The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-01-29
CLAWS FURNISHES
SOME SENSATIONS
Accuser of BaIlinger Makes
Statements That Revive In
terest in Case.
INTIMATI0N THAT POLITICS
INFLUENCED LAND GRANTS
Evidence Also That PinchOt
May Have Part in Pub
licity Work.

WHICH, uD 10 InlS Ilme, nave cOnSlSIcu
largely of reading into the records. let
tcrs. telegrams. etc, heretofore made
public by President Taft. took on u
livclier aspect today when l.. Il. CLAWS,
continuing his testimony against Sec
retary Ballinger. told Of various inter
views he had had with the latter when
he was in and out of the government
service
Mr.. CLAWS declared that in one of
these interviews, in October. 1908, Mr..
Ballinger told him he was having a
hard time trying to collect campaign
contributions. and that two men in
volved in the Cunningham claims. who
bad been liberal contributors in the
past, had declined to contribute because
they were angry at not being granted
patents for Alaska coal lands.
Meat for Democrats.
Representative James Of Kentucky,
Democratic member of the commission,
pounccd upon this testimony and cross
examined the witness at some length,
Glavis said that Mr.. Ballingcr asked
him TO hold up the Alaska eases until
after the election. He agreed To do
this because he had his hands full with
another case.
One of the most interesting develop
mcnts Of the day was the distribution
at both the morning and afternoon ses-
sions of quantity of press matter
which purported TO interpret and point
out the significance Of the testimony
thus far gwen at the inquiry.
The morning matter came in an en-
velopc Of the American Conservation
association, of which Clifford Pinchot
recently was chosen president. This af-
ternoon matter began;
Keeping Up Agitation.
"Tho important developments of the
morning session today wcre,' and then
went on 10 recite that the proceedings
had placed Secretary Ballingcr in an
service would continue throughout the
investigation.
Thomas r. Shipp, former secretary to
Senator Beyeridge Of Indiana. who re
signed that position 10 become press
agent of the bureau of forestry under
Mr.. Pinchot. and who became an officer
of the Conservation association when IT
was formed, is a constant attendant at
the hearing.
The morning session was devoted TO
an eDdeavor By the prosecution - to
show the haste in which Mr. Ballinger.
as commissioner of the land Office. had
urged the CunDlngb Alaska claims to
clear listing for patents. Aside from
documentary evidence read. the after
noon session was taken up almost wholly
with CLAWS story Of his interviews
with Mr. Ballinger concerning the Gun.
nlngham land cases.
The inquiry will be resumed at 10
o clock tomorrow.
An executive session of the inVesti-
CATION committee delayed Inc opening of
today's proceedings until 1885 a. m., at
which hour Louis R. CLAWS again took
the witness stand.
All the members of the commltie ee
were present at the opening of The ses.
sion. Mr.. Pinchot and his dismissed as
sistants of the forest service were early
on hand, but Secretary Ballinger again
was absent
Attorney Brandeis. representing Gla
Wis, presented to the committee a long
list of witnesses to be summoned.
CLAWS took mp his story where he
left il Wednesday afternoon. giving his
testimony i'll response. to questions from
his attorney.
CLAWS said that United States Al
torney Hoyt had suggested to him IN
1907 that he should take up the matter
of the Alaska coal lands direct with
Secretary Of the Interior Garfield.
l
well 10 go over the head of my imme.
date superiors, he added.
Did Write to Schwartz.
CLAWS sand he did write to II. II.
Schwartz. then chief of the field di-
vision. saying he was worried about
tho Alaskan situation and would like
TO confide in him.
OF will pain You as much as it has
panied me. the letter ran, Fbut I am
sure you will want to learn the true
situation,
"Wbat Alaska claims did you refer
10 in that lettcr?'' asked Representa-,
tice Olmstead.
"'All of them" replied the witness.
Some 900 in 0ll?"
eyes. -
At this time Mr.. Ballinger was com.
missioner of the land office
Attorney Brandois next took UP the
| printed document in the case which con
| sis,s CT S0I pages and spent some time
| in ceiling the attention OF the committee
( 10 various letters. kilograms. etc. tend =
| Ing 10 show CLAWS activity in the Alaska
cases, The attorney said he also wanted
TO call attention to certain letters which
showed the part Mr.. Ballingcr played
as commissioner IN directing the inquiry,
His purpose in this. nc said. was TO in
dicate that President Taft and Attorney
General Wickersham were mistaken.
| when they reached the stated conclusion
! that Mr. BallnGcr's participation In the
matter had been merely formal.
Among the letters read WAS ono from
| Special Agent IL. Il. Jones. calling atten =
tiou 10 the alleged fraudulent character OF
| tho Alaskan claims.
THAT letter was written before CLAWS
came into the matter in any way?" ques-
! TONED Senator Nelson.
Yes" replied Mr.. Brandcis.
Then You don't claim CLAWS originally
called attention 20 these claims"
| NO; In addition 10 Jones report there
had been one from Special Agent Love. "
Didn't Love recommend the Cunning
ham claims for clear listing" asked Rep
rescntativc Madison,
Sutherland's View.
1T didn't amount To recommcn cnda ton
| exactly" replied the counsel,
Al this point Senator Sutherland said
ut seems to me We are getting a great
Continued on PAGE Two