The Washington times., 1910-02-14
Declares Ballinger Failed
TO Give Government
Proper Protection.
WITNESS HAS FUN
WITH REPORTERS
COrreCts Stenographic Reports At
Department of Interior
Investigation.

Al the cross-examlnation today Louis
r. CLAWS, who IS responsible for the in
vestigation OF the Interior Department.
narrowed his accusations Of Official
wrongdoinE TO Secretary BaIIinger and
Mr.. Bennett, Commissioner Of the Gen
eraI Land Office. These two men he
accused Of misconduct in Office. and with
allure to properly protect the interests
Of the Govern ment-
He absOlved Assistant Secretary Pierce.
H. II. Schwartz, chef Of the field di-
vision. and numerous other employees in
the Land Office. and agents in the field
u deliberate wrongdoing. and expressed
The opinion that in the case Of Schwartz
The wrong Il an. was due 70 thought
iessuess and a desire 20 carry out the
orders OF his superior officers.
Claws Cross Examined.
Counsel for Secretary BaIIinger con-
Quoted the eross-exa naination- Claws
Fought Shy Of being put In the posIt-,,n
Of being an acCuser- He said he Ere
ferred that the committee draw sen
clusions from the facts presented n his
statement before the committee a. n
the papers introduced by his counsel.
Mr. CLAWS asked not TO be understood
as charging @fessrs. Baulnger and
Bennett with criminal misconduct n Of
fee. The official facts. he said, TO
which he took exception in his presenta-
ton Of the case 10 President Taft last
August were not such as 10 justify an
accusation OF corruption or criminal
misconduct.
No Criminal Wrong.
HID I been n possession OF evi-
uence IN support of q charge Of crirui-
ual or corrupt misconduct on the part
Of BalIinEer and Bennett said CLAWS.
II would have taken the evidence to
grand jury I would not have trou-
bled 10 have taken the case 20 the
President
Before the cross-examinatlon was be-
SuuI Chairman Nelson suggested that
counsel for both sides get together 10
make any necessary. corrections IN the
testimony Of Claws
Mr. Nertrees objected 10 correcting
the record unless the corrections were
made in the open. as were the original
statements Claws then went through
the record OF his testimony. displaying
a remarkable memory and incidentally
having some fun with the official re-
porters-
In one Instance the record read there
is parchment reef CLAWS could not
account for what was in the stenOgra-
piers mind when he Transcribed his
notes but he said that parchment
reef translated into CLAWS English
meant approximately" and the record
was corrected accordingly.
Claws ss-Examined.
Claws concluded his correction Of the
record at Z o'clock and Mr.. Vertrees
Immediately began his cross-examina-
tion OF the witness. BaIIinger-s counsel
put his questions with a view to And-
ing out how Intimate was Claws knowI-
edge Of the Alaskan coal lands. Claws
said the Cunningham claims were only
a small fractional part OF the coal lands
In Alaska
IN Collier Weekly ourpOrfing to be
written by CLAWS ald printed after
CLAWS saw the PTeSi6 snt.
are you the author Of that article2''
asked Eertrees-
CLAWS said he wrote the article. but
did rot write headings.
Did you receive any compensation for
that aricle2' asked Vertrees.
Not a cent answered Claws
Have you formulated any charge
yOurself2''
NO, sir
Presented Facts.
Did you Intentionally refrain from
making any charger
Il was not called upon to make any
charge I was just presenting facts
What IN your opinion, Gid the facts
presented by you proven asked Yer
trees
not in safe hands, replied CLAWS, as a
lauEh went around the committee room,