Evening star., 1926-06-02
.FENN|NG INQUIRY
PRODUCES CLASH
BIanton and Hogan in Warm
Dispute-Hearing Re.
sumed Today.

After sitting eight and one-half
hours yesterday morning. afternoon
and night. in an effort to bring its in.
vestigation Of the Blanton tmpeach.
ment charges against Commissioner
Frederick A. Fenning to a close by
the end of the week, the House Judi
ciary special subcommittee met with
the full committee this morning on
other matters, but resumed its hear
ing this afternoon.
MIR. Jennings activities as guar
dian, his relationship with DIR. Viii
liam A. White. superintendent of st.
Elizabeth's Hospital and his practice
in the courts as an attorney we're the
subjects emphasized late yesterday
afternoon and last night by Repre-.
sentative Blanton, Democrat. Texas,
who had witnesses testify on these
points. Included among the number
on the stand were Wilton j. Lambert
prominent Washington attorney. and
DR.. White himself.
Clash Features Hearing.
The feature of the night session
was the clash between Mr.. Blanton
and Frank j. Hogan, chief defense
counsel-by far the most serious of
the many rows the two nave engaged
in. 1t had its inception when Mr..
Hogan objected to the word Special
which, 1t appeared. Mr.. Blanton read
into a petition by way Of emphasizing
his point. The two harangued back
and forth without creating any undue
excitement among the committee
members or spectators. and the dis
pute was apparently settled amicably
when Mr.. Blanton, as an afterthought.
remarked to Mr.. Lambert, then on
the stand. that such demonstrations
are not held in the local courts.
Mr.. Lambert smilingly replied that
he and Mr.. Hogan get along very well
and Mr.. Hogan, bowling to the wit
ness. said: Il always get along with
gentlemen,
That's a damned insult" shouted
Mr.. Blanton. jumping to his feet. Il
move that the committee force him to
retract that statement
THE committee hasn't the power"
said Mr.. Hogan. in an equally loud
voice. Then the two fell to talking
at the same time. and in the jumbled
was used several times by both par
hands in despair. and after each side
had quieted down, Chairman Dyer.
Republican, Missouri, announced that
all OF the colloquy would be elimi-
mated from the record.
Bennett Case Taken Up.
Mr.. Lambert's testimony dealt with
the case Of Henry P. Bennett, re-
tired Government employe, with an
estate of about 100000. whose
nephew. William r. Slade, filed a Pc
tition through Mr.. Fenning to have
Mr.. Bennett declared of unsound
mind. Mr.. Bennett employed Mr..
Lambert to defend him. and the at
torney prevented service of the
lunacy proceedings against his client.
Mr.. Lambert testified he notified Mr..
Fenning that he would fight the
case" and when the matter was
brought to trial Mr.. Fenning moved
to discontinue the proceedings when
opposing counsel raised the question
of jurisdiction Of the court. Mr.. Ben
nett's voting residence was given as
Fall River. Mass, although he had
lived here for the past SO years.
In answer to the motion to discon-
tinue the proceedings Mr.. Lambert
protested vigorously against such a
step. explaining that the stigma of
alleged insanity would not be re-
moved from Mr.. Bennett unless the
physicians aff1davits also were
withdrawn. This subsequently was
done, and the case was dropped. Mr..
Bennett died later, '.in my opinion, a
sane man." Mr.. Lambert said.
Blanton Quizzes White.
DR.. White was examined by Mr..
Blanton at great length on his con.
nection with Mr.. Fenning both In a
partnership dealing in trust notes and
the guardianship matters. Virtually
all of the questions had been pro-
pounded by Mr.. Blanton when DIR.
White appeared before the subcommit.
tee, but they were asked with the OBJ
ject of adducing evidence against Mr..
Fenning. DR.. White, in reality, was
Mr.. Blanton's witness.
Mr.. Hogan, under cross.examina.
ton, conducted the witness over most
of his direct testimony, and empha-
sized the point that although Mr.. Fen
ming had been given access to GER
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