The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-04-29
JUR Y HUNTS
OR IN INALS
IN OIL CASE
Investigating Body Starts Big
Task of Finding Who Is
Responsible.
BY C. A. RANDALL

Who were the criminals in the Tea
pot Dome scandal. and what crimes
did they commit?
Answers to these questions are now
being sought by special grand jury,
called for that particular purpose in
Washington.
1t will take the jurors. who have
just begun their work. at least two
months to complete their job, accord
ing to members of the Government
legal staff, which will present the evil
dence.
Atlee Pomerene, former Democratic
Senator from Ohio, and Owen j. Rob.
erts Republican Philadelphia lawyer
who were appointed by President
Coolidge to prosecute the oil cases for
the Government will conduct the
hearings before the grand jury They
will be assisted by United States Dis
trict Attorney Peyton Gordon.
Pages of Evidence
The evidence collected by the Sen.
ate Teapot Dome committee. Which
now exceeds some 1000 pages of testi.
mony and documents. cannot be used
before the grand jury except for ref
erence purposes. As a result. MANY
Of the witnesses who have appeared
before the committee will again have
chance to tell their stories.
There will be no advance notice as
to who has been subpoenaed, and all
evidence will be given in secret.
Among the more prominent actors
in the Teapot drama who ii is thought
will be summoned are former Score.
tary Of the Interior Albert B. Fall.
Harry F. Sinclair. F. L. DohAnv. for.
mer Secretary DENLY Edward 3. Nc
Lean, Washington publisher: John c.
Shaffer Indiana and Denver rub
Usher, and Frederick c. Bonhls. owner
Of the Denver Post.
Evidence will be presented 10 the
jurors In much the same manner that
it was brought out before the Senate
committe by Senator Walsh
To Ask Indictment
Indictments will be asked against
all Government officials who misused
their official positions, and against
private citizens who entered into con
spiracies with officials for the purpose
Of defraudiug the Government.
Evidence against Fall points toward
his implication In deals with both Sin.
clair and Doheny. The two oil men.
though indictments VIII be sought
. against both, are not involved in the
same case
The charge against Doheny is that
he bribed Fall 70 grant him leases
on naval oil reserves in California.
Against Sinclair there win be a SINH
lar charge in regard to the Wyoming
| oil reserves.
Conspiracy Charged
Against Mclean there are charges
OF q conspiracy to defraud. Mclean
ala not defTaud the Government Of
money, but he did attempt to defraud
the Senate on information which It
was entitled to have. The conspiracy
statutes are held to he broad enough
to include McIean's offense as an in
dictable crime
Bondls and Shafer, 1t was shown
during the committee hearings, profit
ed from inside information about the
leasing II Teapot Dome. Whether or
not their participation in the deals
subjects them to indictment Is ques-
ton that the jury will thrash out
The jury IS composed Of twenty
three men At least twelve must
agree that evidence against man
warrants his indictment before an in
dirfrnpDt may bf. fatfir.vad
The grand jury sitting in Washing
ton will concern itself only with the
criminal features Cf the oil lease scan
dals. The civil actions for the re-
turn Of the oil properties are pending
n Wyoming and California courts,
and the fight Of the Government to
get back the reserves viii be staged
there entirely Independently Of the ac-
ton Of the Washington jury.