The Washington herald., 1910-02-15

Special agents OF the Land Office broke
into a box containing certain private
belongings Of Louis r Claws. and which
he left in a room in the post-ofice build
ing at Seattle, and are alleged to have
found a number OF copies OF important
letters and kilograms that were missing
from the official files Of the Office. which
Claws turned over TO his successor. This
fact came out in the course OF the hear
ing yesterday, and created a profound
sensation. II led 70 & sharp division OF
opinion in the committee and wrangle
among the lawyers. Claws denied absO-
lutely that he had ever had the letters
after he delivered the Office and its be
longings 10 his successor, A. c. Christen-
sen. He promptly Denounced the episode
In Seattle as "a frame-up."
Several OF the letters were in list pub
lished by Golfers Weekly last fall in
one OF the attacks made by that maga-
zine on Secretary Ballinger. When the
investigation by the joint committee IN
Congress commenced. Louis D. Brandeis.
attorney for CLAWS. requested the com
mittee to call for a number Of letters
and documents, and this list included
most OF those which were yesterday in
dispute. John J. Vertrees. Of Nashville.
Tenn, attorney for Secretary Ballinger,
VINO yesterday conducted the crOss-ex-
animation Of CLAWS, explained 10 the
joint committee that Secretary BaIlinger
called on the chief Of the field agents at
Seattle TO furnish certain letters. The
first reply TO the request was that the
documents could not be found. But they
were received on Sunday by the Sec
retary Of the Interior from Seattle. ac-
companied by an explanation from a. c.
! Christensen, successor Of CLAWS, IN which
it was stated that they were recovered
/ from box OF personal belonging which
CLAWS had left in room he had occupied
in the post-offiee building IN Seattle.
Would Have Been Foolish.
TT Is a frame-up." exclaimed Claws.
ut makes me indignant for any one to
assume that 7 would have been foolish
enough 10 have put those letters in a box
ard left them where they would have
| gone TO the very men who are trying TO
make a case against me. II makes me
/ indignant to think that subordinates OF
/ the Secretary Of the Interior would stoop
TO such methods in order TO serve Mr..
BalIinger."
CLAWS denied ever placing the letters,
In the box. He told the committee that
he believed that agents Of the Land Ofice
/ had taken them from the Office files and
placed them there for the purpose Of max
! ing it appear that the witness had ab-
/ stracted them from the files and had
refused to give them up.
/ Asked by Attorney Vertrees Il he had
/ furnished the letters, or copies Of them.
to Golfers. the witness replied that he
did not
DO you know where Golfers got the
letters?"
Il have a supposition, but no definite
I information" the witness replied.
when you read them in Golfers, did
/ you recognize them as letters that had
been in the files Of your Office al Scatter
The witness admitted that he did
| Did you give a copy Of those letters TO
anybody else?" inquired Chairman Mel
/ son.
Yes; I gave a number Of letters to the
] Forest Service
Was Seeing the President.
The letters in dispute had been some
/ that were ordered to te delivered from
the local land office at Juneau. Alaska, 10
! Special Agent CLAWS, at Seattle, while he
/ was yet in the service. They arrived in
! Seattle while CLAWS was at Beverly lay
| ing his case before President Taft On
| Continued on Page 4. Column &,