The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-02-14
When Session Was Resumed
Today. Secretary BaIlinger
Was Represented by Two
of His Attorneys.
HAVE MADE A REVIEW
OF CLAWS EVIDENCE
Before the Opening of the
Meeting It Was Stated that
the Committee Has Finished
With CLAWS.
palladium Specially

Washington, Feb. 1.-THE BallinSer-
Pinchot investigating committee &c
sumed its hearings this morning after
a recess Of a week. to give what Sen
ator Nelson. the chairman. has seen
fit to characterize as the other side''
an inning.
The other side is recognized as the
Ballinger end Of the controversy
When the investigation began the sec
retary of the interior. who. through his
letter to Senator Jones of Washington.
has asked for an inquiry. disdained to
apepar or be represented by counsel.
but today for the first time. his lawyers
J. J. Vertress of Nashville. and Carl
Rasch of Helena. Mont. were on hand
to cross-examine the witnesses for the
prosecution" as those who are PIE
senting the accusations against Sec
retary Ballinger have been called for
the want of a better name.
Study Claws Testimony.
Messrs. Vertress and Rasch have
been spending the past ten days in
studying over the evidence given by
Louis r. CLAWS, the only witness To
testify SO far, and in familiarizing
themselves with the documents and
history Of the case. Their appear
ance has given the proceedings more Of
a judicial aspect than they have had
heretofore. Up to the present time.
although all of the twelve members
of the committee are lawyers the rules
of evidence have not been closely fol-
lowed. and there has been little or no
objection to the introduction OF any
thing which had the most remote
bearing upon the subject of the inquiry.
Henceforth with the other side to
object and cross examine. il is believed
that the hearings will have more OF
the nature of a court trial with the
members of the committee acting as
judges and jury.
Conclude With CLAWS.
Before the session began the COM
mittee had decided to conclude with
! l.. r. CLAWS and any witnesses he may
bring forward to substantiate his state
ments or who may throw further light
upon the action of the general land
office with reference to the Alaskan
coal claims. before IL takes uD that
part of the investigation relating to
Mr. Pinchot and his former assistants.
Messrs. Price and Shaw. and the fores-
try service.
| Whether the committee will seek To
probe affairs of the land office beyond
the matter of the coal lands will de-
pend very largely upon what addition
al testimony regarding the alleged
misconduct of Mr.. Ballinger Is offered
ciated with him. The scope of the
committees authority Is broader and
extends to all the doings OF the land
office, If il desires to exercise ii.
To Only One Subject.
Mr.. Glavis's charges. however. have
and his testimony has touched only
upon the matters entirely connected
with these claims. II the investiga-
| tion is limited to the question OF the
coal claims il is probable that the in
auiry into the affairs Of the forestry
service will also be limited to the part
| which Messrs. Pinchot. Price and
Shaw took in assisting Mr.. CLAWS pre-
pare his case.
Mr. Pinchot, however. has intimated
that he desired to go into the whole
subject Of conservatism as 1t is dealt
| with by the land office and the fores-
! try service. If this is done II will
very materially broaden the work OF
the committee and may lead to still
further developments than have thus
far been brought to light As Glavis's
case is confined to the coal land cases.
it remains for Mr.. Pinchot to 90 deep
er into the question of conservation
in order that the issue between him
and Mr. Ballinger may be thoroughly
threshed out