The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-02-17
CLAWS Tits
WITH LAWYERS
DURING INQUIRY
Verbal Sparring Lends Spice to
the BalIinger-Pinchot
investigation
Senator Nelson Clashes With
Democratic Member Over
'1ecturing Witness"

" ASfdlNGTONs E'eb. l6-Eerbal
sparring. which at times deveIoped into
sharp Tits between Louis r. CLAWS
who was again on the witness stand To-
day. and J. J. Vertrees, attorney for
Ballinger, lent spice to the congress
sional inquiry into the Rallinger-Pin-
ehot feud. Tertrees made but little
Roadway. He argued several times with
the witness on the subject of direct
answers and in one Of these disputes
Representative Graham of Illinois. a
democrat and Senator Nelson of Mime
sota- chairman Of the committee, had a
warm ooIloquy.
Fertrees questioned CLAWS as TO the
alleged necessity for a field examina
ton OF the Alaska. coal claims prior to
his making final reports.
CLAWS had declared he had not been
given time to make these examinations.
Hs admitted, however. he had been in
structed that the results Of the field ex-
sminations could be put into the rec
0rds after the evidence on other fea-
lures had been taken.
Claws said he did not agree with the
Office in this matter. He felt that the
results Of the field examinations should
40 In first, and accordingly delayed his
reports.
Nertrees and the witness had g long
argument as TO the value of the affi-
davits taken by CLAWS and his assist
ants from the coal claimants and the
use to which these could be put. The
attorney and CLAWS soon got into a
wrsngIe.
You just answer my questions and
well get along better said Vertrees.
It seems to me you should answer
the questions directed Chairman Mel
son
i submit that there is too much lee
turing Of the witness interposed Rep
resentative Graham (Den.).
Il am not aware Of that fact re-
marked the chairman.
1t strikes me differently" replied
Graham
Il am sorry to differ with you" re-
torted Senator Nelson.
The witness" stated EertreeS, tries
10 lug in an argument TO countervail
any state Of facts he thinks 1 may be
developing"
Proceed" said the chairman
The examination then proceeded
quietly for time
Nertrees sought to draw from the
witness the admission that when he
tclegraphed the department he could
Dot submit a report on the Cunning ham
claims beca use additional evidence was
available he did not know any evidence
could be obtained.
CLAWS insisted lie thought evidence
might be mad IN Alaska He was not
sure. however.
Nertrees asked CLAWS when he first
received word that he was to be sup
planted. He said July ], 1909.
a number OF letters and kilograms
dealing with the calling in of the for
estry' We're read by Vertrees. Copies of
these We're received from the forestry
today In letter dated July 16, 1908
and addressed by CLAWS to A A Sha w
former assistant law officer of the for
estry service, CLAWS said the land Of
fce, for obvious reasons" probably
would turn over certain papers to the
forestry.
But 7 have copies of them" he con-
tiuued. and they viii make mighty in
teresting reading 10 you. The reasons
for my request for a delay Will be
apparent from my reports"
Nertrees quoted from telegram of
Commissioner bennett on May Is, 1908,
which told Of an additional appropria-
ton for field work, and concluded:
Push work"
Claws said he did not regard this as
referring to the Alaska cases. and that
II. H Schwartz. chief of the field serv-
ice, did not so regard it. for on Sep
TENDER %, 1908. Schwartz recommended
10 bennett that the order taking CLAWS
of the Alaska work be revoked
Nearly an hour OF the session was
spent on q comparison OF a set of coal
land rules compiled prior to Ballinger's
service as commissioner Of the land
Office and of a set compiled by BaIlinger.
II was found that the rules referred
entirely to lands in the United States
proper and had no application to
Alaska