Evening star., 1926-04-26
FENNIN(, AND DAVIS ARE CALLED
in INQUIRY INTO LUNACY CASES
Auditor Backs Commissioners Contention That Law
Sets No Limit on Fees to Be Paid Committees
OF Mental Incompetents.

long Mr.. Fenning has known James
Wilkes, assistant to the corporation
counsel. He said he supposed he had
known him about five years.
Does Not Name Case.
Then followed a lengthy exchange
and parrying between Mr.. Blanton
and Mr.. Fenning. The former was
asking about case in which Mr.
Fenning was committee and when
the ward. whom he said had been
an INDECENT patient at st. Elizabeth's,
supported by the District of Columbia,
had died. the Commissioners found
out that Mr.. Fenning had considera Die
funds belonging to this wards and mad
put in a claim against the estate.
Mr. Bla antons description OF TINS case
said that Mr. Fenning claimed tnat
he was client for a woman in the
Adirondacks. who had better claim
than the District. He then asked II
Mr. Wilkes did not go to the Aoiroh'
dacks and secure an afildaVit from
this woman that she did not know
Mr. Fenning and that he did not rep,
resent her. Chairman Gibson ruled
thai Mr.. Fenning was entitled to suf
ficient information to identity the
case.
Mr., Fenning asked Mr.. Blanton.
Are YOU asking about the Hamilton
case" Mr., Blnaton then started IN
to question about the Hamilton case
and Mr.. Fenning said he thought at
first this was the case Mr. Blanton
referred to. but on maturer thought
decided that il could not be that case.
Mr.. Fenning said, "If / tell YOU the
name of the case. will you tell me II
it is the case you mean. is II the case
of Isaac T. Fellows?"
Blanton: Il know of case. the only
case in which Mr.. Wilkes ever went
to the Adirondacks and got an am
davit from a woman you claim to be
your client
Fenning: And | counter by ask
ing you If it is the case of Isaac 1.
F'ellows?'
Representatives Secretary Ill.
Blanton: do yon deny these facts?'
F'enning: II don't know anything
about the Adirondacks or where ne
went l will be glad to tell the COM
mittee in two minutes all / know
about it if you will give me the name
of the case"
The chairman ruled that he was
entitled to such information s would
enable him to identify what particu-
lar case MIR Blanton referred to.
AT this point there was a dramatic
interruption. A noise was heard
from the crowd In one corner OF the
caucus room and a man was found
to be suffering from an attack OF i'll
ness. This interrupted the hearing
for q few minutes while the sick man
was being treated. He was identified
as secretary to a member OF Con-
gress from Texas.
Explains Fellows Case.
Il will be very glad to tell you
what l know about the case of Isaac
r. Fellows" said Mr.. Fenning when
the hearing was resumed. He was
admitted to st. Elizabeths as a vet
eran and not as an INDECENT patient.
He had a foster mother in New York.
She was named as beneficiary under
the War Risk Insurance Bureau. She
was active in correspondence and
came down repeatedly to see him.
When he died his body was sent up
there and buried. Subsequently l
was named as administrator. She
filed a claim for board and support
covering period of years for a
rather substantial amount. This was
City.
II submitted the matter to the court
because under our code if a man dies
without relatives within the fifth de-
gree his estate reverts to the District
for a poor fund. That was long before
was District Commissioner. Mr..
Wilkes went somewhere. The woman
lived in New York City. He reported
that she did not file her claim with
the expectation of getting anything
from the estate. and in fact was not
entitled to it,
Mr.. Blanton--You turned these
funds over to the District?
Mr.. Fenning said he would be very
much surprised and challenged the
CLAIM that there was any such state
ment in any affidavit by her that he
had claimed to represent this woman.
Cites Common Custom.
MIR Bianton then. by a series of
questions, asked when Mr.. F'enning
had last seen Mr.. Wilkes, and he re-
piled. I'm the elevator last week" Mr..
Blanton, in a series of questions,
sought to leave an impression that
Mr.. Wilkes had done some work for
Mr.. F'enning on this case last night
and had worked for him until 12
o'clock. Mr.. F'enning replied that he
would be very much surprised if Mr..
Wilkes had done any such work for
him last night: that he didn't know
where he was last night or where he
had been for a week.
Mr.. Blanton then swung on another
line Of attack and questioned Mr..
Fenning whether he had ever sent
out a circular about cases he had
settled. soliciting clients. Mr.. Fen
ming replied that he had told the
committee on Saturday about such
soliciting of class cases, but not pen
sion cases, and that this was a com
mon custom among a number of
attorneys seeking business before the
Court of Claims and Government de-
partments.
Mr.. Blanton Their asked: Did you
not write to a Mrs. Kelly, in Massa-
chusetts. and send one of those cir
culars and ask her to employ you?"
When MIR. F'enning replied that he
did not remember. Mr.. Blanton asked
him. will you deny it," Mr.. Fen
ming replied: II do not know. II it was
done, it was Is years ago" A few
minutes later Mr.. Fenning answered,
Il do say she placed a case in my
hands many years ago
Letter Is Shown.
Mr.. Blanton then showed MIR. Fen
ming a letter bearing the ietterhead
of Mr.. Fenning, asking him to identify
the letter and signature under date
of May II, 1911. This letter was later
put into the record in connection with
the entire file in this case. The letter
follows:
I'm connection with a class Of
claims that / am successfully prose
cutting for balances Of pay, more fully
described in the inclosed circular, 1
find that approximately $1,000 ap-
pears to be due on account of the
service of your husband. Capt. James
r. Kelly. I feel confident that can
secure early action in this claim;
accordingly. if the matter is not in