Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-05-01
Dill INVESTIGATORS
DECLINE To QUIZ
MRS. JAKE HAMON
Bitter Row Breaks Out
Among Committee Over
Responsibility for Sum-
Widow Dismissed

WASHINGTON, April 29.-Mrs.
Jake l.. Hamon, widow of the Okla
homa oil man and Republican poll
tician whose name has been linked
with many stories about political
financing in 1920, had a fleeing day
in court today before the senate oil
committee.
She was not asked a single ques-
ton, and was excused after a quar-
ter of an hour OF waiting on the
witness stand while the committee
senators Wran2Ied and finally COM
pletely disagreed as to who was re-
spOnsible for her summons to Wash
ington.
Called here from Chicago, Mrs.
HamOn had been given an extension
of time by the committee to enable
her to go to Oklahoma and get pa
pers and letters belonging to Hamon,
which were to tell at last the inside
story of his connection with the Re
publican party machinery and prove
or shattcr the dramatic stc!y of
how he spent a million dollars to
nominate Harding and in return was
to have been appointed secretary of
the interior.
Appearance Stirs Crowd
A visible stir swept over the com
mittee room, packed with a crowd
including many women, when she
swept up to the committee table
dressed in flowing black dress and
carrying in her hand a lily. Another
witness was teStifyng about geolOg-
ical formations in the oil reserves
but he was excused soon after Mrs.
HamOn appeared and the committee
clerk called her to the stand.
Then began one of the bitterest
personal rows that has characterized
the long and turbulent sessions of
the oil committee. Senator Spencer,
Republican, Missouri, objected be-
fOrehand to the admission of her
testimony, and Senator Walsh, Dem
Ocrat, Montana, the committee pros
ecutOr, replied that he bore with
due humiliation" the rebuke of the
Missouri senator Mr.. Walsh added.
however, that all responsibility for
the visit of Mrs. HamOn to Wash
ington must rest on Senator Stan
field, Republican, Oregon, WHO in
turn retorted that Senator Walsh
was not stating the facts.
"He only has mentioned her
name" Senator Stanfield said. "in
suggesting how the committee
might run down some Of the SEN
sational stories told it about Hamon
by All Jennings and others
Then there was a dead silence,
and the committee chairman, find
inc "a tn To ocI- n
question, told the witness that her
further presence would not be re-
quired.
New Row Develops
Immediately Mrs. Hamon had
taken her departure, committee
members INDUCED in another row
over admission to the record Of one
of a group of kilograms bearing on
the oil deal story
Referring to the recent testimony
Of II. w. Ballard, of Los Angeles, in
which he stated Harry Chandler and
William Randolph Hearst could give
information about a conspiracy" to
control the Republican national con-
vention in 1920, Senator Stanfield
announced that he had telegraphed
the substance of Billiards. statement
their replies. The replies deny
knowledge of the matter. and have
been published
Senators Walsh and Adams, Dem
ocrats, Colorado, objected to placing
in the record a telegram which Sen.
ator Stanfield asserted showed Bal.
lard had a police record. They in
sisted if witnesses We're to be called
n oh Dol no
the committee should have a chance
to examine them and should not &C.
cep thearsay evidence.
1t was decided finally to admit to
the records the kilograms sent
Chandler and Hearst and their re-
plies, but to exclude those referring
10 Ballard
GeolOgiSt Is Heard
The committee previously had lis
tened to expert testimony regarding
conditions in the oil reserves.
Willard w. Cutler, Jr., a petroleum
geolosist, and former employe of the
bureau of mines, was examined with
reference to the drainage of oil from
sections 1 and on Naval Reserve
No. l in California. He testified that
by the failure to drill offset wells, the
government lost on the sections be-
fore March 4, 1921, royalty oil worth
$3,200,000.
With reference to section 81 in
reserve No. l, owned by the Pacific
Oil company, and section SO. owned
by the Standard Oil company of
California, Cutler stated the offset
wells on the reserve proper were nOl
sufficient in number to prevent the
! loss of government oil.
Mrs. Hamon entered the commit
tee room while Cutler was testify
ing and when he concluded she was
called to the witness stand.
Mrs. Bryan Abandons