The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-02-19
Steele TestlfleS IN Ballinger
Case
TO DENY STORIES OF DEAL
No Government Aid -Guggenheim Syn
dicate Has the Option on the
Cunningham Coal
Claims.

Washington, Feb. l0.-That the Nor
gan. Guegenhem Alaska syndicate oh.
tanned an interest IN an option On whal
are known as Che Cunningham Goa
claims IN the latter part Of July, 1907
was admitted yesterday before the SEN
ate committee on territories by stephen
Birch, the managing director Of the syn
dieate. Mr. Birch explained to the com.
mittee the details Of the transaction con.
corning the Cunningham claims, which
are the ones involved IN the Ballneer.
Pinchot controversy
Stirred BY what they call exaggerated
reports printed in the magazines and
newspapers Of the work Of the Morgan.
Guggenheim syndicate in Alaska, John n,
Steele, general counsel Of the syndicate,
and Mr.. Birch appeared before the com.
mittee. They announced that they in.
tended to give aful details Of the work
md interests Of J, P Morgan & Co and
the Messrs. Guggenheim, and Of their
joint operations in Ala1ka.'
Their statements are Of the more in
terest because it has been well known
for long time that these capitalists
had large interests in the territory.
Many statements have been current that
they are slowly forging vice.like grip
on the mineral wealth of the Alaskan
region. II was to deny that the Morgan.
Guggenheim crowd is trying to gobble up
Alaska that Messrs. Steele and Birch
were impelled to come forward with their
statement
That the chief reason which has
prompted them to make this statement
i the fact the Alaska government bill
has been practically killed BY the wide
spread belief in Congress that the bill
IS scheme 81 the Morgan .Guggenhcim
crowd 70 further their interests is the
impression about the capitol
Mr.. Steele, who il brether q Charles
Steele Of the firm Of J. P. Morgan s.
Co, testified that all the money spent
in the enormous development 81 the
Alaskan resources had been furnished
By the syndicate itself, and that it had
never received any aid from the gov.
eminent.
Concerning the Cunningham claims, it
appears Che syndicate has an option on
them, and that the agreement is held
in escrow II the lands are patented.
the syndicate viii gee tAem. The com
mittes was deeply interested in this dis
closure in view Of the fact L. r. CLAWS
has been telling the special investigating
committee that the lands ought not to be
patented.
Continuing his cross-examination Of
CLAWS at the resumption sf the inquiry
counsel for Secretary BaHinger drew
from the witness TIE fact that up toll
the time Mr. Ballinger went out Of office
as land commissioner in March, 1898,
there had been no evidence Of fraud ii
the Alaska oeal cases, Ike Cunningham
Journal which contained evidence Of an
alleged agreement, CLAWS said, had net
been found al that time. However, the
witness declared that Mr.. BalIineer in
his opinion, had not acted as a man
would if The property had been his own
instead of tha governments.
As t. UT. Ballinger's participation in
the Wilson Coal company case, CLAWS
admitted that he had re frst-hsnd
knowledge, and that he had testified
merely from hearsay
Mr. vertrees questioned the witness
more closely than ever yesterday, an
nouncing that he was eadeayoring to
probe The motive Of the witness as to
whether II was innocent Or malicious
Attorney Brandeis rather heafedly re
Piled that CLAWS had no other motive
than To tell the truth.