The Cairo bulletin., 1910-02-15
FIRST DEFINITE
STATEMENT MADE
CLAWS GIVES LIST OF SPECIFIC
CHARGES AGAINST
BALLlNGER.
ON CROSS:tXAMINATION
CLAWS Yesterday Told Many Things.
., Applauded by Spectators.
Baiiingers Lawyer
Questions Him.

washington, rep. ne Balllu-
ger-Pinchot congressional inquiry be-
gan to bristle with interest today,
when John j. Vertrees, Ballinger's
counsel, undertook the cross examlna-
tion OF CLAWS, the principal witness
for the prosecution"
The climax was reached when Ver-
trees announced that box belonging
to CLAWS. left In the grand jury room
at Seattle, was broken open few
days ago, and number Of letters
missing from the files OF the land OF
fee In Seattle, copies of which were
recently published in weekly paper,
were found therein.
CLAWS angrily declared that II
any letters were found in his belong.
ings "a frame up had been prepared
against him. His denunciation OF fed
eral officials who would stoop to such
trick to win the favor ~ their supe-
riors brought applause from the spec
tators.
Throughout the hearing the sympa
pathics Of the spectators. the great
majority of whom were women, has
been with CLAWS.
Vertrees announced that CLAWS
successor, Chief Christiansen of the
field division will be called to testify
TO the finding of the letters He offer
ed letter from Christensen giving
details of the alleged discovery. The
committee, after a long wrangle on
whether 1t should be received, defer
red the question until tomorrow in ex-
ecutiye session
Vertrees drew from the witness the
fact that, he charged no corruption
against anybody in the land office or
the department of the interior
CLAWS declared that IL he found
evidence Of corruption he would have
taken the matter to the grand jury in
stead of to the president. He charged
Ballinger and bennett, however, with
official. misconduct.
Through the process of elimination
the witness cleared all other officials
of any willful wrongdoing. He as
serted that he was fully convinced
that the facts he offered IN evidence
warranted the judgment that neither
Ballinger nor Bennett was fit to hold
an office Of public trust.
AS to Assistant Secretary of the
Interior Pierce. CLAWS declared that
he had rendered an erroneous inter-
--prstatiop of the coal land law of 1908,
and that this decision, while not an
act of wrong doing, indicated that he
was not fit to FIJI the office he holds.
bennett, CLAWS declared. was nothing
more than a tool for Ballinger. and
would do anything Ballinger said"
In response to question, CLAWS
summed UP the specific acts of wrong
doing which he charges against Bal
linger. His statement was long, and
was listened to with interest and re-
ally for the first time gave a definite
statement Of the Prosecutors case
He said: "The first action was the
appearance of Ballinger in the Wilson
coal cases. His participation in draw
claims that should not have been
proved up, and we're not proved up as
matter of fact, was criminal. The
record speaks for itself.
"Ballinger's expressions in 1907 to
Special Agent Jones. when he knew
there had been violation of the coal
land laws; his statement that heiwas
coming to Washington to see what
congress would do tolhelp the claim
ants get patents. III
After giving me instructions to
make fun investigation of all the coal
cases, he took up the old report by
Special Agent Love, deliberately or
dered that the Cunningham claims
proceed to natent Loves report did
not warrant favorable recommends
ton. 1t showed an understanding
among the claimants. and suggested
fraud rather than a compliance with
tue law. IA
"Ballinger's appearance before the
house committee in favor of the Gale
bill, which, IL passed. would enable
fraudulent claimants to secure pat
ents.
'Ballinger's action of deliberately
representing the Gler side after hav.
ing been commissioner of the land Of
flee. having full knowledge of the
character of the investigation we had
made. He did not act alone in the
Cunningham group, but in the Green
group, also.
His asking me, in 1908. when he
was In politics and arranging cam
paign contributions, to hold off the IN
vestigation of the coal cases.
After hearing at conference Of
Schwartz. Dennett ana myseif. f.,at