Los Angeles herald., 1910-02-15
CLAWS DENIES
THEFT; SCATHES
WORK OF FOES
Deposed Field Chief Says
Find in Seattle Was a
Cheap Frameup'
UNDER SEVERE FIRE
Pinchot-Ballinger Inquiry
Marked by Dramatic
DenunciatiOnS
Especial to The Herald

wv IHS WHdC he termed 'Ln0 low
and unscrupulous trick of ad-
ministration officials to brand him as
a thief, Louis R. CLAWS, deposed field
chief of the forestry bureau, at the
congressional inquiry into the acts of
Secretary Ballinger, today precipitated
climax and ELECTED much applause
from the audience of distinguished per-
sons gathered to hear the proceedings.
In the course of the oss-examina-
tion, conducted by John ]. Vertrees,
counsel for Ballinger, Mr. Vertrees sud-
denly announced that small box be-
1 longing to CLAWS had been broken open
a few days ago at Seattle, while in the
keeping of the grand jury, and that
number of letters, alleged to have been
stolen from the files of the Seattle land
office, were found in the box Copies
of these letters recently have been pub
/ lished in a leading weekly.
| CLAWS angrily declared if any letters
had been found in his belongings a
frame up" had been prepared for
him. His denunciation of federal Of
f1cials who would stoop to such trick
to win favor with their superiors called
out a demonstration of applause from
the spectators. Chairman Nelson an
nounced that a repetition of the out
burst would result in the room being
cleared.
Sympathy with CLAWS
Throughout the hearings the SYM
pathies of the spectators have clearly
been with CLAWS, and they have
laughed with satisfaction as he has
made points against his questioners.
Mr. Vertrees announced that A. G.
Christensen, Claws successor as chief
| nf ha Ao1d division will he called TO
testify to the finding of the letters.
| He offered in evidence a letter from
| Christensen, giving the details of the
alleged discovery. This caused long
wrangle as to whether the letter should
be received in evidence at this time.
The matter was put over for consider
alton in executive session.
| At the morning session Mr.. Vertrees
drew from the Witness the fact that he
| had made no charges of corruption
against anyone in the land office, or in
| the interior department. CLAWS de-
clared If he had found evidence of cor
ruption he would have taken the mat
ter to a grand jury instead of to the
president.
He said he thought the facts war
ranted the opinion that Mr.. Ballinger
and Mr.. bennett had acted improperly,
and he charged them with official mis-
conduct.
Through a process of elimination the
witness cleared all the other principals
of willful wrongdoing. He SAID ne was
fully convinced that the facts he had
offered in evidence warranted the Juug-
ment that neither Secretary Balhnger
nor Commissioner bennett was fit 10
hold an Office of public trust.
AS to Assistant Secretary Pierce OF
the interior department, CLAWS declared
he had rendered an erroneous interpre-
tation of the coal land law of May,
1903. and that this decision, while not
an act of wrongdoing, indicated that he
was not fit to fill the Office he now
holds. bennett, CLAWS declared, was
nothing more than tool for Balllnger.
and would do anything Ballinger SAID
Specifies Wrong-Doing
At the afternoon session CLAWS, in
response to a question by Mr.. Vertrees,
summed up the specific acts of wrong
doing which he charged against Secre-
tary Ballinger. His statement was
long one, but was listened to with in
tense interest, and for the first time
gave a really definite statement or the
prosecutions" case.
Mr.. Vertrees indicated today that his
cross-examination will be thorough
one. The inquiry will proceed tomor-
row morning. Daily sessions will be
! held.
| Mr.. CLAWS repeated the statement he
| had made on direct examination that
he was convinced the interior depart
ment was not in safe hands and that
the peoples interests were not In safe
hands.
When the luncheon adjournment was
| taken Mr.. Vertrees indicated that he
would try all the afternoon session to
draw from CLAWS a definite statement
of the alleged misconduct of Mr.. Ballln-
/
Where the record read entirely
| coal" CLAWS declared he had said
| practically all"
| 1t was IL o'clock when the last of
| the corrections had been made and Mr..
| Vertrees took up the cross-eXamina-
| tion of the witness. He inquired first
| as to CLAWS knowledge as to the
| amount of coal in Alaska.
Coal Areas Largo
The witness said he understood the
| coal areas were large but he had never
| examined the geological survey re-
ports.
The Cunningham claims. he said,
| contained a small part of the coal
areas of Alaska-about thirty claims
| out Of 900. Mr. vetrees drew from
| the witness that the Cunningham
claims were the first of the Alaska
| claimants to pay up on their claims
and that in numerical order they We're
/ entitled to first consideration in any
| investigation that was to be made.
you made a report to the president
in September, 1902" asked Mr., Ver-
| trees.
Eyes. SIR"
"And on November there appeared
an article in a weekly paper entitled
| The Whitewashing of Ballinger;
Were the Guggenheims in Charge of
| Department of the Interior?' by L. r.
CLAWS. Are you the author of that
article?"
"Yes, sir. I'm the author of the ar
| ticle. but 1 am not responsible for the
heading or the sub-heads explaining
| the paragraphs
. did you receive anything for that
/ article?"
| mot a cent"
"You wrote it gratuitously?"
Eyes, SIR
"Your Testimony before the commit