The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-11-10
CLAWS PUBLISHES
HIS SIDE OF CASE
PinchOt Ballinger COntrO-
yersy Stirred Up Again.
ATTACKS SECRETARY INTERIOR
Former Chief of Land office, Field
Division, Charges that Coal Lands
I'm AIhslGn Are I'm Danger of Being
Captured by MonopOIists - BuIIin-
ger DenOunces the Attack.

New York. Nov 9.-Claiming that lOO.-
eco acres of coal land in Alaska, equal
in bulk and value to the largest Pennsyl-
vania mines and capable OF meeting the
demands of "a century 10 come. are in
danger of falling into the hands Of pri-
vate monopolists. /. r. CLAWS. former
chief of the field division in the United
States Land Office, publishes in the cur
rent issue Of Golfers Weekly a detailed
statement of his controversy with Secre-
tary BalIinger, which resulted In his
summary removed from Office.
Mr.. CLAWS article recites the with
drawal of all the Alaskan coal lands from
public entry in 1896 by President Roose-
velt prior 10 which action some 800
claims covering nearly the whole OF the
coal fields had been filed, and sums up
his indictment OF the Secretary Of the
Interior and the Land Office as follows:
Items Of Claws Indictment.
Il assert that the Land Office ordered
the Cunningham claims 10 patent with
out due investigation when Commissioner
Ballinger knew they were under suspi-
cion; that while in office, Commissioner
Ballinger urged Congress to pass a loan
which would validate fraudulent Alaska
claims; that shortly after resigning from
office he became attorney for the Cum
ningham group and other Alaska claims.
that soon after he became Secretary OF
the Interior. his Office rendered a decision
which would have validated all fraudu-
lent Alaska claims, a reversal or that de-
cision on every point was obtained from
Attorney General Wickersham.
Had # not been for Mr.. Understands
decision, every fraudulent Alaska claim
would have gone 90 patent
L assert that in the spring Of 1909. the
Land Office urged mo 10 an early trial
Of these cases before the Investigation
was finished. and when Secretary Balm
ger. as the President has stated knew
that the Cunningham claims were invalid.
When I appealed TO Secretary BaIHnger
for postponement, he referred me 20 his
subordinates.
The Department OF Agriculture inter-
vened. I was superseded I'm the charge OF
the cases. and the man who superseded
me, indorsed my recommendations, and
the pOstpOnement was granted"
Says BaIIinger Advised silence.
Mr.. CLAWS goes on 10 say that IN the
fall OF 1907 he discovered that some or
all Of the coal claims were not bona nde
He reported 20 Mr.. Bauinger that one
claimant has refused an affidavit saying
that Mr.. BaHlnger had himself told some
Of the claimants % make no statement
until the charges were made. In order
that they might know what they had 20
meet Mr., Rallinger heard this statement,
oil
In December. 1907. Mr.. BaIllnger. then
land commissioner. told Mt CLAWS. the
latter says. that he was a friend OF
many Of the claimants. but that he au-
thorized CLAWS 20 investigate the claims.
no matter what the result might be He
also agreed that as Special Agent Love
was a candidate for the United States
IN Alaska, he was not In a
position 20 make An impartial investlga-
ton. Ten days later Assistant Commits
sioner Dennet notified Mr.. CLAWS that
the Cunningham claim had been approved
for patent on the Love report. Three
days before this a telegram signed OR.
A BallinEer" was sent 20 Love. direct
ing him TO forward plats which would be
required IN issuing patents 20 the Cum
claim.
Leak Laid TO BuIlinEcr.
Mr.. CLAWS alleged further that informa-
ton leaked out Of the Land Office and IN
this connection quotes letter from Cum
bingham TO the Land Office at Juneau.
dated January Is. 1908, which says:
The commissioner (AIr. BalllnEer) has
furnished US with copies Of all the cor
and kilograms relating to
our entries between the various special
agents and also with your office"
On March I, zoos after the revocation
IF the Cunningham patent. Mr.. CLAWS |
says that. in company with Special Agent !
Jones. he went TO see Cunningham. Gun
bingham said ne had heard that com
plant had been made that he was taking I
claims for the Guggenheins.
in order to refute this charge" Nj /
CLAWS says, Cunningham showed US his /
books These books contained a memo !
-andum Of agreement, dated 1906. between /
the entrymen to consolidate the coal /
ands. This agreement was illegal I
Afterward ex-GOv Miles c. Moore. Of |
one OF the Cunningham /
came In and stated that he had I
had a recent interview with Mr.. Ballinger |
n Washington, and that Mr.. Ballinger I
would have patented the Cunningham /
,laim but for protest. This information /
anne near preventing my obtaining the /
affidavit from Cunningham"