The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-19
Sinclair FIatIy Refuses to
Present Complete Records of
Hyva Corporation-Creates
Sensation at Hearing Of
LaFoIIette'S Investigation
SUBPOENA ORDERS HIM TO
FURNISH RECORD MONDAY
Teapot Dome Controversy Is
Brought Up at Session of
Committee Official Says He
Received Lease for Nothing,
But Assumed Responsibilities

WASHINGTON, Jan. 18.-Re-
fusal by Harry f. Sinclair to CON
cede the right of the Senate oil in
vestigating committee to the COM
plete records of the Hyva corpora
ton, Sinclair owned private in
vestment company, caused a sensa-
ton today at the committee hearing
and resulted in service upon Mr..
Sinclair of subpoena to present
the records Monday.
Mr. Sinclair accepted service of
the subpoena. In a statement pre-
pared for presentation to the COM
mlttee, he declared he was willing
to produce any records of the Hyva
corporation bearing on the matters
under investigation by the commit
tee, that he was not willing "to pro-
duee the records of the Hyva cor
poration that pertain to other mat
, tiers not pertinent to the subject
under inquil:
! stand -, Statement.
Representatives. of Mr.. SfrcIsff
said tonight that the head of the
Sinclair OH interests intended to
stand squarely behind his statement.
without power to inquire into mat
ters not pertaining to changes in
prices of crude oil. gasoline or
other petroleum products. such as
set forth in the senate resolution
directing the investigation. This
was taken to mean that although Mr..
Sinclair may take the stand tomor-
row to testify on operations of his
many other companies, the show
down hat
tee will not come until Monday.
The committee sessions previous
to the clash between Mr.. Sinclair o.
the one hand and Chairman LaFol-
lette and the committee ATTORNEY.
Gilbert E. Roe, on the other, had
been enlivened by a fitting of the
lid of the Teapot Dome controversy,
The Teapot Dome matter was
brought before the committee
through questions by Senator Brook
heart. republican. Iowa, a committee
member, who after Mr. Sinclair had
made several statements with re.
speet to the committee quickly
clamped down the lid declaring the
committee did not want to go into
the broad features of the Teapot
Dome lease as granted the Sinclair
interests by the Harding administra-
ton because that is to be investi-
gated by another committee"
The statements made by Mr.. Sin
clair with reference to Teapot Dome
included testimony that although
the least did not cost Mr.. Sinclair
anything, he assumed under it OBJ
legations amounting to between
100000 and $40. 600
Mr.. Brookheart asked what Mr.
Sinclair gave the Mammoth Oil cor
poration, operating the Teapot Dome
in addition to the contract in return
for virtually the entire stock of the
Mammoth. Mr.. Sinclair replied that
transaction on his part involved
nothing but the contract which. he
said, had a great potential value.
The senator attempted to ascertain
the value of the stock received by
Mr. Sinclair and the witness frankly
agreed that on the basis of present
New York curb market quotations
1t would be worth about 500, o00. 900
at present but said it would be diff
ficult TO sell the entire stock of g.
100000 shares on the curb.