Evening star., 1924-01-30
FALL At BREAKING
POINT, 4 DOCTORS
TESTIFY IN PROBE
Committee FlatIy Told For
mer Secretary Too III to
Appear Before 1t.
HEARING IN SICK ROOM
PROPOSED BY COUNSEL
Anrulment Measure Expected to
! Pass Senate Today-House
Hears Officials.

rs the. government moved today
through one of its two newly APP
pointed special prosecutors to open
prosecution of the Teapot Dome oil
lease case four physicians appeared
before the Senate investigating COM
lGittee and announced that Albert Is.
Fail, on the verge of complete nerv-
Gus collapse, cannot testify at pub
lie hearing.
At the same time, just a few min
utes before the Senate renewed con-
slderation of the Walsh resolution.
Silas H Strawn, who, with former
attorney General Thomas w. Gregory,
Will act as special government pros
, ecutor, conferred at length with
. President Coolidge upon his initial
steps in the case.
In the meantime the House was
launched urDn an inquiry of its own
into certain phases of the Sinclair and
Doheny leases. Rear Admrals Lati-
mer. Gregory and Griffin were closely
questioned about the construction at
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, of numerous
large oil tanks at the United States
naval base in the Pacific.
Many Measures Wait Vote.
Besides the Walsh annulment reso-
luton, passage of which is expected
today. The Senate has on its waiting
list resolutions asking for removal
sof Secretary DENLY and Attorney
General Daugherty: one proposing to
reassert title to oil land in California
neld by Standard Oil: and one ap-
propriating 100000 for the court
Il. Il
mlttee to 1rovide that the special
counsel employees must be confirmed by
the Senate
The physicians attending Mr. Fall
natly told the Senate committee that
the former Secretary is in no condi-
ton to appear before it and testify.
The hearing was behind closed doors
and details We're not divulged. 1t
tors related how Mr.. Fall had re-
manned in his room continuously
since his arrival in Washington last
Thursday night, had shown little. il
any, improvement from day to day,
and had reached a stage of nervous
exhaustion threatening collapse.
Opposed Questioning.
Committee members questioned the
witnesses at length regarding the
cause of this condition, but the re-
plies We're not made public. The
physicians insisted that il would be
inadvisable under all the circum-
distances to attempt to take the former
vSecretary to the Capitol for ques-
, ,tioning. The purpose of the hearing
was to enable the committee to de-
eide whether it would call Mr.. Fall
berore IL or appoint a subcommittee
to examine him in his sick room, as
suggested by his counsel
Since he came to Washington the
une-time head of the Interior De-
partment has been in the apartment
of j. w. Zevely, counsel for Harry F.
n1.Jt i,, Il .u-n
house IN Northwest Washington. Ar
,Iiving late at night from New Or
Cleans in company with Mr.. Zevely. he
Twas taken to the apartment to remain
until morning and it was said he then
would go to a hotel. He has not, how
ever, left the place since.
Asks Sick Room Hearing.
At the conclusion of the examina-
ton of the physicians Mr.. Cooke
renewed his request to the committee
that it go as whole or send a sub
committee to question Mr.. Fall at
the home of J. w. Zevely, Harry
+. Sinclair's personal counsel, who
has testified that he arranged for
loan of $4,000 from Sinclair TO Fall
three months after Mr.. Fall left
the cabinet. The doctor witnesses
We're John Wharton, physician to MIR.
Fall and his three cOnsultants, Drs.
William Mercer Sprigg. Henry c.
Parker and Caryl Burbank.
The committee decided to appoint
three disnterested physicians to ex-
anime Mr. Fall and report his exact
condition. These physicians will be
selected by Senator Walsh. democrat
/. Montana. who has been most prom
ttnent in the investigation, and Sena-
tor Smoot, republican, Utah.
Doheny Returns to City.
While the committee was determin-
ing upon it's course with respect to
the examination of Mr.. Fall, Edward
J.. Doheny arrived at the committee
room with his attorney, Gavin McNab.
1T was explained that he had returned
voluntarily, but he would not discuss
fu advance what new evidence he
might give. He and his counsel wait
ed in an anteroom, shielded from
photographers and crowd that had
collected in the corridors. Mr.. Doheny
was not heard, however, and the COM
1nittee adjourned until Friday, when
it will receive the physicians report.
Mr.. StrawD. after he had conferred
with the President. announced he
would proceed Immediately with his
work. Organization matters will await
the arrival Friday of Mr.. Gregory.
The only directions received from the
President, Mr.. Strawn said, 2wefe to
proceed in accordance with the Execu-
lives statement of last Saturday mid
night This statement declared coun-
sci would be instructed ito prosecute
these cases in the courts, so that IL
.Jhere is any guilt it will be punished;
vi there is any civil liability it will be
enforced; if there is any fraud it will
be revealed, and If there are any con-
tracts which are Illegal they will be
Cancelled"
To Meet Committee.
Mr.. Strawn also made appointments
70 confer today with members of the
Senate investigating committee, and to
secure from the Department Of Justice
all evidence 1t has collected since it was
instructed by the President to observe
the course of the inquiry.
Both republican and democratic lead
ers in the Senate pressed for a vote to-
day Oh the Walsh oil lease annulment
resolution.
Debate was renewed Immediately after
the Senate convened, Senator Norris,
eepubican, Nebraska, a former member
bf the oil committee, making an i'm
pressive exposition of his views He
declared he approached the subject
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