New-York tribune., 1910-02-17
CLAWS EVASlVE
QUESTIONS.
PROGRESS Made in Bolhnger-
Pinchot inquiry.
From The Tribune Bureau J

rFrorn The Tribune Bureau
,-oshinpton. Feb 16.-Substantial prog
ras made to-day by John j. Nertrees'
..,ornex for the officials of the interior
Don.rtr,ent. in the development OF his plan
70 discrsdit the testimony OF l.. X CLAWS
Eror, the maze of irrelevancy Two
.trlrinr facts were brought to the atteh-
zion of the committee through the tenacl'y
of Mr. Vertrees. One of these Is 1ilustra'i'o
of the general tenor of the CLAWS testiiiohy
,nd is indicative of the clear purpose VI
the witness to lead the public, by insinua-
tious and half truths, to draw erroIeouS
and wholly unwarranted conclusions iIoi''
his statements. In his direct testimony MI
CLAWS interpolated the observation tnat NC
thought it strange and peculiar that M''
Balinger, soon after he became CoHiiiio
sioner of the General Land Office. formu-
lated a new set of regulations reiatins "
the requirement of coal lands.
Mr CLAWS thus left the impression on the
committee that ne believed Judge Baliinser
was Influenced in the drafting OF these reg
ulations by a desire to make it easier for
claimants to acquire coal lands In Alaska
In his cross-cxe nination to-day CLAWS
talked all around this question. until finally
Senator Nelson pinned him down to an ad-
mission that the coal regulations to which
he had referred in his direct testimony had
no relation whatever to Alaska and applied
only to coal claims in other portions of the
United States.
BEATS AROUND QUESTION.
CLAWS then sought by insinua.ion to con-
vey the impression that the new regulations
affected the Wilson claims. in which, he al
Ieges. Mr.. Ballinger appeared as an attor-
L. T. to- xi,A t1r11Ny Nylt
service Under persistent cross-exanination
CLAWS finally admitted that these regula-
tions had no bearing whatever on the VIII
son claims but sought to convey the i'm
preston that the Balinger regulations
made it easier for claimants to acquire pos
session Of valuabl coal lands
At this point various members OF the
committee began asking questions and
there seemed to be general confusion as
TO the facts. Finally Mr.. Vertrees took
up the tangled threads and by persistent
questioning drew from the reluctant wit
ness an admission that the regulations
prepared by Judge BalIinger were ap-
proved by Secretary Garfield and were even
more rigorous than the old regulations
Perhaps that was why he though them
strange and peculiar" suggested Rep
resentative olmsted amid laughter
The second proposition TO which Mr.
Vertrees directed special attention was the
statement of CLAWS that he was taken on
the Alaska coal cases early in May. 1913.
and not authorized to resume his duties
until October of the same year. II was
not until Mr. Nertrees had rephrased and
restated his questions many times that
CLAWS admitted that he had been taken of
the Alaska cases because certain cases
In Oregon demanded immediate attention.
because the statute of Limitation was about
TO run and that the appropriation for in
vestigafions was depleted.
CLAWS admitted that he was In full
charge Of the Alaska cases. and that on
May IS. 1908. after the passage by Congress
of the appropriation bill. Commissioner
Dennet had wired him that a bill carrying
800 nd1 for neld work. half of which was
Immediately available. had passed Con-
gr-ss. In this telegram Mr.. bennett told
Claws to push work.. and followed this
Immediately with letter commencing
Cilaviss work on the Cunningham cases
and telling him 10 proceed with the inves-
tigatiop.
TILT IN COMMITTEE.
Mr. vertrees tried to make the witness
admit that this telegram and instructions
sent to Claws on June 3. 1905. gave him
ample authority to proceed with the
Alaska claims and constituted directions
n do SO. CLAWS insisted that he did moth
inC because lie did NOT receive specific
instructions 70 resume his activity IN the
Alaska cases until October T. 1ans, when he
was directed To complete his Investigations
within sixty DAYS. CLAWS admitted that
even then he did not resume his Alaska
Investigations until the following spring.
The first tilt among the members OF the
committee occurred to-day when Mr.. Yer
trees repeatedly asserted that CLAWS was
not answering his questions. Representa-
tive Graham. one Of the Democratic mem
bers OF the committee. said he thought
there was too much lecturing of the wit
ness BY Mr. Tertrees. Senator Nelson saih
he did not think So and that the attorney
was merely trying 10 get an answer TO his
question. Mr.. vertrees said he was not
trying to lecture CLAWS. but thought he
was entitled to answer without an argu
ment being "lugged in by the witness for
the purpose Of discrediting what the at
torney was trying to bring out.
A little later Mr. Fertrees wanted to
know when Claws first received word that
he was 10 he succeeded by Special Agent
Sheridan in charge OF the Alaska coal
claims. The witness was not sure, but
thought IL was about July I. He was pro-
ceeding to explain when he received later
notices of the coming of Sheridan. when
Senator Root said the question had been
answered. REPRESENTATIVE Graham insisted
that CLAWS should be permitted 10 proceed
in his own way. Mr. Root objected.
At this point Mr. Brandeis attorney for
should read the question Mr.. Root re-
newed his objection, saying IL had been
read or asked three or four times already
Representative James. a minority member
of the committee. moved that the question
be read This motion was defeated the
Republican members of the committee
voting against it.
The hearing was adjourned to Friday
morning.