The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-27
Investigation Begins In Wash- ington of the Ba|IingeI-
 Pinchot Charges
FRAUD E CHAR JED IN
 CERTAIN LAND CASES
Attorney For Glsvis Declares That Secretary Ballineer Was Guilty of Series of Improper Acts as
 Commissioner.

Washington. January 26.-The Ba1linger. Pinehot congressional committee of in- quiry began it's public sessions today with Louis R. Glavis, the chief accuser of Secretary BaIlinger, on the witness stand. Due to many interruptions and the final decision of the committee to insist that Glavis counsel should make an opening statement of what specific charges were made against Mir BallIn- ger. the witness did not get very far along in his narrative. There was an opportunity, however. to draw some con clusions as to the preliminary lineup of the committee.
 In his enthusiasm over the actual be- ginning of the inquiry and the result or tendency to argue his view of the tes- tmony to be adduced. the special coun- sel for Glavis, Louis D. Brandels of Boston, had some difficulty in reducing his statement to a brief recital of the charges. but finally he summed up the lease for the prosecution" in this way
 That prior to entering the govern ment service in any capacity, R. A Bal finger acted as attorney in drawing up
 
 the Wilson Coal company cases in Lewis county, Washington, these cases being an alleged fraud upon the land laws MT Ballinger's name did not appear in the court records of the case.
 Ballinger's Shortcomings.
 That Mir. Ballingers as commissioner of the land office in 1907. did not show due diligence In Investigating the alleged frauds connected with the Cunningham coal land claims in Alaska; that he had knowledge of all the circumstances sur rounding these claims. and in spite of this entered the employ Of one of the claimants after leaving the land office and before becoming Secretary of the Interior: that he ordered these claims to be clear listed for patent without due investigation and that they would have gone to patent if Glavis and others had not intervened."
 ''It Is not any one act but series of acts and circumstances" declared Mir Brandeis, adding that ir was fer the committee to determine whether or not the lands which should be held for the benefit of the people are in safe hands
 Senators Nelson, Root and Sutherland and Representatives Olmsred and Madi- son were the more active of the com mitteemen plying the witness and his at torney with questions. and many times they referred to Secretary Ballnger's denials and sought explanations of what they considered discrepancies m state ments.
 The democratic members of the com mttee were not much in evidence today Representative James asked only ques- ton or two, and in each instance only to clarify some point at issue. Represen- tative Graham, the other democrat, took issue with Senator Nelson during the final minutes of the hearing and de- clared in certain instance the burden of proof upon the Secretary of the Interior rather than upon the accusers.
 The inquiry will be resumed Friday morning and hereafter there will be morning and afternoon sittings every Friday and Saturday.
 Attorneys For GIavls.
 MT. Glavis announced today that he would be represented throughout the hearing by two attorneys, Louis D. Brandies of Boston and Joseph is. Col ton of New York.
 Messrs. Pinchot, Price and Shaw are collectively represented by George w. Pepper. an attorney of Philadelphia Mr Pepper and the Glavis attorneys will cooperate regarding the conduct of the investigation.
 Secretary Ballinger and Commissioner Pernett of the land office have both stated that they have no desife 70 be represented by counsel
 MT. Pinchot was present with Messrs Price and Shaw and their attorneys. Special Attorney Henry L. Stinson of the departments of justice also accom- panied Mir. Pinchot. He said he was present merely as a spectator and friend Of the former forester.
 Glavis' leading attorney, MT. Brandeis of Boston, said he would not occupy the time of the committee with a preliminary statement as to what would he shown. The witness requested that his testimony be taken through an examination oy his counsel. He then was sworn and Sem ator Nelson asked few preliminary questions.
 What. if anything, do you claim to have been aniss in the administration of the public landsT' was the poser the chairman shot at the witness.
 Gavis said he could not answer the question briefly.
 Go ahead and tell it all in your own way" directed Senator Nelson.
 Glavis commenced by going back to the time when he began work as a field agent of the land office on the Wilson Coal company cases in Lewis county Washington, in 1901 and ,e2 Nh Bal finger, he said. was attorney for the Wilson company.
 Ballinger's Name Withheld.
 Glavis said he referred to these eases as leading up to the Alaska claims which formed the principal subject of the in quiry. He declared that Ballingers name did not appear in the court records of the Washington coal claims and that he did not appear in court at any time. The witness said Mir Ballinecr. however, drew up an escrow agreement and pre- pared the deeds for the clananss in the Wilson cases.
 Rallinger had no government connec- ton a the time of this appearance.
 Representative Olmstead of Pannayl- 
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