The Washington times., 1924-02-27
AC d ON
REQUEST
BYFALL
DENLY Away at Time Order
Was Issued, Is Charge.
+ General to Testify.
By JOHN T. LAMBERT.
Cosmopolitan News NerYica.

Maj. Gen. John A. Leieune Is
today ready to testify why he
sent armed United States ma
zines to drive the settlers off
Teapot Dome at the point of
rifles and pistols.
It is understood that the old
war-dog who commands the
Sighting marines will testify that
the heavily. armed squad were
ordered out there against his own
protest by Assistant Secretary
Of the Navy Theodore Roosevelt,
whose younger brother was then
on the payroll of Harry F. Sin
clair.
Investigation Is Expected.
A Congressional investigation viii
doubtless be ordered Of the darkest
page in the recent history of the
marines.
The Mutual Oil Company and
other settlers had filed claims of
their ownership Of valuable sec
lions Of Teapot Dome. They were
never given chance to prove
their claim.
Without waiting for them to go
20 court and without a writ of
election or any other order from
any judicial body, Secretary Fall
eent the marines to Wyoming with
instructions to drive of all claim
ants at the gun-point.
The orders were given to George
Is. Shuler, now State treasurer of
New York, by Secretary Fall and
by General Lejeune. Shuler was
then captain Of marines.
Lejeune called it a delicate piece
OF work" He is said to have pro-
tested that the United States mar
Ines were not founded to make war
on American citizens, nor to carry
out the acts OF the courts in peace
were available.
Of the time and the final decision
to send the marines is said to have
come from Roosevelt.
Testimony By Shuler.
Shuler'sa testimony, now in the,
official records Of the Teapot Dome
scandals, shows that Fall was
eager to brush aside law and order
in high. handed fashion.
Shuler testified that Fall said to
him, what would you do If they
should serve an injunction on you,
signed by a Federal Judge?"
Shuler said he replied, "Mr. Sec
Rotary. I have never seen an in
junction in my life, and wouldn't
know one If 1 saw 1t, and If they
served it on me I would file it."
Fall then said, according to Shu-
Ter. II guess you will get along all
right out there"
Shuler said he then went back
and said to General Lejune, eff we
are going out there to fight the
whole State Of Wyoming we prob
ably will have to take quite a few
men, but If there Is not going to
be any fight, I probably win need
nobody"
Took Small Force.
Shuler took a small force Of men,
went out there with some of Falls
Department of Interior men, and
when he landed at Teapot Dome was
told: There is your battlefield"
He said he told the Mutual Oil
people, II am the commandant of
this here naval district" Continu-
ing, Shuler said he declared to the
Mutual Oil foreman on the job:
IT have orders to stop work in this
part OF the reservation"
The foreman said, "Well, have
orders to keep everybody outside of
this fence"
Sbuler then went on: II said, do
you realize that I am absolutely
serious about this thing. and I am
going to back up what 1 say?' The
foreman looked at the marines: they
had pistols and rifles and belts full
Of ammunition and everything that
goes with it. He said, I guess you
mean business"
Shuler said work stopped there on
Teapot Dome within ten minutes. It
was never taken up again until
Harry Sinclair put his drillers at
work.