Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-18
MOTIVES Of GLAVSFOR CITY BEAUTIFUL
Vertrees Ecits Spirited Re- Street Restriction Bill Approx
sponse From Brandes ed by Senate Committee.
CLASH Between COUNSEL OTHER MEASURES FAVORED
Inquiry Pncho Encouragement Feproof
Bainger Controversy. structon Indorsed.
WITNESS REPLIES BANN FOR HAIRDYE POISON
to Them Coine
1mpeac Glavs'T Testin Autborized
Vertrees EIicits Spirited Re-
sponse From Brandeis.
CLASH BETWEEN COUNSEL
Congressional Inquiry Into Pinchot-
Ballinger Controversy.
WITNESS REPLIES CRITICISED
Chairman Nelson Says They Have a
'String" to Them-Attempt to
Impeach Claws Testimony.

Continuing his cross-examination of
Louis r. CLAWS at the resumption of the
Ballinger-Pinchot inquiry today, counsel
for Secretary Ballinger drew from the
witness the fact that up to the time Mr..
Ballinger went out of office as land COM
missioner i'm March, 1908, there had been
no evidence of fraud in the Alaska coal
cases presented to the department The
Cunningham Journal which contained
evidence of alleged agreement. CLAWS
said had not been found at that time.
But the witness declared that Mr.. Bal
linger in his opinion, had not acted as a
man would if the property had been his
own instead of the governments.
AS to Mr.. Ballinger's participation in
the Wilson Coal Company case. CLAWS
admitted that he had no first-hand
knowledge and that he had testified
merely from hearsay.
Mr.. Vertrees questioned the witness
more closely than ever todya, announcing
that he was endeavoring to probe the
motive of the witness as to whether it
was innocent malicious Attorney
Brandeis rather heatedy replied that
CLAWS had no other motive than to tell
the truth.
To Impeach CLAWS Assertions.
The committee resumed its hearing at
h':12 O'Clock this morning following a
short executive session. Attorney Yer
trees. for the defense. asked that Adolph
Behrens of Seattle, Wash, be subpoenaed
10 appear as a witness before the COM
mittee.
Mr.. Nertrees announced in connection
Win the request for a subpoena for Beh-
fenS that he expected to impeach parts
of CLAWS story by the testimony of this
witness. CLAWS testified that Behrens
and Land Commissioner bennett lunched
together i'm Seattle and seemed on cordial
terms the very next day after bennett
lad told him he did not know Behrens
one OF the Alaskan coal claimants. Mr.
Nertrees said Mr.. Behrens already had
made an affidavit denying all Of CLAWS
testimony.
CLAWS Motives Questioned.
The cross-examination Of Louis r.
CLAWS was then resumed.
Mr.. vertrees questioned CLAWS at some
length regarding his motive for bringing
to the attention of the committee a lot OF
rules and regulations regarding coal land
entries In Alaska when Mr.. Ballinger had
made but one slight change in the rules.
Was il TO leave unfavorable infer
ence in the minds of the committee?" de-
manded the attorney
said he thought he had given some tes-
timony favorable to Mr.. Balinger
Was the change made by Secretary
Ballinger good or bad one?" asked Mr..
Vertrees.
L considered it a bad one''
"String" on the Answers.
The examination had not gone along
very much further when the attorney
and the witness locked horns again on
the subject of direct answers Mr.. Yer
trees protested to the committee that
Claws always ties a string TO his an
swers,'' and proceeded:
Il am trying to get at the purpose, the
motive, the object Of the witness
whether ii is innocent or malicious"
Mr.. Brandeis. attorney for CLAWS.
arose. lie declared Claws had stated his
purpose in this inquiry.
He has no other motive than TO tell
the TRUTH, shouted the lawyer. He is
bringing all the facts he can before the
comm ttee-ali that he considers impor-
tant-to assist the committee in consd-
ering Mr. Ballingers case"
Representative Graham interposed Il
don't blame Mr., Vertrees for getting i'm
patient at the constitutional hesitation
OF speech of the witness, but the witness
should be allowed 10 explain his
swers.
Chairman Nelson said: 1T is apparent
To- me that almost every answer made by
the witness has string to it. He has
made no direct answers. If We were pro-
ceeding in court of justice under rules
of ev -dence tins state of affairs would
not have been permitted. But we are
moving along without rules of evidence
and the chairman is powerless to enforce
any rules
Il want to say. however. that the COM
mittee will be able to judge of the facts
produced in this case. and the only effect
of these long answers with arguments
appended is simply to delay proceedings"
Ballineer's Unoficial Conduct.
Mr. vertrees asked CLAWS to detail the
acts of Mr. Ballinger while out of the
government service that he considered
improper Mr. Ballinser resigned as COM
missioner of the land Office March 4. 1908.
and did not become Secretary of the In
terror until March 5, 1909
His first act" replied CLAWS, was
when he returned from Washington to
USeattle. where l conferred with him and
told him OF the evidence / was securing
in the Alaska cases, and having had as
commissioner all the information concern
ing these cases, he deliberately repre-
sented the coal claimants themselves
This was contrary TO an act of Congress.
although there had been a decision favor
able and another unfavorable that
point. l thought the act of Congress en-
tirely clear and that IL prohibited his act
ing He represented claimants In the
Cunningham and other groups. l state
this OF my own knowledge and from the
statement made TO me by Mr.. Balinger
that he was doing this work"
What did he do with respect to the
Cunningham group?
He prepared affidavit for Cunning
ham which he took to MIR. Garfield with
a view of securing patents