The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1924-03-26
Move Made
to In1peach
C.. c. Chase
Resignation of Falls Son.in.
Law Submitted Before
Senate Passes Resolution
Charging Conspiracy.
Action by House Urged

Washington, March 25.-Impeach-
ment of Clarence c. Chase, son in-law
OF Albert B. Fall, as collector of Gus
toms at Ell Paso, Tex, was proposed
today by the senate as an offshoot of
| its oil inquiry.
A resolution presented by Senator
Walsh, the oil committee prosecutor,
and adopted by unanimous vote,
charged that Chase had conspired
with the former interior secretary
TO 'mislead and deceive" the oil in
vestigators, and called upon the
house, which has the sole power of
| Initiating impeachments. to. take such
steps "as may be appropriate.
! Later 1t was made known at the
White House that Chase had sub
any mitted his resignation immedi-
ately after his refusal yesterday to
answer any questions before the oil
committee. but that it had not yet
been accepted. Senators said the de-
velopment would have no effect on
the proposed impeachment proceed
ings.
senate resolution was referred with
out comment TO the judiciary. COM
mitee which meets tomorrow. Com
mittee members indicated there would
be no undue haste. but that some
time in the near future a course OF
action would be recommended to the
house.
To Press Contempt Charge.
While the senate was debating the
Walsh resolution. law officers of the
government began preparations to
press a charge Of contempt against
Harry +. Sinclair, lessee OF Teapot
Dome. who also has refused to testify
before the oil committee. challenging
the authority of congress to compel
the attendance OF witnesses before its
committees.
District Attorney Gordon conferred
With special oil counsel and Chair
man Ladd and Senator Walsh and 1t
was indicated that an indictment
would be asked this week OF a grand
jury now sitting in the District of
Columbia. The conference took place
within a few hours after tho formal
order of the senate had been signed
by Acting President Moses and sent
to the district attorney.
Should an indictment be returned
there would be put squarely up to
the federal courts the question of the
authority OF congress. and Senator
Walsh said that IL this were sus.
| tained. Sinclair probably would be
hailed before the bar of the senate for
contempt and placed in the custody
of the sergeant-at-arms until he
agreed 20 answer questions.
Thatcher Testifies.
| Today's open session of the com.
mittee itself was brief and devoid OF
sensation. NJ. ID. Thatcher, president
of the First National bank OF Pueblo.
Colo. testified TO loans of slightly
more than 100000 TO Falls cattle
company by the NJ. d. Thatcher es.
tate company. and Senator Walsh
commented later that the evidence
before the committee shows that, Fall
has received n total of ss2 900, the
source OF which has not been dis.
closed.
Thatcher told the committee ar.
rangements had been made for the
estate company to advance $4,000
to the cattle company for improve.
ments. but that this sum had been
increased by 1000 through an over.
draft which was taken care OF In a
note.
The only other witness was Ander-
son II. Taekett. accountant of the
Federal Trade commission. who said
a clerk in the Washington broker.
age firm of w. B. Hibbs and com.
pany had told him that the late Jesse
w. Smith and Attorney General
Daugherty' had joint account with
that firm in 1929 under the title "W.
w. Spaid No. g." lie could not give
definitely the results OF the transac.
tons of this account. but said the
losses might have amounted to SEA-.
600.