Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-05-28
OF Statement Before BaIIinger-
Pinchot Committee Rejecting
On C. P. Connolly.
He HAD BEEN MISlNFORMED
Vertrccs Continues His Argument An
Tending the Secretary.

Washington, May ab.-WhCn the Ball
Hnser- Pinchot investigating commit
tee met today. Representative Mccall
of Massachusetts,. presiding in the abb
sence OF Chairman Nelson. read a lee
ter from Asst. Atty. Gen. Oscar LawIor.
under date of today, retractlng his
statement before the committee re-
fecting ON G.. p. Connolly. a magazine
writer
What be had testified about Mr. Con
molly. he said. he had believed 20 be
correct. but in view Of Mr.. Comet
ly's letter read To the committee yes
tcrday, he judged he had been misin-
formed. He said he did not intend 10
do any wrong 10 Mr.. Connolly and took
that method Of making public retrac-
tion.
Mr.. Connolly instituted suit for S70.-
600 damages for Islander against Law
Ter yesterday In the supreme court OF
the District OF Columbia.
vERTREEs' ARGUMENT.
Mr.. Vertrees. counsel for Secy. Bal
llnger, then proceeded with his argu-
ment. taking up the Cunningham coal
cases. He referred at length TO the
legal situation I'm Alaska as far as the
land laws were concerned. He asked
members OF the committee to rcmem-
ber that when Mr. Ballingor went into
Office as commissioner OF the land Of
fee on March 4. 1907. the Cunningham
cases had been advanced nearly TO
completion.
Everything had been done" he said.
except make the final payments and
get receipts and certificates"
Mr. Ballnger. he said. had come into
office under circumstances which ought
10 preclude he suggestion that he did
anything except his duty.
Mr.. Ballinger.' he said, accepted
this office with reluctance. When IT
was rendered him he declined H. which,
II seems 90 me. utterly prcCludcs the
idea that he entered n for any inn
proper purpose he had no interest
directly or indirectly In any Of these
claims He entered the Office with the
single idea to the discharge OF his
duty"
II the committee should decide
against Secy. Ballingcr. said MI Yer
trees they would have 10 cast imputa-
ton upon every man I'm the interior
department who had anything 20 do
with the Cunningham claims
They must proceed on the assump-
ton that these men are not TO be be-
lieved." he said.
BoGIE OF THE WEST.
Testimony against the secretary was
termed "malevolent Voceiferatlon.' by
the attorney who declared that Their
had been no substantial charge sus-
tanned against him.
arfr -. I.a hY
Of the west" said Vertrees with em-
| phasis. II assume he is like other
men. he has his virtues and faults. lie
/ built q railroad in Alaska without amy
stock OF bond issue, and. with his own
me acy. and that seems 20 be a good
| thing To me"
/ Reading extensively from the print
] ed testimony. Mr.. Nertrees declared
/ that Special Agent Jones and Others
! who took ahldavits Of coal claimants
/ made "a record only Of such statements
as they believed 20 be damaging e.
/ the persons making the claims.
mo act Of two interpretations ever
receives an honest one at their hands
I he charged. referring 20 CLAWS, Jones
! and others who had been interested IN
| the Cunningham cases and were in OPP
/ position 10 Secy Ballinger.
II anything wrong was done at all
/ by Ballingcr. II was the clear listing
/ Of the Cunningham claims" said Nor-
! tees He added that the order clear
/ listing the claims was made on tho
/ report Of Schwartz, chief Of the field
| service, that il was the right thing "a
do and that the record sustained that
/ Interpretation.
But" he added. my position is that
! 81 the records did not sustain Schwartz
/ Interpretation Of them; II he said e
. IN FL.
/ ana that the claims ought 20 be clear
/ listed. nothing short OF malice could
| impute wrong doing 10 Mr., Ballingci
| in clcar-listing them"