The Washington herald., 1910-02-15

documents ana became acquainted with
their contents.
Attorney Vertrees proposed TO submit
the letters and the accompanying ex-
planation from A. c. Christensen, the
special agent IN charge at Seattle. But
vigorous objection was made. Chair
man Nelson and Senator Root insisted
that the documents should go into the
record. but this was vigorously resisted
| by Senator Fletcher and Representa-
tives Madison, James. and Graham.
! Representative Madison made the point
that inasmuch as the author Of the re-
port, Special Agent Christensen, was to
be called later as witness, that the
letters and his report on the way they
were obtained should not be received in
evidence until Mr.. Christensen was pres
ent 10 identify them and be cross-ex-
amined in regard 10 them.
The members OF the committee who sup
ported Representative Madison in his con-
tention cited the case that came up in the
joint committee on Friday when Attorney
! Brandeis offered in evidence a Joint state
ment prepared by Shaw and Price, forest
officers. who are under investigation, with
the request that It be accepted as a fun
statement of their case, and that they be
excused from appearing The committee
appeared unwilling TO receive the state
ment in the form in which ii was sub
mitted, while the two Forest Service off,
GERS were available as witnesses. AttOr-
ney Vertrees entered an objection to the
admission Of the statement Of Shaw and
Price. insisting that they should be held
| and required to appear as witnesses for
| cross-examination. al which time they
could Identify the statement. and it could
then be admitted.
Wrong Way TO Get Letters.
Before this question has been disposed
| OF. Representative James. Of Kentucky,
voiced his Indignation al the manner in
which the letters had appeared In the
I committee room. He pointed out that they
/ had been called for at the request OF At
torney Brandeis and that. under the in
| structi0ns OF the Joint committee, II was
the duty Of Secretary Ballinger TO have
/ sent the letters TO the clerk Of the COM
mittee to be submitted 10 counsel on both
sides for investigation under injunction
/ of secrecy as to their contents and that
only such of them were TO admitted as
! evidence as had been first inspected and
/ passed by the committee.
/ Attorney Brandeis then made a spirited
protest against the way IN which Secre-
/ tary Balinger had turned over 10 his
attorney for submission TO the committee
as evidence letters that the committee
! had called for. under instructions as 70
their custody Mr. Brandeis said that It
was the duty OF the Secretary OF the In
| terror 10 have sent the letters TO the COM
mittee first The attorney was very much
/ in earnest over the matter and his face
was white with rage as he denounced the
( course that had been taken by Secretary
/ Ballinger and his attorney.
you do not charge the members Of the
/ committee with responsibility" inquired
Senator Sutherland, Of Utah, Of Attorney
Brandes
Whereupon the attorney entered dis
clalmer and thanked the committee for
the effort It had mads to obtain prompt
delivery OF all papers that had been called
for
Attorney Vertrees aroused some amuse-
ment In the committee room by saying. in
/ response TO the complaint that the letters
had not been delivered. that he was trying
al that very moment 20 deliver them 10
the committee. but had not been per-
mitted 10 do so.
Finally It was decided that the whole
matter should 90 over, TO be settled az an
executive meeting Of the committee.
CLAWS Under CrOss-examinatiOn.
CLAWS took the stand at the opening OF
the hearing yesterday. and was still under
tcross-examination when adjournment was
taken az o'clock in the afternoon. All OF
the morning session was taken up in cor
rectinE errors in the reported testimony
taken heretofore at the hearings. Al the
afternoon session Attorney Vertrees sub
jected the accuser OF the Interior Depart
ment officers TO a rigid cross-examinauon.
BY a process OF elimination he brought
the witness 10 admit that he made no
accusations Of misconduct against any
body I'm the Interior Department except
secretary Ballinger and Fred bennett,
! Commissioner Of the General Land Office
He stated explicitly that he did not charge
either Of the officers named with anything
criminal. and declared that il he had
found anything suggesting criminal.ty he
would have turned it over TO the grand
fury. He identified an article in Golfers
(which he had written. but disclaimed re-
sponsibility for the headlines and editorial
comment He denied that he had received
any pay for the article or that he had
been promised any.
rir7ae Ia ragnutaE hn form ~ ba
questions put to him by Attorney Yer
trees. and once or twice told the lawyer
TO wait until he had answered the ques-
ton Once or twice during the hearing
there was a demonstration Ct hand,clap-
ping In approval Of something the witness
had said.
Public sympathy with PInchOt.
The hearings have been attended al
most daily by large crowds Of spectators.
whose sympathies are manifestly with
IGiford Pinchot. Senator Nelson became
impatient at the demonstration Of ap-
proval and warned the spectators that
Il there was a repetition Of It he would
clear the room Of visitors.
This is not a town meeting" observed
the chairman.
Twice in the course Of the hearing At
torney Vertrees was reproved by mem
bers Of the committee for his manner OF
questioning the witness. Representative
Graham. OF Illinois, a Democrat, called
lattention 10 the fact that the witness had
an impediment in his speech, and that the
lawyer was taking an unfair advantage
of him. Senator Fletcher also protested
vigorously at one point against Attorney
Vertrees' way of handling the case
rOp nTpVnT CrNATnpTAT vnrr