Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-26

ton, will anything be permitted, not
even the appearance of anything,
against the national decorum and
complete Mexican sovereignty"
- - --------------------
said, whether Col. Moller had sent
him to see the auditor, whereupon Mr..
Ora ham stated he had talked with Col
Moller but the latter had not requested
him to see Donovan.
Upon examining voucher for the
original order of 80 signals here.
Donovan said that if only rs signal
lights had been shipped, the certifica-
ton being that SO rad been received,
statements on the voucher signed by
A. F. Hills, secretary of the Grouse
Kinds Co., certifying the voucher true
as billed was incorrect and untrue"
The exact wording of the certification
by the shipping company was: Il
certify that the above bill is correct
and just and that payment has not
been received"
Tells of His Stand.
Another voucher. dated November
%, 1926, which Chairman Gibson later
announced had been found among the
papers which Col. Moller had taken
from the files and later turned over
to the committee. calling for payment
of $8,S4S.50, was shown to Maj. Dono-
van. This voucher had not been paid,
Donovan said, because. although it
had come through the auditors Office
once. it had not been returned with
the proper certification.
Here, upon invitation by the COM
mfttee, Maj. Donovan interjected
general statement of his position in
the case.
IAN auditor" he said, should be
somewhat like Caesars wife-above
suspicion. Naturally, it hurt when
the statement was made by Col. Moller
regarding authorization given him
and which he later denied in my pres
ence. It would have been impossible
for any auditor to have told any man
he could he party to Justification
of accounts in q manner amounting
to an act or criminal deception"
He added that the integrity of GER
tificates. on which the whole scheme
of governmental expenditure lis based.
Is serious matter and proceeded to
quote concluding paragraph from
an investigation made by him of a
matter of false certifica ton in 1916,
when he was secretary to the Board
of Commissioners.
Reveals His Greed.
I'm concluding this report" Maj.
Donovan quoted verbatim. lit is well
to call attention to the fact that the
millions of dollars annually appro-
priated by Congress for the expenses
of government are expended on the
faith of certificates such as those
quoted above.
mo more sacred or solemn obliga-
ton rests upon those charged with the
Il -. s-kx IS -
keep inviolate the integrity of every
certificate carrying the expenditure
of government funds.
THAT, gentlemen concluded Maj.
Donovan, has been my creed"
Chairman Gibson here stated that he
desired Mai. Donovan to he assured
that no reproach had been directed to-
ward his office, but that he had been
called for the purpose of allowing the
record to show the complete circum-
stances of the case.
IT am heartily sorry for Col. Mol
ler," Mr.. Gibson said.
Questions Other Contracts.
Representative Hammer of North
Carolina at this point questioned the
witness regarding Mr.. Graham, asking
IL he were not the head of the school
board and at the same time representa-
tive Of an electrical firm selling sup
plies to the schools.
Mr.. Hammer contended that public
official dealing with himself in q pri-
vate capacity was violating a ,funda-
mental law, but Maj. Donovan re-
piled that he did not believe any con-
tracts here were entered into except
on fullest and freest competition de-
claring emphatically his belief that it
was impossible for one to use his of
fetal position for personal gain under
the system in force.
But the question Is whether he
violated the law" Mr.. Hammer said.
For it is fundamental that a public
officer cannot trade with himself"
He also brought the name of Com
missioner Rudolph into the record with
regard to- his functioning as a Com
missioner while the District traded
with his hardware firm, the stock in
which firm he held in the hands of
a trustee.
Pays Tribute to Hargr0ve.
Maj. Donovan in concluding paid a
tribute to M. G. Hargrove, purchasing
officer for the District.
Ia mo man stands higher in honesty
In the United States today than Mr..
Hargrove." he said.
After Mr.. Donovan had stated in re-
ply to questions from Mr. Hammer
that he had not referred the Moller
incident to the Commissioners. be-
lieving that it was sufficient to report
it he head of he bureau in which
Moller was located, Mr.. Eldridge was
asked whether he had taken up the
matter with the Commissioners at the
time. He said he had not.
The committee then recessed until
1890 o'clock this morning, instructing
that Mr.. Naylor. assistant to Donovan,
and Warren B. Hadley, electrical en-.
2ineer Of the District he called