Evening star., 1924-02-09

clair had anything to do with the
contract of settlement.
In the midst OF vigorous cross
examination Chairman Lenroot asked
! whether the matter of your attack
| on Sinclair" was discussed at the
conference with Sinclair.
"No. sir" Bonfil replied.
WAS the matter of your ceasing
your attacks on Sinclair discussed?"
Il would like TO know what insti-
,, gated these questions? Did they en-
anate from Colorado?"
II am asking these questions on my
responsibility as a senator and YOU
| will please answer them"
| 1T is the most extraordinary ques-
| tion and 1 want the record to show
the fact"
! Pressed as to whether the attacks 9
on Sinclair in his paper had not been
| stopped, Mr.. BonfilS leaned across the
| table and said:
| They did not cease They have not
| ceased. They never shall cease
| Senator Lenroot read a telegram
which said there had been no article
| on the subject in the Post from Sep
tember Is. 1922. to December 8, 1922.
Printed No Editorials.
! The telegram added that there
jwere none during most of 1928 con-
tanning any reflection upon Mr.. Sim
tclair.
| "
ANY editorial comment concerning
these transactiOns?"
Il do not think there were.'-
| do you mean to testify that there
was no change in the attitude of your
newspaper concerning these trans
actions from the beginning?"
"I do"
"You had vigorously attacked Mr.
Sinclair and these oil transactions up
to certain time"
We printed that it was a bad lease
and I still think it was"
You think it was bad, corrupt
deal. do you not?"
we were not blaming Mr.. Sinclair
| for it,
Referring to the. sending Of a re-
porter to New Mexico. Chairman Len
root asked whether Bonfils who had
yesterday described the disclosures
brought back as shocking had fail
ed to print the articles merely be-
| cause of the possibility of libel suits.
! Bonfils replied in the affirmative.
: Referred to Fall.
I "Do you believe Mr.. Fall could have
| been corrupt and Mr. Sinclair not?"
Most of my information referred
i to Mr.. Falls affairs, and had very lit
| tie to do with Teapot Dome"
"Why did you not send the fnforma-
! tion before called upon by the COM
mittee?'
81 thought the committee must have
known it,
'Ts it not a fact that your con-
| tract with Mr.. Sinclair was not based
upon any legal rights of Mr.. Stack?"
| THAT is not true"
| But that this whole deal was for
! the purpose of purchasing your
silence in your newspapers"
THAT is absolutely false"
{ Later the witness added:
! MIR. Sinclair bought nothing eX-
cept what the contract shows With
all his arrogance and wealth he was
| not foolish enough to ask that my
paper alter it's policy"
| AS Senator Lenroot pushed his in
| quiry, MIR. Bonfils interrupted to say:
Il came here voluntarily. One
would think from the way you talk
| ed l was a criminal"
/! telegram as to the Post articles 1t
| was sent to Mr.. Bonfils last night by
w. G. Sheppard, managing editor of
F, the Post. The chairman declared
! there was nothing to show from the
captions Of the articles. as contained
| in the telegram. published since De-
| cember g.. 1922, that attacks were
| made on the lease.
To Produce Papers.
| you can't tell what's in the ar
| ticles by the. captions" the witness
| said. ~ will send you copies Of all the
papers. Then you can judge. I'd say
1t was attacked constantly. from the
! time the lease was granted down to
the present day."
! Senator Lenroot insisted that the
| attacks on Sinclair ceased after the
! signing of the million-dollar con-