Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1910-09-11
FAMOUS CASE
HAS HISTORY
CLAWS STARTED TuIB\LIINarn
FINCllOr CONTROVERSY
DlSMlSSALS PLAY A PART
SECRETARY Requested Investigation AZ.
ter Matters Had Reached u Crt-
teal Crisis liN Reports.


PRESIDENT Tart ON August rs. 1909 uI
l'dllN had lts inception during tbp|
Roosevelt administration Al that|
lmc Mr. 'nllingor wmi al the head off
tn' hhd olilre. A group of men call
'd the cunningham interests had uIcd|
u number of claims TO some very yuI-I
uahIe coal lands In Alaska. These lp-
lrlosls according 10 pinchot and his
followers are controlled absolutely by|
the Guggouhcima
Three field agents including L. R.|
CLAWS. chlcl of the field service of|
me interior department were dchiIcdI
To investigate the claims one nj thr|
men submitted a favorable report and
balllngcr was about ~ take stems fol
patent the claims when CLAWS made a
VIGOROUS protest Several more of-
i"lis were made 10 have the claims
validated but each time CLAWS thwart-
ed the plans of the claimants. Follow
ing BalllugcrS resignation from thrI
land office IN March 1905, the acuy-I
ily in this direction ceased. but when
hc was appointed To the office of sec
Rotary ol the interior ly President
Tart the question Of patonting the|
claims again came up and messages
were sent to CLAWS urging haste mI
the investigation. ON account of the
faCt That the Balliugor law firm had
acted as attorneys for the Cunning
hams ,he secretary of the Interior re- |
fused To have anything TO do with
the matter ana passed II over to AS
Sistant Secretary Pierce of the mdianI
department. who issued am order set |
ting aside the charge Of conspiracy
"I"uS"' "b",mSt 'h' claimants - lhese
'u|' i'uuS' nus was ON May ~ I9V9'
"uu !H'Ihr"laltlE ON receipt of Assist |
ant secretary fltrccS decision lnspeg- !
luI tlaNls l'It seattle ana hurried to ,
N'shHIstoh' Where ne lald me whole /
'a5o n'Ior' Attorney General wicker |
sudlll' VINO reversed lhe order oi the |
"tcIuI department on June 20 anu
'u'u ihal Ihc cnarEoS oi conspiracy +
Shnulu stahd IN the Cunningham ease.
Ihe interior department now urged |,
,"dI 'le Hdll,I ne qWyhlE brought
10 irl"i' hul 'ildlIS asked Ioi u post /
p"ueHn'hl Hh'I ne '"u'u coll'rt SUI !
II'I'nl 'Nlu'h't To- insure tine govern I
"oh' against ln' loss oI lhe case. lils /
protest aga Hs' speedy IIIdI now /
ever was pelng dITegardcd. CLAWS
III desperation pr"uEhl lno "4olr mat
''I W 'Hc all'HI'"Il ~ 'ilIi"Iu ih'io,
tnI'l FORESTER on August IV'l'V'' ana
IIhthol ADVISED MN To Jay lhe NHolc
matter before the PieSioenl
On August ~ TiaNls mauo ln' Jour
n'y 10 heNerIl, lhe TreS'uontS sum
ner nome ana maze Persoh'l ap-
peal I" lhe cnI'I executive asking MN /
10 interfere IN the prosecution oil lhG
government ''lut oI lhe Nl'Sh" '"a'
lahd cases. In ms report ne seNtrey
criticised the actions oI secretary Bar
nhB'H Assistant sec Guam = fIGrCe'
Commissioner "l the General Lana OI
nee Nennrtt ana ChleI "I lNo .cIu
service SchNdfN IN 'ohuetuoH WIN
me CunnlnSham clalhS.
The specific charges against bal-
llngel were mat hel"re ln' liihe WnSh I
he Lesigncd as Commissioner OF th'
general land oiice IN Mor'h I'oN' 10
take up the practice OF 'aW' ana ms
acceptance OF his present "Ill'e III
March, 1893, he had acted as attorney
for the Cunningham group OF AiaSku'
coal claimants ana lhat ny so uoihS I
he had violated the l'Ell Pr"N'sIo"
that the former oltlcer OF tine goNe'n-
ment shall not prosecute "a c'aUl uH-
I'll two years nave Iapsed' AIS" ma
he had used his knowledge acquired III
the public service IN the case
The charges were sent TO the see
retary OF the interior ny FrtSiuenl
Taft on september o. Mr. balllhEer
visited the President at beNerlN anu
presented his side ot the case \ week
later the President started on ms IA
nous u'P "tri ,mI Io, ,,ada nnhii, n |