The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-05-11
WON'T ASK TAFT FOR BRIEF
BALLINGER-PINCROF COMMIT
TEE 10 SEEN IT ELSEW RERE.

Report Witch laNIsr PREPARED On Claws
Nul Ne Got ~ ThFOagh Investigates
and Not ThFOuEh the Presldeal. tS
Whom iIe Gave u Last September.
WASHINGTON. May IO.-A request that
the Billinger- PinohOt investigating com
mlttse call Tor the original copy Of the
resume OF the evidence 10 the Claws
oharges prepared by Oscar lAWler, As-
aiatant Attorney General for the Interior
Department, for President Taft was
submitted to-day by l., d. BTandess,
counsel for l.. r. Claws A request
was also made that Mr.. IAWlsr b ~
qnired 20 furnish = copy ot this resume
or report.
AZ the morning session ot the com
mitteo it was announced by Chairman
Nelson that the committee had not passed
on the request. late In the afternoon
the chairman said that the COMMITTEES
had decided 70 grant the request in 90
far a. Il called on Mr.. LAWYER. but that
the COMMITTEES had decided not 10 call
on President TAgt for the original copy
Of the brief
Some mystery surrounds this dOcu-
mcnt. - it never was heard Of oh.Cially
in the oaSe until IN the course Of bic tss-
timony last week Secretary Ballingsr
said that Mr.. LAWYER had ACCOMPANIED
him TO Beverly last September and later
returned 70 that place With . memoNn-
dunn covering the case which wa sub
mitted % the President.
-. ~
by the senate 20 transmit all doeumsnts
used or considered by him 10 tha prepAFns
ton OF bic decision sKOneTAtinR Mr. Raj
niger and condemninR Claws be cent
IN great mass Of paperp. but the tAvlSR
brief was not among them. Mr.. Bran-
deis 10 trying 10 get the original or copy
81 the original Ot this LAWYER brsg IN an
effort. t s understood. to SHOW lie
striking resemblance N the Presidents
opinion In the case.
Chairman Nelson and Attorney Bran
deis had an argument. Chairman Nelson
IN the course Of a discussion Of the rele-
vancy Of question expressed the opinion
that u vas Of no importance
Mr.. Chairman aaid Mr.. Brandeis
With emphasis. i think IL 10 important
You need not snAp at mel shouted
MT. Nelson. You can insult witnesses.
bat you cannot insult the committee
Before Mr. brandeis could make a reply
a woman among the spectat inter ieCtsd,
The COMMITTEES has no night TO insult
him either
No reply was made by any member
Of the committee Mr. BTandeis offered
no apology 70 senator Nelson; the assist
ant sergeant at arms called Order.
and the incident was closed.
In hls crOss-eNamlnitiOn OF Secretary
j Hall NJ a Nta.a.
81 questions Intended 20 show that men
who were claimants TO Alaskan coal lands
were active IN the election Of senator
Samuel II Piles Of Washington IN 1906.
I aud were later influential IN bringing
about the appointment o. Mr. Ballinger
a. C1mmissiOneFo Of the General Land Once
and later still disappointment a. Secretary
of the Interior senator sutherland
objected and a wrAngle IN which all the
members o. the committee took q hand
followed Il lasted more than an hour
Finally. after getting some evidence
into The record supporting his point
Mr. brandeis took another tack. Teverting
again 10 tho clear listing Of the Cunning
ham claims
Mr. Ballinger reiterated his statement
that he was justified in clear listing the
claims. and would do the SANE thing again
on the same record A. tae afternoon
session Mr.. BFandeis took ~ the question
~ Mr. RallinRer having acted az counsel
Tor the Cunningham claimants IN IoU
and tired 70 show that was in violation 81
rules u the Department Of the Interior
Mr BallibGer. while admitting that the
rules had hsen made. insisted that there
was nothing illegal or improper IN what
he had done. aud said that the rule
amounted 20 nothing " there was not a
specific statute "a back IL up He also
admitted the Departmental rules had not
been called 20 President Taft'a attention,
but said he had regarded them a. Of no
/ importance.
/ The point Was brought on: again that
Secretary BallinReT had had stock in two
/ companies In behalf of which he had taken
I matters up with the Interior Department.
! bur the Secretary insisted that there was
! no improperly IN that and that II was %
/ no Significance az bearing upon his fitness
! for the "ffice he holds.
The COMMITTEES will continue the hear
ing on Thursday. Friday and saturday
: and II h. possible that the crosse 4arr ina
/ ton Of Mr.. Ballngsr VII he concluded
I this week.