The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-02-15
Says Interior Department Was
Not in Safe Hands
HE NAMES THREE MEN
Balliuger, Dennet and Pierce Not Pro
tecting the Public Pierce IN Later
Testimony Was Elm
mated.

Washington ?. g, Feb, 5.-speelal
agents Of the land office broke into 9
box containing certain belongings o.
Louis CLAWS and which he had LETT ID
a room in tie post ONCE building al
Seattle. They found so-ealled copies 81
several important letters and kilograms
that were missing from the official files
Of the Office which CLAWS had then
turned over to his successor This fact
came out in the course Of the Ballinger-
pinchot inquiry yesterday and 1t created
q sensation. Il led to sharp division
Of opinion in the committee and wran-
gle among the lawyers.
CLAWS denied absolutely that he ever
had the letters after he had delivered
his Office and is belongings 70 his &c.
cessor. A. G. Christensen, and promptly
denounced the episode in Seattle as .
eframe up Several o. the letters were
IN enc llst published by Golfers Weekly
last fan IN one Of the attacks made by
that paper Oh Secretary Ballinecr
BY a process Of elimination John YER
tress counsel for Secretary Hallinger
brought CLAWS to admit that Be made
no accusations ~ misconduct against
anybody ID the interior department, ex.
eept Secretary Ballinger and Fred Den.
net, commissioner Of the general land
office
Louis r. CLAWS tho principal aecuseF
Of Secretary Ballinger. again took the
stand prepared for grilling cross-ex.
animation By attorneys representing TIE
officials Of the interior department
The committee room vas crowded and
most Of the spectators were elderly
women. Attorneys Bfandeis and Cotton.
representing CLAWS, and occupying The
position Of prosecutors were opposed
yesterday by Attorneys yertrees AMI
Raseb, representing Alf BallingeF and
Others Of the interior department.
When CLAWS was recalled e TIE stand
Brandeis announced there were some
corrections to BE- made ia the record IF
the witness testimony. Chairman Sci.
SON suggested that these be put ID later
but AIr Vergees objected saying be did
not wish IN the midst Of bis cross-exam.
nation TO be met BY the statement that
it was a mistake.
CLAWS thereupon proceeded to make
tia corrections
When the cr0sseyaminati0n began,
CLAWS said he had made no direct charge
but had presented tie facts, and would
let people draw their own conclusions
Taken at together. the facts then,
convinced you Of what
That the land department was not
III safe hands that tbe peoples interests
were not being protected IN tie Alaska
cases
what officers ala you think were not
protecting tie people, interestsi4
@Ballinger aud Dennet And Pierce
too rendered that decision Interpreting
che act Of May 90, 1908, Schwartz took
some action I could not understand
"You thought the fact established ofi.
eiaI misconduct o. the part 81 BaIlingsr
and Dennetg"
Yes"
Anybody eisef"
Conelusisely as to those two mon. i
bad not formed an opinion a. to tie
Others
Whom did you want to aeeuse
mr. Balinger ana Mr. Dennetta
you say Ballinger and Dennet ana
Pierce were guilty Of misconduct, but
you make no charge Of corruption
If | had thought TIE facts warranted
a charge Of coruptness would have
gone to the grand jury, instead 81 to the
president
Did you think it waa error Of iudg
ment their not protecting the interests
Of the peopies
eNoi the facts showed it was inteu-
tionals