The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-04-15
CLAWS Attorney Accuses In
terror Department Of
Withholding Papers.
PIERCE ON STAND
HELPS BALLINGER
Assistant Secretary Declares His
Opinion on New Law Was Not
Prepared By Superior.

A sharp protest against delay by the
Interior Department IN replying 10 re-
quests for the production Of certain
correspondence and documents started
of the twentF-ninth day os the Con
Eressional hearing Of the conservation
controversy.
Braudcis declared that he called for
q mass Of documents 10 be introduced
as a denial 10 the charge made by the
Attorney General. GIaJ CLAWS took no
steps 10 further criminal prosecutions
OF Alaskan coal claimants and habit
uaIly procTasriuaJed--
He stated tnat he issued d general
call for an letters bearing on The MAJ
ter These were not forthcoming, ha
said.
Attorney Vertrees arose 10 answer
what he called ''the imputation that the
papers had -beea. concealed" II resent
that he said 1t s not true.
on motion Of Senator sutherland u
was ordered by the committee that the
Secretary produce these papers at once
Assistant Secretary. Frank Pierce was
tuen called 10 the stand by Attorney
NeTtrees.
Pierce Makes Denial
4 did not tell former Governor Moore
that he could have his patents under
the law of May -, leoS-' said Pierce
THAT IS not So"
Pierce read the testimony given by
Moore before the commissioner in Oon-
Irection ejth the taking OF testimony in
the Governments suit 20 cancel the
Cunningham entries Moore declared
then that IL was bennett WHO naa letl
him that ne could obtain his patents
under the. new law, o. May =, lsos' and
without an examination
-DidH't yotr. tell Governor Moore thar
he could have his patents without
hearing asked Eepl sentative Ohm
sted-
-.,So--sfr--r ANSWERED the witness posi-
tfveIv. q said nothing Of the sort d
said a hearing was necessary
Pierce stated mat during tle "liltFt
of 1907 the Alaska claimants mao d
-ssrrcrzs IebbE'' mere in " aslliE : Ton
v-0rETH- on Secretary tdEUt-n anu
CONGRESS for their patents He sara
that np also obtained Supuiatlon
conn TrE7- T. GRAY. counsel for the
CuuuluEha-nS, that when the cases
came uIt for hearing that the TecYi0
should not so 10 the Juneau register
II know that the son Of the register
was n claimant, and tnougnt llldL
the same pressure " -llcl was appay 80 80
here in tne-fcoby might warp their
Ind -r1ert.-- the witness explained IT,
was for TINS reason ne stated tl-at
M deCi1eu not 10 nave the Ee5tSt7t
end receiver hear the cases. @itlio+slL
thy res rs nal juriSdiction in them
Pierce then related the circumstance
Of hiz-rendering an opinion on inc act
Of Nav - 1905 He denied that ne had
the Cunningham cases IN mind when
he rendered this opinion
Claws COntTadiCted-
,-se-retarv #BaIIfnEer did not turn this
MATTER % IN opinion over 10 me- the
witness continued. CLAWS statements
tha- conferred with him in regard to
an opinion, that the opinion. ready for
nv signature was handed me 5E Secrc-
tarv Ba finger, and that BalIinser spoke
20 me about the matter. are entirely
untrue never made such statements
20 Claws then or any other time I
did not send for CLAWS 20 confer 7
didn't say 10 CLAWS that Secretary Bal
i'uCer had stated % me that I was 90
render. tie o~Eutnu. ONLY had ore