The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1910-04-08
BALL|NCER
ASSA|LED
Brandeis Protest Against
the Action of the
Secretary

disappearance and discovery OF tWcn-
" four letters found to be missing
from the Seattle land office subse-
quent To the dismissal OF Louis K.
CLAWS from the service.
The committee has been on this
subject for the last three or four sit
tIngs II IS alleged that CLAWS CON
ccaled the letters and that they after
ward we're found in his effects at the
federal building AT Seattle
Andrew Christensen. chief of the
field division, who succeeded CLAWS,
took the stand today and began TO
tell his part OF tho affair
Under complaint OF Attorney Bran
deis for the prosecution, the commit
tee today directed that Secretary Bal
linger be notified TO produce all pap
ers called for by the committee with
"all due speed"
This was done despite the protest Of
Mr Balllnger that the requests OF the
opposition attorneys were unreason-
able.
Washington. April S-Thc week
end sessions OF the Ballinger-Pinchot
Investigating committee were re-
sembled TO consider further evidence
In behalf Of Secretary BPriDTc- -'-"7
still are doubts as to the order In
which Attorney Vertrees wouu pre-
sent his witnesses II has become
more and more evident that IL is the
intention Of the defense to hold Mr.
Ballinger to the last, for It is believed
that upon his testimony. more than
for IN, No
mlttee's final determination Will de-
pend.
II II. Schwartz, chief OF the field
service, and Fred bennett, commits
sioner of the general land office, are
other witnesses whose testimony will
have an Intimate and important bear
ing on the case. Both are likely TO be
cross-cXamined 10 the greatest length.
II Mr. Brandels, the CLAWS attorney.
follows the precedent he has already
established with the minor figures for
the defense,
AS soon as the committee was
called 10 order. Attorney DraEde1S was
on his feet protesting against the let
tors written by Secretary Ballinger
last week. complaining of the numer-
Gus wholesale calls for papers made
on the department by the attorney for
the prosecution. The secretary char
acterlzed MIR. Brandeis' course as IAN
oblique attempt to control the manner
in which tho evidence should be pre-
sented and a mere fishing process"
Mr. Brandeis complained Of the de-
lay of the interior department in pro-
ducing papers required, and he asked
that instructions be Issued calling for
the production OF the papers at once
Mr. BrandeiS attacked the position of
Secretary Ballinger, which he charac-
terized as "a remarkable reversal OF
ideas"
He declared that at first the secre-
tary did not even want counsel, lest
1t hinder the committee in its search
for the truth" Afterward he en-
ploycd counsel and now was protest
Ing against the production of papers,
he said
Attorney Vertrees. IN reply. de-
clared that counsel for the prosecu-
ton was "nshing.' because the main
case put In against Secretary Balm
ger had failed in all IT'S parts
Fishing. remarked Representative
Ollie James, amid laughter, don't
hurt nothing unless YOU catch some
thing"
The discussion was ended by the
adoption OF n motion by Rcprescnta-
tive DENLY, calling on tho secretary of
the interior TO produce all papers
called for By the committee with all
due speed"
Andrew Christensen, chief OF the
field division of the land office. who
succeeded Claws at Seattle when the
latter was dismissed. was called He
said he had trouble with CLAWS about
turning over certain official papers I'm
tho Seattle Office. CLAWS. he said.
took bundle Of paper away with him
and declined TO let Christensen sec
them until he had made copies.
Christensen said that on the advice
OF tho United States attorney at Seat
tic. he made demand In writing upon
CLAWS, saying that he wns no longer
in the government service and had no
rieht 10 the papers.
In response. CLAWS returned some
papers to the Office the following dav
After this the witness said he found
that twenty-four letters mentioned In
a receipt OF papers were missing from
the fles.
MIR Christensen read copies OF lot
ters end kilograms that passed he
tween him and the department re
sardinG the missing letters.
Mr. Yertrces apologized for inflict
Ing This correspondence on the com
mittec. but It was necessary in vIey
OF tho iutimation of the prosecution
that christensen had framed pl
something against CLAWS,
Members of the committee aucs
toned the witness ut some length rc
garding the minute details Of how tn
discovery was made that the letter
We're missing.
The correspondence read shove
that others than CLAWS were unde
suspicion as TO the missing letters !
general inquiry was instituted by th
department and third degree" metf
ods werc resorted TO. The letter
were subsequently found by ChH
tensen, II Is said, In box belongin
TO CLAWS.
Mr.. Christensen was still readin
from the voluminous correspondent
when the luncheon recess was orde
cd.