The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1910-01-29
Said Ballinger Had Hard Time
Trying to Raise Campaign
Contributions
CLAWS REPORT ON ALASKAN CLAIM
NEVER SENT TO COMMISSIONER
Ballinger Advised Caution in Making
Charges Because There Had Been
So Much Muck Raking-Glavis Ac.
cused Of Stealing the Cunningham
Journal.

Washington. Jan. 29.-The third
day of the Ballinger-Pinchott con-
gressional inquiry opened with Louis
II. CLAWS, the chief accuser of Sec
retary- Ballinger, still the witness be-
fore the committee. Indications were
this morning that both of today's ses-
sldns would be consumed in much the
same way as were the sittings of yes
terday. in reading into the record OF
inquiry the various letters, documents
and telegrams that have been publish
ed in connection with President
Taft's recent message to the senate
in response to the request from that
body for all the papers in the case.
The prosecution" as the attorneys
for CLAWS and Pinchott are termed,
are quoting from the record indis-
crimally and referring to various
telegrams and letters offered by Sec
retary Ballinger in his statement as
part Of the case against the secre-
tary. Mr.. Brandeis of counsel for
CLAWS, declared that it is all in the
arrangement of the kilograms and let
ters. He says that because of the
way they are presented in tie vari-
GUS reports included in the senate
document, it would be difficult even
for a Philadelphia lawyer" to gel
head or tail of the subject.
Interest in the inquiry continues at
the high point, and even the .increas-
ed seating capacity in the hearing
room in the senate Office building is
daily taxed by the spectators, includ-
Ing many women.
In his testimony CLAWS cold of va
rious interviews he had had with the
secretary of the interior at various
times while he was in and out of the
government service.
MIR. CLAWS declared that in one of
these interviews in October, 1905, NJ.
Ballingcr told him he was having a
hard time trying to collect campaign
contributions and that two men IN
volved in the Cunningham claims,
who had been liberal contributors in
the past had declined. to contribute
because they were angry at not being
granted patents for the Alaska coal
lands. Representative James of Ken
tucky. one of the Democratic men,
bers of the committee. pounced upon
this testimony and cross-examined
the witness about it at some length.
CLAWS said that Mr.. Ballinger asked
him to hold UP on the Alaska cases
until after election. He agreed to do
this because he had his hands full
with another case.
Investigation Stopped.
CLAWS said he was ordered May 2.
1908. to discontinue the Alaskan in
quiry and take up the Oregon cases
where he had recommended that if
something We're not done at once the
statute Of limitations soon would
prove bar.
But also said the Alaska investi-
cation should not be dropped at that
time" added CLAWS.
Reading from Attorney General
Understands report to President
Taft on the CLAWS charges. Attorney
Brandeis quoted this sentence:
He (Glavis) might have added, he
has never taken any action whatever
to bring those criminal prosecutions
which he advised the land office must
be brought before October. 1908, to
escape the bar of the statute of limi-
tations."
us that true?" demanded Mr..
Brandeis Of the witness.
ut is, not" answered CLAWS. I'm
May or April I took the Alaska cases
up with United States Attorney Todd
at Seattle. He afterward wrote to
me saying he had laid the matter be-
fore the department of justice. as
there was some doubt in his mind
whether he should lay the cases be-
fore the grand Jury in Seattle, where
the claimants lived. or in Alaska,
where the claims were located.
I'm June, 1905. prepared report
on this subject to Commissioner Den
nett. but. learning that he was to be
in Oregon soon, did not send it.
When he came to Oregon we talked
the matter over, discussing the entire
situation. bennett said he did not
think there should be any criminal
prosecution: that he thought it was
sufficient if the claims could be can
celled."
Representative James: What
criminal offense had the claimants
conmitted?"
Conspiracy to defraud the United
States"
Representative James: And that
involved perjury"
"Yes."
ReDreSentative .lamas: "Rnt nan.