Evening star., 1924-05-09


James H. Baldwin, law partner Of
Senator Wheeler.
Booth, the witness said. entered
the Department of Justice after leaV-
ing the Interior, but was mo longer
with the Department of Justice"
Proceeding, he read several letters
he said were exchanged between
Wheeler and Campbell, in 1923, re-
lating to Campbell's oil projects, and
suggesting methods and persons from
whom the oil promoter might obtain
capital for development. In Septem-
ber, 1928. Campbell suggested that he
|, would like TO have Wheeler's law
office handle all his business, accord
ing to these letters, and got an
the inability of his Office and his law
partner, Baldwin. to handle the liti-
cation without some money.
II Baldwin was endeavoring to collect
i $1,000 from Campbell to apply on the
legal account. Campbell, responding.
that time. Wheeler wrote that Bald
win had charge of all Montana bust
ness for the law firm and asked
Campbell to take up the matter
| direct.
Wheeler ON stand.
Senator Wheeler asked the right
to take the stand. as Pratt finished,
and Chairman Borah granted it.
Senator Borah directed Wheeler TO
tell of the scope, terms and circum-
stances" of his employment as q
lawyer by Campbell.
To m Stout. Wheeler said, former r
representative from Montana, had
asked him to represent Campbell in
state courts and general litigation.
The employment began in January.
1928. after Wheelers election TO the
Senate but before his installation in
Office.
Il told Stout was coming to
Washington and was trying to close
out my business, and wasn't anxious
to take any new litigation on" Sena-
tor Wheeler said. Il finally told
Stout that if ! did take il on Bald
die all the business, except that if
it was impe rative, in the trial OF q
| case, I would come back for it,
Campbell had been having trouble
said. and he refused to take work
without cash payment of $4,000
and an agreement to receive $4,000
as retainer for year.
Property Was Valuable.
Campbell controlled property in
the Kelvin fiead, which was regarded
as valuable" Senator Wheeler said,
! Il feel quite confident that Camp
| bells syndicate could have sold out
| for 100000 at the time. The big
oil companies were coming in. But
he was in litigation with his partner
and threatened with a receivership."
Describing his legal work for
Campbell. the senator said he wanted
| the committee to understand that he
had met his client in secret on one
occasion, as was testified in the hear
| ing, because process servers had to
be avoided.
| There wasn't any wrong inference
| drawn from that" said Senator Ster,
ling, Republican, South Dakota
| "Oh, there was an inference sought
in that testimony" Senator Wheeler
replied.
! Senator Sterling asked about the
permits to drill for oil on govern.
| ment land.
There was nothing said about Per.
.nits," Senator Wheeler said of his
kcenferenees with Campbell.
Didn't you give some assurances
fthere that when you got to Washing
-ton you woula straighten up these
permit titles?" asked Senator Ster.
| ling.
Positively not to the best of my
frecollection, which I think is quite
clear" Senator Wheeler replied.
| He added that the idea was ridden,
lous." Senator Sterling cited the tcs.
timony OF members of the Canpbei]
| syndicate, and of II. c. CLOSER, to the
erect that government permits had
| been discussed in meeting with
Wheeler. The Montana senator then
! made his denials specific.
Tells OF Legal Work.
Senator Wheeler proceeded to de-
scribe the legal work he did fer
Campbell.
The only time I remember permits
coming up was at Great Falls" he
went on, when during January OF
February, during one of my visits On
the law suits, Campbell called me ia
his private Office, where there was an
| attorney for the Standard Oil of Cali
fornia- They were trying to straight
en- out as between themselves some
permit to land on which there was q
well | told Campbell then that he
could come down to Washington and
| straighten out the thing himself"
Senator Wheeler said he won Camp
| bells first suit, but found a raft
| of litigation" coming up.
He took the Pratt photostatic, iden-
tifying checks and kilograms.
A 10 Ill