The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-02-15
Missing Land Office Letters
Found in a Strong Box at
Seattle. Which Was Prop.
erty of Witness.
CLAWS DENIES THAT
HE PUT THEM THERE
And Says That Box Was Brok-
en- Into by Federal Agents
Who Alleged They ''Found''
the Papers There.


CLAWS, the accuser of Secretary Bal
linger. was hard driven at one stage
of the proceedings yesterday before
the special committee OF the house
and senate which is investigating the
affairs of the general land office and
the forestry service.
1t was late in the afternoon and
CLAWS was under cross-examination
by Attorney J. J. Vertress. of Nash
vile. who is acting as counsel for Hal
linser. Leading up to the point which
caused something of a sensation. the
attorney asked il he had not suggest
ed some Of the papers and documents
which his counsel, Mr.. Brandes had
requested to have produced and sub
mitted in evidence two weeks ago.
CLAWS said he had.
Vertress then jumped to the matter
Of CLAWS turning over the papers In
his office to his successor, c. A. Chris
tiansen, when he had been dismissed
from the service.
"Hoid-Out" 10 Charged.
He sought to show that there were
"a papers and letters. the titles OF
ed to turn over to his successor. and
that the latter had threatened him
with civil and criminal prosecution
unless he did So CLAWS insisted that
he had turned over everything. Then
Vertrees sprung this upon him:
Isn't 1t a fact that all the time.
| since you left the service. you have
had these papers In your possession.
and that they were in a private box
kept by you in the federal building In
Seattle, and that when you were Civ
ing your attorney a list of the papers
to be called for from the land office
the originals of these papers and car
bon copies were i'm that box. and isn't
it fact that your box was broken
into only on February S last and that
these papers were found there
CLAWS Was livid.
| For the first time since he has been
on the stand CLAWS showed emotion.
The question was evidently q surprise.
and his answer showed that he was
angered. He was livid.
IF those papers were found In my
private box" he exclaimed. then they
put them there. and afterward went
and found them. I did not put them
there. and the whole thing is a frame
uD.
! The contents Of those papers did
not hurt me: they hurt Secretary Bal
linger. ! had no desire to conceal
them. If had wanted to retain them
l surely would not have kept them in
the federal building.
1T is ridiculous to think that
would leave them there. I would have
taken them away where the officials
could not have got them.
1t makes me indignant to think
that there are employees of the govern
ment who, for the sake of advancing
their own interests with their super
iors. would stoop to do a thing like
that"
Wide Latitude Allowed.
The proceedings yesterday assumed
more of the nature of a hearing in
court, with the members OF the com.
mittee as judge and jury. than they
had at any time heretofore. although
d wide latitude in the way OF ques-
tioning was allowed. and the rules OF
iesiueHCe were hot CLOSELY followed.
1t was the first real crossexamin-
alton to which Claws has been sub
jected and he stood the ordeal with.
out having his story shaken in any
material particular
Although Attorney Vertrees exhibit.
ed great skill as q cross-examiner. he
was unable to confuse the witness,
who gave evidence Of some know
ledge regarding the land laws and
court decisions pertaining to them
which counsel himself did not possess.
Vertrees was not bitter in his ques-
tioning. but at times was exacting and
thorough. He began by . series OF
questions to get down to the meat or
Glaviss charges. In doing SO he had
Claws exonerate all Of the officials
Of the land office from misconduct
except Mr. Ballinger and Mr. bennett.
1.-THE c0m mmisSiOpor-1onera1