Los Angeles herald., 1910-02-17
VERTREES TRIES
TO HUSH CLAWS
ATTORNEY OBJECTS TO FOR
ESTER'S REPLIES
WARM coLLoQUY ENLIVENS IN
VEsTIGATIoN
Deposed Field Chief Believes Govern
ment Could Get Desired Evil
dence in Alaska-Cross
Fire Continues
Associated Press1

hASSOclated IreSSI
WASHINGTON. Feb 16.-The Bal
linger-Pinchot investigation committee
was in session for three hours today
and then adjourned until Friday morn
ing at 10 o'clock.
Mr.. Vertrees, attorney for Secretary
Ballinger, continued his s-eXamina-
ton of Louis r. CLAWS, but made little
headway. He argued several times with
the witness on the subject of direct
answers and in one of these disputes
Representative Graham of Illinois, a
Democrat, and Senator Nelson of Min
nesota, chairman of the committee, had
a warm colloquy.
Mr.. Vertrees read into the records
today a number of letters and tele-
grams dealing with the calling in of the
forest service by CLAWS. In the cross
examination of the witness it was
shown that before he was called off
the Alaska coal land case in May, l90S,
he had telegraphed the department at
Washington that the United States at
torney at Portland had urged the ne
cessity of clearing up about a thousand
cases in Oregon, wherein hearing nad
to be held almost Immediately, and the
full field service would be needed.
Three days later CLAWS was taken
off the Alaska cases and assigned to
the Oregon work.
No Order to Resume
CLAWS testified he got no orders to
resume the Alaska cases until October,
1908
There was no morning session of the
committee today, adjournment having
been taken yesterday until o'clock
this afternoon.
A brief executive session preceded
the resumption of the hearing this af-
ternoon. Attorney Vertrees began i'm
mediately to question CLAWS as to the
alleged necessity for field eXamlna-
ton of the Alaska coal claims prior TO
his making final reports.
CLAWS has declared he has not been
given time to make these examinations.
He admitted, however, that he had
been instructed that the results of the
field examinations could be put into
the records after the evidence on other
features had been taken.
CLAWS said he did not agree with the
office in this matter. He felt that the
results of the field examinations should
go in first and accordingly delayed his
reports.
Vertrees and the witness had long
argument as to the value of the aftlda-
Wits taken by CLAWS and his assistants
from the coal claimants and the use &c
which these could be put The attor-
ney and CLAWS soon got into wrangle
WrangIe Ensues
"You Just answer my questions and
we'll get along better" said Vertrees.
TT seems to me you should answer
the questions" directed Chairman Nell
son.
II submit that there is too much
lecturing Of the witness 1nterposed
I, (IlnTnnnFDf
II am not aware of that fact, re-
marked the chairman.
TT strikes me differently replied
Mr.. Graham.
II am sorry to differ with you" re-
torted Senator Nelson.
"The Witness" stated Vertrees, tries
to lug in an argument to countervail
any statement of facts he thinks L
may be developing
Proceed" said the chairman.
"Now. Mr.. Claws" resumed Yer
trees. "please permit me to request you
to answer my questions and not add
anything unless it is necessary to eX-
plain your answer. L will be greatly
Obliged if you will do that for me-"
The examination proceeded quitely
for a time.
Mr.. Vertrees sought to draw from the
witness the admission that When ne
telegraphed the department he could
not submit report on the Cunning
ham claims because additional evidence
was available, he did not know any
evidence could be obtained.
CLAWS insisted he thought evidence
might he had in Alaska. He was not
sure, however.
Mr.. Vertrees asked Mr.. CLAWS when
he first received word that he was to
be supplanted. He said on July, l. 1909.
A number of letters and telegrams
dealing with the calling in of the
forestry were read by Mr.. Vertrees'
Comics of these were received from
"the forestry today
In a letter dated July 16, 1908, and
addressed by CLAWS to A. A. Shaw,
former assistant law officer of the
forestry service, CLAWS said the land
office "for obvious reasons" probably
would turn over certain papers to "the
forestry"
Interesting Reading
"But I have copies Of them,' he con
tinued, land they will make mighty IN
teresting reading to you. The reasons
for my request for delay will be ap-
parent from my reports"
In a telegram which Shaw sent to
the district forester at Portland, he
was instructed to assist CLAWS and
make his telegraphic report full and
strong
Mr. Vertrees next turned to the
charge CLAWS has made that he was
called off the Alaska work in May,
1908, and got no orders to resume until
october of that year. The witness ad-
rnitted that three days before he was
called off the Alaska work he had tele-
graphed the department that the Unit
ed States attorney was requesting i'm
mediate action on 1000 cases in Oregon,
where patents would have to be start
ed in the near future, and that the
entire force would be required on this
work until July.
Mr., Vertrees quoted from telegram
of Commissioner bennett on May 2S,
1908, which told of an additional ap-
preparation for field work, and con-
eluded:
push work"
CLAWS said he did not regard this as
referring to the Alaska cases, and that
II. II. Schwartz, chief of the field SER
vice, did not so regard it, for on Sep
.tember %, 1908, Schwartz recommended
to bennett that the order taking CLAWS
off the Alaska work be revoked.
A PRACTICAL PRAYER
"And now, Lawd- uh," continued
Brother Fagg, during recent prayer
10. Il ANuVA =