Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1910-01-06

4
was Suspended. CLAWS was ordered
to resume his Investigation. On
March 8. 1905. BslIlnger. than com
missioner OF the general land once,
had appeared before the house com.
mittse on pablo lands In relation to
a bill introduced by Delegate cale
OF Alaska. The Gale bill provided
for the consolidation Of bona flda
entries on Alaska coal lands. Com
missioner Ballinger showed consider
able familiarity with "thirty-three
entries On Alaskan coal lands, en-
braeing $3.50 acres near the BefIAe
river in the KatslIn district" He
said that a great many OF the entry.
men became involved In conditions,
which. on the land once records,
show a technical violation OF the stat
ute" and urged legislation permitting
the consolidation OF the entries. The
committee disregaIded his sugges-
ton. But, bill introduced By Sem
ator Hepburn. and amended at the
suggestion Of Secretary Garaeld, be-
came a law. This law provided for
the consolidation Of claims entered
BY loeators solely In their own later
est and not 40 the employed agents
OF another.
Immediately after his resignation
as commissioner, BaIlinger. a. attoF-
ney for the cnnninghams. flled an
ahldavit In explanation OF certain
passages in private journal secured
by CLAWS from Cunningham which
IL alleged to have shown that the
Alaskan claims were taken out by
the Cunnlnghams In the names OF
dummy entFymen. The book 10 al
legged to have shown the substitu-
ton Of responsible persons for the
dummies" later Oh.
Assistant Secretary Pierce IN May,
1903, signed decisIon holding that
tho Hepburn law allowed the consol-
idation Of certain character OF coal
claims in Alaska, which would have
included the Cunningham claims. A
copy Of this decision went to CLAWS,
and he was directed 70 make a re-
port in accordance with It.
Orders 70 Hurry Investigation.
On June "a Attorney General
Wickersham overrulsd the Pierce de-
cislon. The Cunnlnshams then pre-
feFred to stand under the old law,
and CLAWS received orders from the
land ONCE to hurry his Investigation
Later. Special Land Agent Sheridan
was placed on the cases. supersedins
CLAWS. CLAWS had protested and
asked for time In which to complete
his investigation. and when he found
his protests unayailmg he telegraph
ed to Acting Law 0facer shaw, OF the
forest service. stating that there were
about 700 claims in the Chugaeh
national forest reserve. Including the
cunningham group. which were about
to proceed to trial. and asking the
cooperation Of the forest service.
On July "a, Secretary Of Agrieul-
turo Wilson requested Secretary Bal
linger not. to AZ dates for the hear
Ing OF these claims until ne could
f'nG out. from the local forestry or
lcerB. the full reasons for the re-
quest for postponement. A day later
Law onlcer Shaw OF the forest SER
vice called at the general land once,
and requested that he 10 allowed to
examine the recora In the cases,
which was refused. He reported the
refusal to Associate Forester Price.
who with shaw then called on Chlef
Of Field Service Schwartz OF the gen.
cral land ONCE. II was on this oc-
cAsion that the statement "Plnshot
is trying 10 run the interior depart
iaent" was made. The forest service
officers were finally allowed to see the
rcord-after certain papers were Ia
ken out.
| Special Agent Sheridan. after look.
Ing over CLAWS record OF the cases
AZ Seattle, endorsed the recommends
ton for delay, and lStee Acting ssc-
rotary Of the Interior Pierce granted
TIE request OF the ssVctary OF agrl-
culture for q suspension Of the hear
ins. but urged that tho for, stry IN
vestigation Of the elAlms be fastened
AZ much % p0sslble
Il was with the Cunningham claims
In this situation that CLAWS journey
cd from Seattle to Beverly. Mass.
last summer and LAID the case before
President Taft. The whole west By
this time was abla1e with the diaeus-
sion OF the Balllnger-P lnehot contro-
versy. Both of the prineipaia were
attending rival esnanaarxmttor es,a