The Detroit times., 1910-01-31
SEES CLEVER PLAN
TO WHITEWASH
BALLINGER
Gibson Gardner Says Faithful Brush
Is in the Lime Pot-Letters Are
Missing But CLAWS Had Pre-
served Copies.
Two Congressman Brought Into Case
Are Expected To Be Present at
Today's Session.
BY gibson GARDNER.


WASHINGTON. ID. c., Jan. Silt
only required a few sessions OF the
Ballinger investigating committee to
develop the following facts:
l. That Secretary Ballinger Is
represented by at least six lawyers,
who are also members of the commit.
tee.
q That Chairman Knute Nelson
does not intend that there shall be
any "unfairness" toward Secretary
Balllinger in the conduct OF the in.
quiry.
g. That many letters and impor.
tant documents were not among the
papers before President Taft when he
gave Ballinger his clean bill of
health.
4. That Secretary Ballinger took
part as attorney in the efforts of the
Wilson Coal Co. to secure lands which
United States Judge Cornelius III.
Hanford, in a decision rendered at
Seattle, Jan 20, 1910. announced to be
the subject OF a conspiracy to obtain
by fraud.
5. That less is likely 10 be heard
of an investigations of Pinchot, who
has become a sort OF prosecutor in
behalf OF the people, and general
champion OF the conservation cause.
Nelson Begins Bullying.
To the surprise of many OF Pin
chots friends. Senator Nelson began
at once bullying witnesses and at
torneys for Pinchot. and clumsily en-
deavoring to bring out matters which
he conceived would put Ballinger in
a more favorable light. Mccall OF
Massachusetts and Senator Root
helped in less clumsy way. Suther-
land of Utah and Paynter of Ken
lucky both showed that they had been
primed with the defenses of the sec
rotary OF the interior, and took an
active part in trying to fuddle the rec
ord and interrupt the clear line OF
testimony offered by former Field
Agent Claws.
The facts leading up TO the famous
CLAWS charges were. however, well
brought out by Louis Brandeis, attor-
ney for CLAWS. Brandeis showed n
wonderful familiarity with the case,
and met the bungling antagonism If
the committee with rare tact and pa
thence.
To the surprise of all but a few
Intimates OF Ballinger, members OF
the committee, when they assembled,
found bound volume containing what
puTported TO be all the documents in
the Ballinger-P inchot case. II was
thrown together, many hundred pages,
without arrangement or system and
without index; but when carefully ex-
amined IL proved TO be a sterilized
edition Of the evidence. Many letters
were missing; but fortunately CLAWS
had preserved copies and was able to
supply some Of the missing documents.
To Drag CLAWS over Goals.
A gTuelling cross-examination OF l..
r. CLAWS, in the Ballinger-Pinchot
congressional inquiry. is in prospect.
in view of the sensational charges the
former field service chief OF the gen.
eral land ofice made In his testimony
Saturday. 1t was announced this
morning that representatives McLach-
Ian (Rep. Cali, and Kinkaid (Rep.
Neb), would PROBABLY be present at
todays examining OF the committee,
about 4:30 D. m.
These men. CLAWS asserted, we're
interested in certain Alaskan coal
claims.
Counsel for CLAWS said today that
the testimony regarding the two con-
gressmen was introduced solely for
the purpose of showing that in the
one instance Secretary Ballinger pre-
vented CLAWS from interviewing Nc
Lachlan regarding the matter at is
sue, and that in the other. that in
stead OF not having any formal knowl-
edge of the case. Ballinger, by reason
of his acting as attorney for Kinkaid,
must have had full knowledge. 1t is
not disputed that the two congress
men had a perfect right, as any other
citizens, to apply for section OF tho
coal lands.