The San Francisco call., 1910-01-30

brought the Cunningham claims to pat
ent a matter of justice.
Ballinger told me that. he was
sending the papers over TO Wickersham
with a request for a new opinion on
the act of May 2S 1908 He asked me
in the meantime not TO submit my re-
port under the Pierce decision.
Il told him 1 had already done so. He
told me TO withdraw it, and | did so. In
that report l said it would be futile to
continue the investigation further un-
der Pierces rulings"
The afternoon session was begun
with the Introduction of correspond
Miles c. Moore of Walla WalIa, Wash,
one of the Cunningham claimants
which was contained in the secretary's
statement 10 President Taft.
The reading was Interrupted once to
permit CLAWS TO tell of an interview
he had with Secretary Ballinger in Sc
attic on July 16, 1909. The Alaska
coal lands were discussed. CLAWS spoke
of the necessity OF making a field ex-
animation. Ballinger said he thought
that the claimants might stipulate TO
admit all that such an examination
would show.
SECRETARY REMAINED FRIENDLY
What was Ballinger's general atti-
tude at that time toward the Alaska
cases?" asked Senator Fletcher. How
did he impress you?7
Personally, he did not appear as
friendly as before. His only statement
as TO the Alaska cases was about the
stipulations."
CLAWS next went into some detail
about the visit of Commissioner Dem
nett TO Seattle in July, 1909. Letters
were read in this connection in which
bennett and CLAWS both spoke of each
other in anything but complimentary
terms
CLAWS testified that he had heard
bennett was writing some peculiar
letters TO Washington and had ar
ranged with the man acting as Den
netts stenographer TO save a copy of
all letters from him.
thought he was crooked" said
CLAWS, and when l went to see him
asked the stenographer to take down
all L said and all bennett said to me"
HENEY HEARS OF SUSPICIOUS
CLAWS said he had also told F. J.
Heney of his suspicious regarding Den
nett. He told Heney that the land
office at Washington was hurrying him
in the Alaska cases and expected him
TO interview 500 or more people in so
days
At this point the witness was ques-
toned further regarding his inter
views with Commissioner bennett in
Seattle and Portland in July 1903. \
personal letter from CLAWS TO. Schwartz
was read. In il CLAWS said:
Denneit and I had quite talk on coal
cases and especially that part showing him
mp He has no doubt written you stating
that am trying 10 involve him etc. lie
realizes that he had not done right. could
90 into details and tell you many things
but ] shall not do So because the purpose Of
this letter Is not to Influence You against
bennett However. do not want him TO /
impair our, friendship. which prize very
bigby. as have few real friends. II IS MY
opinion that neither bennett nor b VIII
last long.
Whom did YOU mean by b ?" the
witness was asked.
Mir Ballinger."
Was this your own opinion or had
YOU conferred With anybody else?'
asked Representative Madison
1t was my own opinion ] had not
conferred with anybody else. Other
people may have held that opinion. but
nobody had expressed it to me"
LAW READ TO WITNESS
The law prohibiting any former Off
Ger of the government from helping to
prosecute 4 claim against the govern
ment within two years after leaving
the service was read into the evidence
with decision by former Secretary of
the Interior Hoke Smith holding that
a claim meant a money claim" Rep
resentatiVe James asked that the deci-
sion of former Secretary L. q. c. La
mar holding TO the contrary, be intro
duced also.
CLAWS now came to the conclusion of
his testimony He said that il was in
Spokane, Wash. in the conservation
congress there. that be met former
Governor Pardee Of California and Gif- |
ford Pinchot. He told them all his i
troubles in connection with the coal I
land cases and Pinchot advised him to
go to the president.
The witness also brought out the |
fact that former Assistant Law officer |
A. w. Shaw of the bureau of forestry /
had gone TO Chicago to help him in his /
report to the president.