The Washington times., 1924-03-19
DE.TANSOF
PLOT ARE
TOLD To
SENATE
Ohio Official Intimates Deals
Were understood" at Re-
publican Convention.
By KENNETH CLARK,
International News Service.

uVOHAA~SSAOAA9A ~NOW0 GCHNACCS
Maj. Gen. Leonard Wood was
approached at the Chicago con-
vention by representatives Of ''big
oil interests" who offered to sup
port him at that critical stage Of
the proceedings if he would name
ian oil man" Secretary Of the
Interior, Tiffin Gilmore, deputy
secretary of State of Ohio, testi-
fled today before the Senate Oh
Lands Committee.
Gilmore said Wood had turned
the offer down after pacing up
| and down the room for some time,
finally saying:
"This is a shady deal, and I
won't have anything to do with
it."
Was Wood Supporter.
Under close questioning by Re.
publican Senators, Gilmore adj
mitted he had no personal knowL
edge of the transaction himself
but declared he had heard it
around the convention. Gilmore
himself attended the convention az
Wood supporter, and was identi-
fled with the anti-Harding and anti
Daugherty contingent from Ohio.
After the convention was over
and the Ohioans were returning
home on the train, Gilmore said
he asked Carrni Thompson, one
Of the Harding managers, what he
wanted with that land" Thomp-
son replied, Gilmore said, that
there had been some oil struck on
the land.
Intimates Deal Was Known.
HE knew what meant, and 4
knew what he meant, too" said
Gilmore, leaving the plain infer
ence that the Harding managers
had made some sort Of a "deaf'
whereby certain public lands were
to be leased in the event Of Hard
ings election.
Senators did not. however, pursue
this line Of questioning, and after
Gilmore had said he had no actual
personal knowledge Of the transac-
ton, he was excused, and Col.
Thomas Darden, a friend Of the
late President and Of Attorney Cen
eral Daugherty, was called to the
stand. Darden was one Of those
elected from Teapot Dome.
Harry F. Sinclair, lessee Of Tea
pot Dome oil reserve, who Is now
in the West preparing to contest
the Governments suit to cancel hts
Loo o11hrnonond g.
turn to Washington and appear be.
fore the committee Friday.
His ex-secretary, G. D. Wahlberg,
whose revelation to Archie RooSe-
welt resulted in the latter's retire
ment from Sincluir's employ and
his subsequent reporting to the oil
committee his suspicious of the
lease, was instructed to report here
Thursday.
Political Deals Probed.
The committee today plunged into
an investigation of the political
deals" that were reported to have
been made during the Chicago con.
vention in 1920, summoning Gil
more as the first witness. Gilmore
attended the convention with the
Wood faction from Ohio that op.
posed the nomination Of Harding.
Gilmore said he was accompanied
to the convention by George Sun.
day, son Of Billy Sunday, the evan.
Relist; Charles Fl. Gerry. Harry r.
| Wolf, George Berber, Harry A. Mac
Kenzie, Harvey c. Smith and Rob
ert F.. Wolf, owner Of the Ohio
State Journal.
Ibid you see Carmi Thompson"
Yes. coming home on the sleeper
from Chicago"
Carmi Thompson, Of Cleveland,
has charge of the arrangements foA
this years Republican conventions
| in Cleveland.
Relates Conversation.
"what did Thompson say to you
on the train?"
HE grasped my hand and said
'Tiffin, we need you worse than
ever now
II said I know you do. What do
you want that land for? Was 70
mineral bearing? Was II oil bear.
ing2 He said 1t was % poor that
4