Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-12
Gives Committee Views About
Controller Bay Situation.
ENTRIES MADE BY RYAN
Thinks That Public Interests Have
Not Been Jeopardized.
CALLS FOR RIGID INQUIRY
Wants Responsibility Fixed II Miss
ing Letter Has Been De-
stroyed or Stolen.

Secretary Walter L. Fisher of the In
spicuous prospective witness present
when the House committee on ex-
penditures in the Interior Department
reassembled today to inquire into the
alleged attempts of Guggenheim inter-
ests to virtually monopolize the vast
coal fields Of Alaska by grabbing"
Controller bay.
That southern Alaska water front is
claimed to be the only important outlet
for the mining country where the Gug-
genheins have been active that has not
already been acquired by those interests,
and the committee is investigating acts
OF the Interior Department with reference
to the way in which the lands about Con-
troller bay were ordered opened to set
tlement.
Miss M. F. Abbott, a newspaper writer,
charged that in letter which she says
she saw. but Of which no trace has yet
been found. Richard S. Ryan of New
York, who is said to have represented the
Guggenheims, told the then Secretary of
the Interior. Ballinger. that he had sent
for Charles P. Taft and asked him to
tell his brother who I represented" after
which ''the President made no further
objections to my claim" Secretary Fish.
er has denied for himself and Interior
Department employees any knowledee Of
such letter, and he was ready today to
make statement to the committee.
Regards Public Interests Safe.
Though not subpoenaed Secretary Fisher
was allowed to make a statement, in
which he declared his conclusion that
the public interests had not been jeopar-
died by anything done in the Alaskan
case.
he said, Il have satisfied myself that
Mr.. Richard S. Ryan has obtained no
rights in Controller bay whatever that
Jeopardize the rights of any one else."
Though unaware of any dangers, he
urged that immediate action be taken to
correct any trouble that might be found
to exist, and asked to be Informed as
soon as possible If there is anything he
could do Ito protect the public interest if
jeopardized.
The ''Dick-to-Dick" Note.
Secretary Fisher asked the committee
to hasten the inquiry into the alleged
''Dick-to-Dick' letter, which cannot now
be found in the department files.
w. P. Fennell. counsel for the COM
mittee, replied that the letter was not
of SO much interest as the facts.
1T was within the power of the Presi-
dent" added Mr.. Fennell, ito throw these
lands open to all so that the race would
be to the swift. but it was not done that
way 1t was known only to a few and
those few already have obtained a mo-
nopoly Of the mineral right in that terri
tory. That Is what we want to investi-
gate"
Il am much concerned" said Secre-
tary Fisher, about the publication Of
letter which Miss NJ. F. Abbott says
she saw in the files of the Interior De-
partment and that is not there now. If
there Is any one in the department who
would be a party to the abstraction or
destruction Of public documents we
want to know 1t. Men who had been
in charge of the files in the Interior
Department have left the service and
others are about to leave. and I urge in
quiry into that as soon as possible SO
that we may take steps to place re-
sponstbility for removal of the letter
If such ever existed ! never saw such
document as described-a letter from
M Ryan to Mr.: Ballinger-and never
newspapers the other day"
Chairman Graham said the committee
would get to the matter as soon as
possible.
Secretary Fisher suggested as wit
nesses who knew about the files in the
Controller Bay case, Ashmun N. Brown.
former private secretary to Mr.. Fisher
and to Secretary Ballinger; George A.
Cove, Secretary Fishers present secre-
tary: Don NJ Carr. formerly secretary
Dol I'D
Williams. assistant to the assistant at
torney general for the Interior Depart
ment. These men, with Miss Abbott,
will be summoned to testify later.
Compilation for the Senate.
Secretary Fisher said that all the in
formation obtainable relating to Con-
troller Bay is being compiled for the SEN
ate in response to the Poindexter resolu-
ton agreed to by the Senate juno ~,
asking for a complete record Of the case.
This data, he suggested. would be avail
able to the House committee
Chairman Graham announced he
would be glad to hear from Mr. Fisher
on the merits Of the Controller bay case,
adding that the committee I'm all human
probability would ask him to appear
formally later.
Senator La Follette's Inquiries.
Secretary Fisher said his attention was
first called to the matter by Senator La
Toilette. who sought specific Information
as to the claims, identity Of claimants.
ETC., in the Controller bay region.
After thorough examination Mr.. Fisher
said he was unable to see how the public
interest had been jeopardized.
II made up my mind.' said Mr.. Fisher.
that il anything was wrong We wanted
to know 1t, and in my report to the Sen
ate I reported further information avail
able than Mr.. La Toilette had asked for.
checked the case up particularly to see
II could find anything irregular.
"I confess that I was not so much
concerned whether the method Of opening
the lands was one way or another. The
real thing I am looking for It to get
constructive results.
Matter Not Yet Decided.
IT found in my investigation that Rich.
ard 8. Ryan, after the release Of the
shore line lands, had made three entries
none Of which had been completed. He
had made an entry as a terminal for q