The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-04-30

ily long on June contracts, their in- terest in the aggregate being fully 450s- 006 bales.
 Mir Ballinger then told of his relations with certain coal claims with which he was professionally connected after he had left office. He emphatically declares that in none of these was his connec- ton with them in any way such as to affect their status in the land office. Mir Ballinger then related his connection with Clarence Cunningham after he had left the land office. He said he met Cunning ham about September 4 1908, through c. J. Smith He said Cunningham called on him foy information as to what steps to take calling attention to affidavits he had made. He said Cunningham called three or four times and in the mean time prepared outline of facts in connee- ton with efforts to acquire coal lands in Alaska. He said he did not expect to represent Cunningham, but as he was coming east both he and Smith asked him to take the affidavit to Gar field. MT Ballinger said he took it to Garfield at his home in Ohio. He said he again saw Garfield and also Den nett in Washington September 2S and that Garfield had said to him that if those people would come under the law Of May 28. 1908. they would get their patents" adding otherwise they would not
 Coal Company Cases
 In the Wilson Coal companys cases GlaWs had testified that Ballingher had drawn up an escrow agreement, which would give his client, Watson Allen, right to purchase four claims after title had been secured. AS the claims had not been proven up, Glavis contended perjury would have had to be committed In order to secure patents for those lands.
 MT. Ballinger today emphatically de- nied that he had ever prepared such an agreement
 '|I bitterly denounce his testimony in that connection" added the secretary.
 Questioned about Glavis' statement that he met BaIlinger in Seattle in the sum mer of 1908 and that the latter told him the Cunningham claims were in bad fix, MT Balllnger interrupted his lawyer impatiently.
 "I'hat is a deliberate lie." he exclaimed, "and like many other of his statements to this committee It is another con tenIptible attempt of that man Glavis to besmirch my character
 Passing on to the time when he became Secretary of the Interior Ballinger said he burned all his bridges behind him, dissolved his law firm and severed all connection with corporations.
 MT. Vertrees asked MT. Ballinger to explain whether, as charged by Glavis, he had changed his mind overnight about asking Attorney General Wicker shaw for an opinion as to the proper construction of the law of May 2S after he had promised to do so at a conference with Glavis. Commissioner Dennett and Chief of Field Division Schwartz Glavis feared Assistant Secretary Pierce, to whom the secretary had referred the matter for an opinion, might so con strue the law as to validate the Gun ningham claims.
 MT Ballinger said he had not prom ised to ask the Attorney General for aa opinion. but did SC subsequently,. He said he spoke to Mir Wickersham after a cabinet meeting and that the latter told him Glavis had already applied to him for an opinion on the ground that 1t was necessary for his CBallingers) pro lection. "as 1t would place me in a some what delicate position 10 Iire my de- partment to pass upon it.
 The committee then adjourned until to- morrow.