Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-25
Sheridan's Handling of Prose-
Cution Criticised.
ATTACK BY SPECIAL AGENT
Ballinger-Pinchot Investigation
Resumed.
ALASKA COAL LAND DISPUTE
Garfield Said to Have Been Kept
Out Of Taft Cabinet by His Hos
tility to Claims In Question.

The Ballinger- Pinchot inquiry took an
| unexpected turn today. when Special
| Agent Horace r. Jones of the land Office
took the stand for the prosecution" and
| made a sensational attack on James N.
Sheridan, who was sent by the land ONCE
to Seattle last year to take charge of the
governments case in hearings on the
Cunningham coal claims in Alaska.
Jones declared that Sheridan had been
graduated in law only a year or two.
that his conduct Of the case was incom-
petent, and that he had opposed to him
two of the leading lawyers of Seattle.
After testifying for an hour or more as to
Sheridan's conduct of the case, and CIV
ing instances from which he wished the
| committee to draw its own conclusions,
Jones said that he did not desire to criti-
else Sheridan in any way. He said that
Louis r. CLAWS was not a lawyer, but
knew more law than Sherid-. did, and he
thought it was a reflection upon CLAWS
for the land office to send Sheridan out
| there to take charge of a case which Gla-
Wis had worked up.
Under crosse Examination Jones appeared
defiant and aggressive to members of the
committee and counsel alike, and said
| he did not care what differences were
drawn from his testimony.
Jones was still under cross-eXamination
when the luncheon recess was taken. and
it appeared that Clifford Pinchot would
not be reached as witness until late
in the afternoon
Interest in Pinchot's Story.
| Interest in the resumption of the inquiry
today, after an adjournment from Satur-
| day last. conferred in the announcement
that Clifford Pinchot would be called to
the stand as the third important witness
Tor the prosecution
| Just what MIR. F1nchot would say was
problematical. After the frank avowal
of Louis r. CLAWS that he sought Mr..
Pinchot's assistance and that Mr. Pin
chot had sent him to the President, the
former forester seems to have had less
to do with the matters under investiga-
ton by the committee than had been
popularity supposed There was a rumor
before the days session began that an
effort would be made to ho.d Mr. Pinchot
strictly to testimony dealing with the
Alaska coal lands, or matters relevant to
the inquiry, and that this might material
ly curtail his recital
The inquiry was inaugurated for the
purpose of delving into both the Interior
Department and the forestry service, but
after the resolution passed Congress, Mr..
PlnchOt and his two suboroinateS, who
were active i'm the Claws matter, were
dismissed from the service.
What Pinchot Will Tell.
When Mr.. Pinchot was asked by the
committee some time ago as to with what
anale of the case his testimony Wuulu
have to do he replied that he proposed TO
tell the story Of has connection with con-
servation.
Some announcement was expected to-
day as to how soon the prosecution
will close its case. There was an impress
SION that tnis m.ent be zone tuuay.
Followers OF the inquiry have gathered
the impression that the verdict, II there
ls not to be a majority and minority find-
ing, which would leave the matter prac-
.iediiy Where IL Was peIuie TIE inuuliS
began, will hinge upon the testimony OF
AR. Balhnger itself In other words the
case will soon narrow down to an issue
between Mr.. CLAWS and the Secretary of
the Interior. The committee is rather
anxious that Mr. Ballingers testimony
should be reached at the earliest time.
Wnen he has ciuSed ana the documents
are all in the inquiry probably will be
closed.
Will be Summoned.
When the committee met in open ses-
sion this morning Attorney Brandeis, for
the prosecution, requested PERMISSION to
introduce In evidence the statements re-
Gently made before the Senate committee
on territories by Stephen Birch. manag-
ing director, and ]. N. Steele. attorney
| Tor the Alaska syndicate or Morgan
Guggenhelm syndicate, for the expluiLa.
tion of Alaska These statements tod in
part Of the gennelm-Cunningnam coal
claims, which have been the source OF all
the troup.e incioent 70 the present m
curry.
Chairman Nelson said the statements
of Mess. s. Birch and steele had not been
made under oath. the committee agreed
that the men should be summoned as wit.
nesses. The attorneys for both sides
united in the request.
Special Agent Jones Heard.
Special Agent Horace T. Jones, who
worked with Louis CLAWS on the Alaska
cases, having arrived in the city since the
last adjournment of the committee, was
called to the stand, while Mr.. Pinchot
waited.
Jones was examined by Mr.. Brandeis
as to his work on the coal cases in the
summer Of 1907. The witness said he
consulted freely Commissioner Ballinger
when the latter was at Seattle in July.
1907. He told Mr.. Ballinger that Spe-
cial Agent Love, in Alaska, was only
half-hearted in his work, because he was
candidate for United States marshal.
Il told the commissioner that Love
didn't have the proper spirit for an in
vestigator, and he agreed with me. the
commissioner asked me to make an in
vestlgation of all the claims as soon as
POSSIBLE, as he wanted to be in q position
10 appear before Congress to advocate
reme0iai legislation.
He wanted t. know just what the con-
ditions were in the various Alaska groups
so he could speak int .Ilgentiy. l tod
him 1t would be sufficient to interview
two or three claimants in each group.