The San Francisco call., 1910-05-07
BALLINGER GETS
VERY IRRITABLE
Under GRILLING
Counsel for CLAWS Springs Sem
satiOn Regarding Presidents
Letter TO Secretary
BrandeiS Suggests That Taft
Had No Opportunity to
Examine Record

WASHINGTON, May e.-Keeping Bal
linger on the grill" in the BalIin
ger-Pinchot inquiry all day. Attorney
Brandeis, counsel for l. r. CLAWS.
sprang a mild surprise today by init
mating that the exoneration of Ballin-
ger and the dismissal of Galvis by the
president was not the result of judicial
weighing Of facts by President Taft in
person, as had been generally supposed.
Brandeis indicated by his questions
TO Ballinger his contention that it
would have been a physical impossi-
bllity for the president TO hat. rod
the great mass of matte ga
the Alaska coal cases-ni
pages in the record-in e.
tween the time he received .--
erly, September 6, and the DU cation
OF his letter of eNoneration Septem-
Der lS.
FAULTY RECORD SUPPLIED
Furthermore Brandeis called atten-
uon TO the fact that the week in
question was crowded with engage
ments for the president, including golf
yacht races and automobile rides He
cited, outside the record, the proha biiity
that the president also was engaged in
the preparation Of his important Bos-
ton speech.
Lawlor, who is the assistant attorney
Tor the interior department, Brandeis
said, made two trips TO Beverly that
week and was there when the letter
was given out Brandeis also sought
10 show that the letter. if the president
did personally prepare it, was based
upon an incomplete record of the Cum
ningham case.
ALASKA PROTEST. IGNORED
CLAWS attorney called the secretarys s
attention 10 letters written by Special
Agent Jonesp rior to the clear listing
of Cunningham claims by Ballinger, in
which Jones urged full investigation
OF the Alaska coal cases before allow
ing any OF them TO go TO patent He
asked Ballinger if he did not think the
president should have had these letters
TO complete the record before him.
Bauinger would not admit their impor-
tance
Another letter given by bennett to
the fraud division Of the land Office
urging that no Alaska coal claims
should be allowed 10 go 10 patent
without fun Investigation, written
after Jones warning was discussed.
Baninger insisted that he did not at
tach the same Importance TO it that
some uperstitutious person might
CLASHES WITH INQUISITOR
Clashes between BalIinger and his
inquisitor We're frequent. The morn
ing session was particularly lively. and
az one time Ballinger made drama tie
appeal to the committee to protect him
from the "insoIence of this man."
Balnnger probably will be on the
stand several days. He is beginning
TO show the strain and appeared very
irritable through BTandeis' cross eX-
an;i nation.
Brandeis had proceeded only a short
time in his cross examination when
sharp clash occurred. The lawyer
asked the witness why he>had gone to
Beverly 10 see the president after he
had prepared ia writing all the in
formation in the possession of his de-
psrtment bearing on the Cunningham
cases
SECRETARY IL CORNERED
Ballinger said that he went TO Bev-
erly because he had been invited by
letter. whereupOn Brandeis asked him
TO point out the paragraph in the let
t-r containing the invitation. BalIinger
read a para graph
Does that contain any invitation to
come to Beverly2' demanded Brandeis
strictly speaking, no."
Then why did you go TO Beverly?'
Because ] wanted TO-"
DENLY (RD broke in impatiently:
Il think this line OF cross examina-
tiOn is eXtraneous,' he said. and I OBJ
ject to Mr. Brandeis further wasting
the committees. time with Irrelevant
questions.
James and Graham took sharp issue
with DENLY and d longer argument fol-
lowed
STATEMENT CALLED FALSE
Brandeis retorted that Vertrees had
closely questioned CLAWS when he was
on the stand, -four whole days being
taken up with his cross examination .
he said. Nertrees spent all the time
he wanted on "one question: said
Brandeis
i value as highly as anybody the
time of this committee. and OF myself
as well What / want is fair play.
This witness had with extra ordinary
swiftness made any number OF state
ments-not only led by Vertrees, but
dragged in by Nertrees."
Vertrees took exception to this re-
mark and, rising in his place on the
side of the table, said that statement
was known 10 be deliberately false"
His examination, he said, had not been
according to any rules. because the
original investigation was not con-
Quoted according to rules.
Il have stood here long time con-
tined Vertrees. "and seen witness after
witness offended by the insolence of
this cross examination. Once or twice
] have felt called on to introduce an
objection But the time has come when
the committee should protect the gen
tlemer from such insolent imputations.
do protest against IL, and I want to
make myself plain on the question
PRESIDENTS WORDS WITHHELD
Brandeis continued his questions con-
cerning that visit TO Beverly in Sep
tember. 1909 Ballinger arrived there
on the 9Th and met the president on
the golf links. Brandeis wanted TO