Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1910-02-04
G AVIS SAYS 7iFTIs MISTAKEN
HIS ATTORNEY CALLS ATTEN
TON TO CERTAIN LETTERS.
Wickersham, Too, He Says, Reached
Wrong Conclusion in
the Matter.

Washington, Jan. 29.-An executive
session of the -Pinchot inves-
tgation committee delayed the open.
ing of the proceedings. Louis R. CLAW
is again took the witness stand
Attorney Brandeis, representing
CLAWS, presented to the committee a
long list of papers and documents to
be introduced in evidence, also list of
witnesses to be summoned.
The witness chair was placed on
dais. AS result Claws, when he
took the stand, sat well above the
heads of the committee. He took up
his story where he left it Wednesday
afternoon, giving his testimony in re-
spouse to questions from his attorney
Claws said that United States Attor-
ney Hoyt had suggested in 1907 that
the witness should take up direct with
Secretary of the Interior Garfield the
question of Alaska coal lands.
CLAWS said he did write to H. H.
Schwartz, then a chief of the field d.
vision, and expressed himself as wor-
ried about the Alaskan situation, and
DESTROYS to confide in Schwartz
What Alaskan claims did you re-
fer to in that letter." asked Repre-
sentative Olmsted.
"All of Them replied the witness.
Some 900 in all?"
Yes"
At this time Ballinger was commits.
sioner of the land Office
Attorney Brandeis next took up the
300 page printed document in the case
and spent some time in calling the at.
tention of the committee to various
letters, kilograms, etc., tending to
show Claws activity in the Alaskan
cases.
The attorney said he wanted to call
attention to certain letters which
showed the part Ballinger played as
commissioner in directing the inquiry
The purpose, Brandeis said, was to
indicate that President Taft and At
torney General Wickersham were mis-
taken when they reached the stated
conclusion that Ballinger's participa-
ton had been merely formal"
Among the letters read was one
from Special Agent H. T. Jones call.
ing attention to the alleged fraudulent
character of the Alaskan claims.
That letter was written before Ola.
Wis came into the matter in any way?"
questioned Senator Nelson.
YES" replied Mr.. Brandeis.
Then you don't mean that CLAWS
originally called attention to these
claims"
No. In addition to Jones' report
there had been one from Special Agent
Love-
Didn't Love recommend the Gun
bingham claims for clear listing?"
asked Representative Madison.
1t didn't amount to recommends
ton exactly" replied the counsel
CLAWS told of visit to Washington
in December, 1907, when he took I'D
with officials of the land office the
matter of the Alaska claims. He told
Mr.. Schwartz that people in Seattle
were saying that there would be no
further investigation of the claims In
Alaska and that patents would be
granted.
II said there was great danger of
another big scandal equal to that in
Wyoming and Colorado, where the in
vestigation OF the coal land cases had
been suppressed" declared CLAWS.
Who suppressed those investiga.
tions?' demanded Senator Paynter
Dem.)
1T was testified at Salt Lake that
former Commissioner Richards did
Mr.. Ballinger had no connection with
1t in any way "