Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-01-31
Many Other Prominent
Men With Him in Alas
ka Land Game
TOLD OF BY CLAWS
Administration Disturbed Over
Nature of Evidence That
Has Been Given.

l.
his connection with the Alaskan coal
claims as brought out in the Ballinger-
Pinchot investigation Representative
McLachlan of California today men
toned Governor Gillett and Represent
atives Knowland and Mckinley of
California as being interested in the
proposition with himself and Kinkaid
and a number of others.
Knew of No Law Violation.
McLachlan declared the proposition
was entirely a legal and ethical one.
dozen or more men of prominence
were interested in the Green group.
he said. He did not recall the names
of all of his associates He declared
he was not aware of any violation of
law and said he had paid out $4,000
as his share of the expenses.
Makes Paynter Ill.
Washington, Jan. Ex-senator Payn-
ter of Kentucky, pleading illness to-
day, resigned from the Ballinger-
Pinchot investigation committee His
place has been offered by Minority
Leader Money to several other sena-
Administrations Worried.
Washington, Jan. 31-The admins
ration is considerably worried by the
:rend of developments in the Ballinger-
Pinchot investigation.
1t had been believed that the charges
against the secretary would prove so
Indefinite as to convince the people /
hat there was no Justification for the
controversy which Clifford Pinchot had
precipitated by his policy and reseigna-
lion. The evidence given by Louis r.
CLAWS, former special agent of the
land Office, to the joint committee of
he senate and house, however, has
.urnished some precise allegations, and /.
dhers are to be made by Mr.. Pinchot /
when he goes on the witness stand this /
week
VIII Employ Lawyer.
Before the investigation began Sec I
.etary Ballinger decided that an attor-
hey was unnecessary. Now, however, /
lis friends are urging him to employ /
! lawyer, and it will not be long, it is .
believed, before he will be represented !
before the committee.
Summary of CLAWS Charges.
The charges CLAWS has made have
cen thus summarized:
1. Ballinger advised his clients
in the Wilson Coal company case
to defraud the government through
perjury.
.. Ballinger, as commissioner of
the land office, sought to help de-
fraud the government by ordering
the clear listing of the Cunning
ham claims upon an old report Of
Special Agent Love, who was pref
udiced.
g. BalIinger acted improperly
in accepting employment as coun-
sci for the Cunningham claimants
after retiring from the commits
sionership of the land Office.
T. Ballinger was behind the
Pierce decision, which, if sustain
ed, would have sent the Cunning
ham claims to patent, but which
was overruled by the attorney gen
eral
). Ballinger was misleading in
his published statements that he
has had nothing to do with the
Alaska claims since becoming sec
retary of the interior and in his
declaration to President Taft in
reference to his connection with
the Alaska claims.
6. BaIlinger asked CLAWS to de-
lay the examination of the Alaka
claims that he might have a better
chance to get campaign contribu-
{ tions.
Snys BaIIinger Advised Perjury.
Claws story of Ballinger's disposi-
ON towards the public domain was
arried back to period before Ballin-
er became commissioner of the land ]
Hice CLAWS asserted that Ballinger t
dvised his client in the Wilson Coal {
ompany cases to commit a fraud on {
lie government which involved perjury I
dummy entrymen. {
The promoter of this company was S
7atson Allen. From him CLAWS and y
ienry NJ Hoyt got statement in 1907.
ccording to the witness, that Ballin- 7
er had advised him to make an agree q
tent with the dummy entrymen. T
hereby they should convey the coal a
.nds to Allen as soon as the patents t
ere issued The deeds were executed f
the dummy entrymen and put into
te hands of Ballinger to be held in S
;crow. On the day that CLAWS took p
le stand this transaction was deGIaSad (