The sun., 1910-01-29

Land hnNeBuBnuOn Amtu Atter FreN"
Dental Election. as Two OT the Land
Claimants Refused 10 Contribute 20
the Republican Campaign Fund.
WASHINGTON. Jan. 2s.-Louis r. CLAWS.
former special agent OF the land once.
and author OF the charges against Sec
rotary Ballinger. testified to-day before
the Ballinger- -Pinchot investigation that
Mr.. Ballinger urged him TO postpone his
Investigation OF the Cunningham coal
land cases until after the Presidential
election of 1903. The request was made.
however, after Mr. Ballinger had ceased
% be Commissioner OF the General Land
Once and while he was a member Of the
Republican national campaign commit
see. The postponement was asked at a
conference in Portland. Ore. in October.
tp0s The reason assigned by Mr.. Ballin-
rer, according to the witness. was that
two of the Cunning CHAM coal land claim
snts, A. C.sHenry and /. d. Smith OF
Seattle, had refused 10 contribute to the
Republican campaign fund because the
Government, was holding up patents to
their coal entries. This was the most in
teresting disclosure OF the days testi-
rnony and was called out by questions
propounded by Representative James OF
Kentucky.
CLAWS was on the witness stand at both
sessions Of the Investigating committee
to-day. He told OF numerous differences
with M. Ballinger in the interval during
which the present Secretary OF the In
tsrior was out OF office in 1e0s He said
that Mr.. Ballinger admitted on one occa-
zion that he was attorney for the Green
group OF Alaska coal claimants and on
another occasion admitted that the Cum
ningham claimants were in a bad way
and asked CLAWS what could be done
70 extricate them.
q Tho name OF Gukgenheim also came
out When the journal of Clarence Gun
ninghHm, which CLAWS obtained and
copied, was introduced in evidence the
reading OF it disclosed a number OF ac-
acknowledgements for money advanced
by Daniel Guggenheim for engineering
work on the claims. Attorney Brandies
for CLAWS called attention to a letter
of H. H. Schwartz. chief OF field agents,
commenting on the Guggenheim entries
a. a suspicious circumstances. Il
In his testimony CLAWS reviewed his
connection with the Alaska cases from
the date he was specially assigned 20 them
In December. 1907. by the then Commis-
sioner Ballinger until he was ordered on
In 1908. He had not completed his testi-
nnony when adjournment was taken at
o'clock until tomorrow morning
CLAWS began his testimony by q refer
ence to events in the summer OF 1907.
He talked with United States Attorney
Hoyt about the suspicious character
of the Alaska coal claims. Mr.. Hoyt
advised him to 20 to Secretary Garfield
direct The members OF the committee
smiled when CLAWS said that he did not
desire to go over the head OF his superior.
Commissioner Ballinger. He wrote to
Schwartz. chief OF neld agents in the
Land Once. asking permission to como to
Washington and confer with him about
the Alaska cases.
In the letter CLAWS had expressed his
concern over the status Of the Alaska
cases. Louis ID. Brandies. attorney for
CLAWS, pointed out that this letter OF
Claws had been omitted from the pub
lshed correspondence sent 10 Congress.
He asked the committee 60 call for il.
Claws then detailed the circumstances
Of bis visit to Warrington on November 7
and talk he had with Schwartz. his chief.
He expressed fear OF q scandal and said
that r,Imors were ahoat In Seattle that the
coal land claims In Alaska were not to
be investigated further, but were to be
patented.
After his interview with Schwarts the
witness was sent for almost immediately
by Commissioner Ballinger. Claws aaid
that the Commissioner promptly put him
In charge Of the Alaska cAses.
He told me he wanted q thorough in
vestigation and he didn't want any Of
his friends spared. said he: be- -.
sHe mentioned the names Of h. C.
Henry and c. J. Smith OF Spokane re-
piled CLAWS.
Following his return to Seattle to begin
his thorough investigation directed by
Commissioner Ballinger. the attorney
for CLAWS emphasized the action Of the
Land ONCE ordering the.Cunningham land
claims to the clear list, which the wit
ness explained meant that no further In
order was made on December 70. 1907. In the
same month and within two weeks after
Glavis's orders TO investigate.
Although the clear list order was made
on December &C. CLAWS was not notified
Until IN H. Jangar IS rScn S. letter was Written h
week later. but was not actually received
until several days later.
Then the fact Of Glaviss prompt protest
against the -olear listing by wire was
brought out. Chairman Nelson reminded
Attorney Brandies that the request Of
CLAWS was promptly complied with and
the -clear listing order was revoked i'm
mediately; but the attorney insisted that
the original action In ordering the sciear
listing" was improper. in view OF orders
TO CLAWS.
The committee took a. recess at I24S
p. M. until , o'clock.
Matters moved more briskly after the
joint COMMITTEES resumed its session
in the afternoon. CLAWS narrated the
Investigation he pursued in January,
February and March. 1908 He took
deposition at Wallace. Idaho, and took
affdavits Of Clarence Cunningham, agent
OF the Cunningham claims, and at that
time secured a copy OF Cunnip gham's
Journal. This showed that q written
agreement had been entered into az far
back as 1908 between the entrymen for
a pooling Of their interests after patent. !
As his Investigation continued CLAWS
found IL necessary. he said, TO protest
TO Washingt by wire on March 30
against giving out the reports OF the
special agents on the claims.
"a ka6 1.stNw ha nrAN0ntaA H.