Omaha daily bee., 1910-02-26
LAND OFFICE LAWYER GREEN
Special Agent Jones Says Attorney
Sheridan Was Incompetent.
NEW TURN IN BALL1NGER CASE
Witness Declares Man sent to seattle
20 Handle Government Side of
Hearing Graduated Only
Year or Two.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2j.-The Baliinger-
| Pinchot inquiry took an unexpected turn
today when Special Agent Horace T. Jones
Of the land office took the stand for "the
prosecution" and made a sensational at
tack on James NJ Sheridan. who was sent
by the land office to Seattle last year to
take charge Of the governments case in
hearings on the Cunningham coal claims
| In Alaska.
Jones declared that Sheridan had been
graduated in law only year or two; that
his conduct Of the case was Incompetent,
and that he had opposed to him two of tho
leading lawyers OF Seattle.
Testifying for an hour or more as to
Sheridan's conduct OF the case and giving
instances from which he wished the com
mlttee to draw its own conclusions Jones
said he did not desire to critieise Sheridan
In any way
He sa d Louis r. Clavis was not lawyer
but he knew more law than Sheridan did
and he thought 1t was a reflection on
| CLAWS for the land office to send sheridan
out there to take charge OF case which
CLAWS had worked upon.
Under examination Jones appeared de-
fiant and aggressive TO members Of tho
committee and counsel alike and said he
did not care what differences were drawn
from his testimony.
Jones was stl under examination when
the luncheon recess was taken, and it APP
peared that Clifford Plnchot would not be
reached as a witness until late in the after
! noon.
Birch and steel Summoned.
When the committee met in open session
Attorney Brandes, for the prosecution, re-
auested permission to introduce in evil
dence the statements recently made before
the senate committee on territories by
stephen Birch, managing director, and j.
N. Steel, attorney for the Alaska syndl-
cate, or Morgan Guggenheim syndicate, for
| the exploitation of Alaska.
These statements told in part of the Gug-
genheim- Cunningham coal companies which
ave been the source of all the trouble Incl
\ ent to the present inquiry.
Chairman Nelson said the statements of
Messrs Birch and Steel had not been made
under oath. The committee agreed that
the men should be summoned as witnesses.
The attorneys for both sides united in the
request.
Special Agent Horace T. Jones' who
worked with CLAWS on the Alaska cases.
having arrived in the city since the last
adjournment Of the committee, was called
ITO the stand while Mr. Pinchot waited.
Love Only BnIf-Tearted.
Jones was examined by Mr., Brandes as
to his work on the ccal cases in the summer
Of 1867. The witness said he consulted
freely with Commissioners sallinger when
the latter was in Seattle In July, 1907.
He told Mr.. Ballinser that Special Agent
Love in Alaska was only half-hearted in
his work, because he was a candidate for
| United States marshal. ..-
Il told the commissioner that Love did
not have the proper spirit for an in
vestigator. and he agreed with me. The
commissioner asked me to maize an investi-
/ cation Of all the claims as soon as possi-
BILE, as he wanted TO be in a position to
appear before congress to advocate rem
edal legislation. He wanted to know just
what the conditions were in the various
Alaska groups, so he could speak intelli-
gently 1 told him 1t would be sufficient
to interview two or three claimants in each
group.
Love said he was very glad / had been
assigned to the work. for he had been
greatly embarrassed in attempting to in
vestigate a number OF people who were his
friends. 1 told Mr.. Ballinger ths."
The witness said he had never seen the
report made by Love on the Cunningham
cases. dated August 2, 1907, until Decem-
Der Of that year, when CLAWS told him
about 1t. 1t is claimed 1t was on this
report Of August that Commissioner Bal
linger in January, 1908, ordered the Gun
ningham claims to be elear-listed for
patent.
! Efforts Before Grand Jury.
Jones corroberated the testimony given
by CLAWS as to his efforts to get the
Alaska cases taken up by the grand jury
at Seattle. CLAWS was criticised in At
torney General Wickersham's report to the
president for not having done anything
toward a criminal prosecution. Jones said
he went to District Attorney Todd at
Seattle, by direction Of CLAWS, who was
then his chief. Todd said it was useless
to take the cases up at Seattle for Judge
Hanford was constitutionally opposed to
land fraud cases and he did not want to
be humiliated by being turned down." the
witness said.
Todd" he added, Suggested that we
take the matter up with the attorney gen.
eral at Washington and get the attorney