The Sentinel=record., 1910-02-15
is CHARGE MADE BY CLAWS
AGAINST THE FEDERAL
AUTHORITIES.
Gives Clear Conception Of What He
Charges BalIinger With--Much
AppIauded by the Audi
ence at Hearing.

Washington. Feb. 1.-THE Balm
ger-Pinchot congressional inquiry De
gan to bristle with interest today when
John ]. vertrees, counsel for Secre-
tary Balinger, undertook the cross
examination OF Louis r. CLAWS, PIN
cipal witness for the prosecution"
The climax of the day was reached
late in the afternoon session, when
Mr. Vertrees announced that sox
belonging to Mr.. CLAWS and left in
the grand jury room at Seattle, had
been broken open IA few days ago and
that a number Of letters missing from
the files OF the land Office in Seattle,
copies OF which have recently been
published IN weekly paper, were
were found therein
CLAWS angrly declared that If any
letters had been found in his belong
ings, ''frameup" had been perpe-
trated against him.
His denuneiation Of federal officials
who would stnop to such a tricqk to
win the favor of their sltperiors called
out "a demonstration OF applause rom
the spectators, which caused Chair
man Nelson TO announce that a arepe-
tition OF the outburst would result in
fna room hQinsr claarad
Throughout the hearing the sympa-
thy of the spectators. "a great majority
OF whom are women, have clearly
been with CLAWS and they have laugh
ed with satisfaction as he has made
points against his questioners.
Mr.. vertrees announced that C. E.
Christiansen. Mr.. Claws successor as
chief of field division, would be called
TO testify to the finding of the letters.
Ire offered in evidence a letter from
Christensen giving the details OF the
alleged discovery and the committee
got into long wrangle as to whether
or not II should be received in evil
dence at this time.
The matter was put over for consid-
Grafton tomorrow in executive session.
In the morning session Mr.. vertrees
drew from the witness that he made
no charges Of corruption of anyone
in the land office OF the department
OF the interior.
CLAWS declared that il he had found
evidence of corrwption he would have
taken the matter to grand jury in
stead of to the president. He said he
though. the facts warranted the opin-
ion that Mr. Ballinger and Mr.. Dem
nett had acted improperly and me
charged them with official misconduct.
Through process of elimination
the witness cleared all the other Of
ficials of any wilful wrong-doing. He
asserted he was fully convinced the
facts he bad offered In evidence war
ranted the Judgment that neither Sec
retary Ballinger nor Land Commits
sioner bennett were fit to hold an Of
fee OF public trust.
AS to Assistant Secretary OF the In
terror Peirce. CLAWS declared he had
rendered an erroneous Interpretation
OF the ocal Land law of May OF 1898
and that this decision, while not an
act of wpongdoing. indicated that he
was not fit to fill the office he now
holds. bennett, Claws declared, was
nothing more than a tool for Bal
linger and would do anything Balm
ger said"
In the AFTERNOON session Claws, IN
response to question by Mr.. Ver-
trees, summed up the specific acts OF
wrnngdoing as he charges against
Bafinger
IfIds statement was long one but
was listened 10 with intense interest
and reslly for the frst time gave a
DEFINITE statement Of the prosecutions
case.
Summing what he said was the FACTS
convinced him that Secretary Balm