New Britain herald., 1924-03-07
Teapot Dome Witness Says Principal" Mentioned in Telegrams Was Sen ator Curtis, Not Presi- dent
Attorney General Wired Publisher He Was Stand. ing by Guns and Not to Worry-Told of Delay in Naming Prosecutors.

Washington, March 1.-The oil com. mittee was told today that Attorney General Daugherty sent a reassuring message to Edward B. Mclean in Florida on the day the publisher was summoned here to testify In fhs oil inquiry.
 Ira B. Bennett, an editorial writer on McLean's Washington Post, testi. ned that such a message was cons veyed in telegram he sent to Mo. Lean after conference with the attorney gneral.
 The message as placed before the committee included such phrases as 'all that is possible to be done will be done by us" and you know what to depend on"
 Bennett then declared that q aims liar assurance had been conveyed through him to Mclean on January 2s in the famous ''principal' message.
 Coolidge Absolved.
 The principal referred to in that message, the witness said. was not President Coolidge. as some demo- cratic senators have guessed. but Sen- ator Curtis
 He testified that Curtis had told him the publisher should not be dis tlrbed. that 1t would be "all right"
 As partially decoded and placed in the committee record the message that Bennett said Attorney General Daughorty had sent through him to Mclean was as follows:
 Daugberty's Pledge.
 I'm at Y's elbow and standing at the guns. All that is possible to be done will be done by us so you should worry Delay selection of prosecutor.
 Give Evelyn (Mrs. Mclscan) my love. l don't want Evelyn to be dis turbed as long as I am on the job. You know what to depend on. The fight Is on me and I am ready for them and feeling fine"
 Curtis Reassuranccs.
 The principal" telegram of Jam uary 20, in which Bennett said he meant to convey assurances from sen- ator Curtis, said:
 Saw principal. Delivered massage He says greatly appreciates and sends regards to you and Mrs Mclean. There will be no rocking the boat and no resignationa He expects rs. action from political attaclxs"
 At a conference that morning, Ben nett said, Senator Curtis had told him to tell Mclean that he need not wor. " as he had done nothing except to stand by Albert B. Fall. One sentsnos of the telegram, the witness declared. related to impressionse he had re. ceiyed from President CoolidEe's rens cral conference with the washinetou correspondence that day at the White House.
 The February 14 message, he cops tinued, Contains substantially whaf Mir Daugherty told me-"
 "Mr. Daugherty was ooncsrued about Mrs Mclean" Bennett ooutin. ued. T think the telegram didn't use his words. He said something like Love to Evelyn"
 The expression about delay in s>- lecting a prosecutor, he said, appears cd to refer to the presidents selection of counsel in the oil cases.
 Changes Testimony.
 At first the witness had said he thought the assurance came from Wilton J. Lambert, McJean's attor- hey, and that he was the man re- ferTed to in the message as '.x." But this message says The fight is on me-" said Senator Walsh, demo- cratic, Montana What does thai mean? There was no fight on Mir. Lambert, was there?"
 T don't know"
 This doesn't hook up," Senator Walsh went on. "Mightn't x have been somebody else? There's a good portion of this message which doesn't mean anything at all, if it is Lam1 pert"
 T can't help that"
 "on February I4 you sent a mes- age mentioning Il h., Senator Walsh said, about a conference"
 Referred To Daugbciit,.
 That. l think. refers 10 Mir. Daugh- srty." Bennett said. "I don't think l iaw him that day. but finally saw him he same day or the next"
 ''lf we should assume that the code message Of yours referred to Mir. Senator Walsh said. that would connect upg"
 Strange as f may seem. that mss- age contains substantially what Mr. told me as we'll as Mr. lambert"
 Senator Walsh then read the ''prin- .ipal" teiegrams of January g.
 I'd like to explain" Bennett be- ,an. The second part of that mes age refers to my own opinion. which got from attending the White House lewspaper conference.
 Refers To Curtis.
 sThe first part. the principal re- CTS 10 Senator Curtis"
 Mclean. Bennett continued, had -iven him a message 10 deliver to