Evening star., 1924-01-21
WALSH SUBMITS
OIL PROBE DATA
Summary of Evidence Taken
at Palm Beach Given
Senate Committee.

A detailed summary and compari-
son OF the evidence taken at Palm
Beach and elsewhere regarding the
financial affairs of former Secretary
Albert b. Fall was laid before the
Senate public lands committee today
by Senator Walsh. democrat, Montana,
upon resumption of the Teapot Dome
inquiry.
1T is in evidence" Senator Walsh
told the commIltee. chat though all
or nearly all those engaged as Mr..
Fail is In the cattle business in New
Mexico are in straitened financial
circumstances and that, according to
the testimony of witnesses, he declar-
ed in 1920 that he was broke, and
lit had appeared that he had not paid
his local taxes for ten years prior
ito 1922, yet in the fall or early WIN
ter of 1921, during which time Harry
Sinclair visited Three Rivers, y. NJ.
in his private car and negotiations
We're there carried on with Secretary
Fall for lease of the Teapot Dome,
he purchased a ranch adjacent to this,
for which he paid. with the stock
the initial payment of $4,000 having g
, been made in FL Paso. Tex, in
icash-s1o0 bills which he took out of
Ia tin box in which there remained
other bills-the subsequent pay ments'
delayed until the cattle could be
delivered and the title cleared. being
made by check on local bank.
Additional Lands Acquired.
He subsequently. early In the year
1922, acquired additional lands. for
which he paid $4,000, paid all de-
linquent taxes due from him, amount
ing to $4,000: bought four Hereford
bulls for which he paid $4,000, hav-
ing introduced no new blood into his
herd since it was assembled more
than ten years ago, and installed in
connection with his ranch hydro
power for pumping water for irr:ga-
tion and, secondarily, for lighting
and other domestic uses. at cost of
from $4,000 to $4,000.
In a letter addressed to the com
mittee under date Of December 2s
1923, Secretary Fall, asserting that
ill-fiealth necessitated his communi-
eating by letter rather than appear
ing in person, stated that of the
money thus expended he secured
81 0O. 900 in cash from Edward B.. Nc
Lean Of Washington. D. c., loaned TO
him upon his unsecured note. and that
he secured further sums applicable
to the expenditures OF which mention
mas Deen mace Dy 1OdnS ITOHl Certain
banking interests in Pueblo, Col.
100000 Mclean Loan.
apparently, apprehending that he
might be called before the committee in
consequence Of the information given
it by the letter of Secretary Fall, Mr.
Mclean, then in Palm Beach, Fla,
communicated with Hon. A. Mitchell
Palmer. as his attorney, his desire to
be excused from attending its sessions
in Washington because of Ill health.
saying in that connection that he had
in the latter part of 1921 loaned 800, 000
to Secretary Fall and Offering to make
full statement under oath in writing
of the transaction"
Senator Walsh then completed the
record by submitting transcript of
the testimony given before him by
Mr.. Mclean in Palm Beach, in which
the Washington publisher said he had
made a loan to Mr.. Fall in the form
of several checks. but that all of them
had been returned to him uncashed a
short time afterward.
The Montana senator also submitted
the letter sent him by Mt. Fall saying
that this testimony by Mr.. Mclean
was accurate. and adding that he
would not go further into the sub
ject of where he received the funds
used in making the ranch purchase.