again resumed
his testimony, which twice had been
interrupted, taking up the entire cor.
respondence In the Roley Lee and
Philip Berg cases.
Robbins had voluntarily submitted
an afidivit from San Antonio con.
cerning Mr.. Jennings activities as
guardian for his mother in 1911. The
committee refused to accept 1t and on
the plea Of Mr.. Blanton issued q
subpoena for him. Under direct ex-
animation. he testified that his
mother. Mrs. Barbara e. Robbins was
an inmate Of a Methodist Home for
the AGED at Sixth and M streets In
1910. Early In the following year,
Robbins said he received q telephone
call from Mr.. Fenning stating the
woman had been committed to St.
Elizabeth's Hospital on petition Of the
District Of Columbia Commissioners
and inquiring II approval would be
given to his acting as guardian for
her. Robbins said he had no objection
and his brother later agreed.
Up to this point the purpose Of
Robbins testimony had not been made
clear. Mr.. Blanton asked him IL he
would have been willing to have
served as guardian for the mother II
asked by Mr. FenninE. The witness
replied: mo, I don't think I wanted
to-" -- ,~e 49,
Mr.. Blanton then referred to. the
affidavit, stating that Robbins in It
had intimated bad faith" on the part
of Mr. Fenning in that he might have
taken advantage Of the son by not
making it plain that either of the
brothers could serve in that capacity.
Hogan Raises Objection.
Frank J. Hogan. chief defense
counsel, objected to the question and
the committee sustained him. Mr..
Bianton declared he thought the wit
ness would testify to the afiidavit and
added that all he knew about the case
was in that document.
He refused to question the man
further. Mr.. Hogan on croes,exam
ination emphasized that Robbins
lived within walking distance Of the
institution where his mother was con-
signed, and that 1t was not until two
months after she had been commit.
ted to St. Elizabeth's and on informa.
ton by Mr.. Fenning that he learned
Of her removal.
At this point Mr.. Blanton indicated
he would have no closing argument.
but would file with the committee q.
brief upholding his argument that
Mr. Fenning can be held responsible
for acts committed prior to his ap-
pointment as Commissioner.
Mr.. Hogan. with his client on the
stand. went into the Roley Lee case
and developed that since 1921 Mrs.
Eliza Lee, mother Of the veteran,
had received $5,726.65 from her sons
estate for her support.
The entire file in the Lee case then
was read by Mr.. Hogan. The purpose
of this action was to deny the charges
or barratry and champerty which Mr..
Blanton had made, setting forth spe-
officially that Mr.. Fenning solicited the
Roley Lee guardianship. -.
Correspondence Is Cited.
The point was made late yesterday
that Percy Dennis, friend Of the
mother in Grundy, Va. had CORE.
sponded with Mr.. F'enning prior to
Mrs. Lees signing the petition naming
the Commissioner as guardian. Mr..
Fenning could not recall whether the
origin Of the case was by letter from
Mr.. Dennis. BY telephone or by per.
sonal request and Mr.. Hogan prom
Used further search Of the files to
produce such a letter If it existed.
Mr.. Blanton Interrupted at this point
Continued on Page 2, Column y