Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-01-27
THE BALLlNGER-PINC
PROBE is NOW UNDER WAY
Continued from Page One)

| Coal Co. case in Lewis county, Wash.
in 1901 and 1902. Mr.. Ballinger, he said
was attorney for the Wilson Co.
| CLAWS declared that Ballinger's name
did not appear in the court records OF
the Washington coal claims and that
| he cid not appear in court at any time
The witness said Mr.. BallinSer, how
ever, drew up an escrow agreement and
prepared the deeds for the claimants in
! the Wilson cases. Ballinger had no gov
| eminent connection at the time of this
| appearance
Questioned by his counsel. CLAWS
| charged that when the escrow agree
ment in the Wilson case was drawn up
| by Ballinger, it was an unlawful pro-
ceeding as the entrymen had no right
| ia the time to enter into this agree
| ment. The agreement, however never
i was signed. After CLAWS had proceed
ed for half an hour or more. going into
| the details of the Cunningham claims,
he was interrupted and ii was decided
Attorney Brandeis should address the
committee.
He said CLAWS attention first was
called to the fraudulent coal land
claims when he was in Seattle as chief
of field division, in 1907. CLAWS heard
that number of prominent people in
Seattle were interested in the fraud
ulent claims in Alaska He met Spe-
cial Agent Jones of the land office. who
was on his way to Alaska to investi-
gate the Alaska claims.
When Jones. after a preliminary
investigation, returned to Seattle in
August, 1907, he was directed to re-
port at once to Commissioner Balm
ger, who was in Seattle at the time
I'VE claim, said Mr.. Brandeis, that
Commissioner Ballinger thereupon
modified the orders which had been
given to Jones by Assistant Commits
sioner bennett to make a full and
thorough investigation to making ON
ly partial investigation
Mr.. Ballinger also stated that if pa
tents could not be granted on the lands
as matters stood, relief would be re-
quired of Congress.
Mr.. Brandeis then went more briefly
into the CLAWS charges against Secre-
tary Ballinger as presented to Presi-
dent Taft and acted upon by him. He
said that recommendations by CLAWS
and Jones in the Alaska cases were not
acted upon by Commissioner Balm
ger.
CLAWS sought an affidavit from a
man named Davis. Davis said he had
talked the matter over with Ballinger
and had been told not to make any
statement-"to wait until charges had
been filed by the government.
After this CLAWS came to Washing
ton and argued with the land office as
to the danger of scandal in the Alas
ka cases. He then was directed to pro-
coed with a full investigation. Soon af-
ter he left Washington, however, ex-
Governor Miles c. Moore came here to
see Mr.. Ballinger-to see if the claims
could not be hurried to patent"
Senator Nelson charged the attorney
with Withholding the fact that Moore
was referred to the assistant secretary
of the interior as he-Ballinger-had
had TO do with the claims.
Mr.. Brandeis said Senator Nelson
was mistaken and was thinking of Bal
fingers action in May. 1909. as secre-
tary of the interior, while he was
speaking of Ballinger's action as COM
missioner of the land office in 1907
Il am stating what is distinctly a |
fact and about which there can be no
question" said Mr.. Brandeis.
'In January, 1905" he continued,
"Glavis heard that Ballinger had or
dered the Cunningham claims to clear
listing" for patent He at once tele-
graphed asking that this action be
suspended and came on to washington.
He said he had just secured possession T
of the Cunningham Journal which bore
conclusive evidence Of fraud He met
ex-Gox Moore ana Clarance Cunning
ham here and was told by Moore that
but for CLAWS the land would have
gone to catent.''