The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-07-11
Richard S. Ryan of New
York Gets Controller Bay
Water Front by Doctor
ing Of an Order.
PRESIDENT TAKES
ACTIVE INTEREST
Search Being Made for Al
legged Letter Said to Have
Been Written to Exec
utive by Brother.

TAT AsHJNGToN. July 1o.-The
NM story Of vanishing letter. both
Wv addressed and signed 'Dick, :"
from Richard S. Ryan of New
York to Richard A. Ballinger, then
secretary Of the interior, purporting 10
show that. Charles p Taft had in
huenced his brother. President Taft,
to forward the alleged attempt of the
Guggenheim interests TO acquire Con-
troller Bay. the only outlet for large
coal fields in Eoutbern Alaska, figured
in congressional inquiry begun today.
The testimony before the house com
mIttee on expenditures in the interior
department. and statements from the
White House and from Charles p.
Taft's office, failed to lift the mystery
cnshrouding the alleged letter. Com.
missioner bennett, of the general land
office. the only witness, testified he
knew nothing of it and he would not
necessarily know Of its existence and
such a letter was not recalled in any
other quarter,
Letter Not Found.
The letter was not to be found in the
files, though Miss NJ. F. Abbott, a
newspaper writer, who will testify
later. says she copied such document
from the official files. President Taft
has expressed confidence that his
brother never communicated with him
on the subject. either orally or in
writing.
Miss Abbott, already subpoenaed as
a witness, probably viii appear before
the committee Wednesday
Commissioner bennett said that
when the executive order opening the
Controller bay land 10 entry reached
his Office i, contained a provision un-
der which entrymen could not file on
the land for sixty days after the order
was issued In some way or other, he
did not know how. he said, this provi.
sion was lost or eliminated before the
final PRONUNCIATION of the order.
Provision Eliminated.
Mr. bennett said that the first draft,
which, in. accordance with the usual
custom. WAS prepared at the department
of agriculture, contained the sixty day
provision, but that it was not in the
order as finally signed by the presi-
dent.
''Who struck it outg'
81 dc not know
He did not attach much importance OF
mystery 10 that point but replying 10
questions. said the effect of the omis-
sion would be to give advantage 10 those
on the ground who happened TO know
OF the order.
II was explained later that this order
was given To the press a the time.
Among the witnesses the committee will
Ashmund Brown. Seattle
ne ewspaper man, who was private secre-
tary To Secretary Ballinger and who
according 10 Miss Abbott. was present
when she saw the alleged Ryan Ballid-
ger letter.
Commissioner bennett was examined
by w. +. FennelI. counsel for the COM
mittec, He said the Cunningham coai
lands claims were under investigation be-
fore the Controller Bay land was opened
tn entry under executive order This
land had been withdrawn in 1907.
Just prior to the start of the Gun.
ningham case. said Mr. Fennell. "ths
Controller Bay lands had been with
drawn and were In the power OF the
president?'
yes"
Order Not Held Up.
Mr.. bennett said the executive order
opening the lands had not been held up
BY the interior department He said The