Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-09
NEW WILL TESTIFY
ON POSTAL LEASES
Ex-PoStmaSter General Asks
Blaine Committee for Hear
ing in Inquiry.

BY the Associated Press.
Permission to appear voluntarily be-
fore the Senate committee investigating
post Office leases has been requested by
former Postmaster General Harry S.
New.
Mr.. New wrote Chairman Blaine say
ing he felt he was entitled to be heard
in view of recent testimony in which
his name was mentioned. This testi-
mony related to the contested lease at
st. Paul, MINI.
The letter has not been made public
nor has the former head Of the Post
ONCE Department made any public
statement. He is understood to have
offered to appear at any time con-
venient to the committee and to 60
into details as to any connection he
may have had with the st. Paul or
any other lease made while he was
in the cabinet under Presidents Hard
ing and Coolidge.
Mentioned by Bartlett.
Testifying last week, former Assistant
Postmaster General Bartlett said the
St. Paul lease was executed at the
direction of Mr. New and that the late
James w. Good, who afterward became
President Hoover's campaign manager
and Secretary of War, was in News
Office when the order to sign was given.
Senator Blaine said he had replied
to New that he would be given an
opportunity to testify as soon as pos
sible.
Bartlett has testified that New rec
commended the dismissal of John K.
Fesler, assistant district attorney at st.
Paul, after Fesler had presented facts
in connection with the st. Paul COM
mercial station post Office lease to a
Federal grand jury.
The grand jury reported the lease
was fraudulent and recommended in
vestigation. FeSler went ahead with
the inquiry and was preparing to sub
NIT the case to a second grand jury,
but few days before it was to meet
a new district attorney was appointed
and FeSler's resignation was accepted.
Signed During Absence.
Bartlett also testified that New or
dered the st. Paul lease executed dur
ing his absence, although it was well
known he was opposed to it.
New, Bartlett said, called in Charles
F. Trotter, subordinate official, and
instructed Trotter to sign Bartlett'S
name to the lease. He did So Bartlett
said, placing his own initial under the
signature.
The lease in question was signed in
1925, eliminating cancellation clause
which had been in the previous con-
iva NJ ovaI fV1 "a al
of the building from $120,750 to $780,
900 year.
Building Valued at $29O.O0O.
The grand jury held the value of the
building was only 100000.
Daily hearings, to last virtually to
the end of the session, will be held be-
ginning tomorrow by the committee.
The witnesses tomorrow will be
Mr.. Trotter and Assistant Secretary of
the Treasury Schuneman.
Blaine said data concerning more
than 400 leases will be incorporated in
the record.
Leases In Other Cities.
Among the cases in which witnesses
may be called, he said, are leases in
Baltimore. Boston and st. Louis.
The chairman predicted the inquiry
would show the Post Office Depart
ment's leasing policy had been unWise
and negligent almost to the extent of
culpahility."
The Wisconsin Republican has init
mated an attempt was made 70 block
the st. Paul investigation for fear it
would blow up" the presidential cam
paign of 1923. in the midst of which
the grand jury was scheduled to meet
to inquire further into the lease which
had been pronounced fraudulent by a
previous jury.