The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-04-09

Secretary Ballinger was called upon yes
terday by the Congressional COMMITTEES
that is investigating the charges against
him TO produce at once all documents
and letters that have been requested or
may hereafter be requested 10y counsel.
This action was taken on motion Of Rep
Iresentative DENLY in the face of Sec
rotary Ballinger's written protests to the
committee that Attorney Brandeis, for the
prosecution, was INDUCING in mere
fishing process" and making AN obiique
attempt to control the manner In which
the evidence I shall present shall be in
troduced"
What is the objection TO letting Mr..
Brandeis go fshing?" asked Mr. Mccall.
THE annoyance and expense" replied
Mr.. Vertrees. attorney for Mr.. Ballinger.
Fishing don't hurt anything unless you
catch something" was comment inter-
jected by Representative James, which
created a general laugh.
Attorney Brandeis opened the subject
at the opening Of the hearing by making
a vigorous rejolnder to the letters Sec
rotary Balllnger had addressed TO the
committee
BaIIiHEer Looks Them over.
We can't get anything in the nature Of
a surprise in the documents we call for. ="
said Mr. Brandeis. THE Secretary knows
everything we ask for. and l might say
that hear that several OF our calls have
been withheld so that the Secretary could
look over the papers"
Attorney Vertrees replied at length 20
Mr.. Brandeis. but apparently did not i'm
press the members Of the committee. for
Representative Denby's motion was adopt
ed unanimously
Andrew Christensen. who succeeded
L. r. CLAWS as chief Of field division at
Seattle. was the first witness called yes
terday by the defense.
Mr.. Christensen testified as 10 the
difficulty he had had in securing posses
sion Of all the Official papers that were in
the Seattle Office. and said that CLAWS
had carried some OF the papers away
without permitting him christensen TO
see them or know what they were To
get them Christensen, on advice OF the
United States District Attorney at Seat
tie. wrote q formal demand to CLAWS. the
effect Of which was that legal action
would be instituted at once unless the
documents were produced.
CLAWS then delivered certain Of the
papers. but it developed later that twenty
four letters bearing on the Cunningham
claims were still missing These were
the letters afterward found hidden away
in Claws packing box. according to
These letters have no i'm
portanee as evidence. but Attorney Yer
trees charges that CLAWS withheld them
so that Secretary Balllnger would be en-
and unable TO produce them
when called upon 30 DO so by the com
mIttee
Prof. Alfred H Brooks, OF the Geologi-
cal Survey. who has charge OF the division
Of Alaska mineral resources, was called
by Attorney Vertrees to give the com
mittee expert information concerning the
coal deposits OF Alaska He said there
were i2.c90 square miles Of coal-bearing
strata, but that only one-tenth OF that
was known to be underlaid with seams
)f coal One-half Of that was coal of
Inferior quality. He urged the Importance
d opening the Alaskan coal fields. saying
{ would save the government at least
100000 on the cost of coal for naval uses
n the Pacific, and would be of inestimable
value in case OF war. II would also lead /
o the development of the iron industry
IN the coast, no said. At present, he said. I
Alaska IS retrOgressing because the coal |
ields have not been opened.