New Britain herald., 1924-03-12
Second Story Correct Loaned $lOo, 900 But Checks Were Returned Became Investigator For Secret Service In Harding's Term
Senator Asked if He Could Say That Money Was Cash Transaction - De- nies Knowing Sinclair.

Washington, March 12.--Edward B. Mclean told the oil committee today that he had given it misleading intor- nation about the celebrated Sl00,000 loan because he trusted and desired to help his friend Albert Fall The publisher insisted that his sec ond story about the loan, told to Sen ator Walsh in January at Palm Beach, Fla., was correct. He said he had loaned the former secretary s100,000 in checks for ranch enterprise, but that the checks were returned to him uncashed.
 His previous assertion that the loan | was made in cash, he said, was made at Fans request. The latter appeared To be in trouble, he added, but had represented to him that it had noth- | ing to do with oil.
 He declared Inc never had any di- rect or indirect interest in either the | Sinclair or Doheny companies and knew nothing about the leasing pro- | gram except what he had seen in the newspapers.
 Asked about the code messages eX- changed between Washington and his cottage at Palm Beach, he was un- | ble to iecipher or explain many of them. He said William ]. Burns had | given one of, his employees 2 depart ment of justice code, but that he him self never had code messages. Is secret Agent te became a secret agent of the justice department, he continued shortly after the beginning of the Harding administration.
 Tho principal" referred 10 in one of thc tolcgrams sent by his employees, Mclean said. referred 10 Attorney General Daugherty and did not refer io President Coolidge He identified Inc attorney general as the author of the message assuring him not to wor- " hecGusc everything that could be done will be done by us Led into n long discussion of his re- laiions with Mir. Daugherty, he said the attorney general had lived in one of the Mclean houses here for seven or eight months after coming to Washington But he added that naugherty wouldn't do anything wrong for me- even if he had been asked.
 In a prepared statement read 10 the committee the publisher made no reference to his previous conflicting pstmony regarding the loan and when his attention was directed to that sub iect he said he had no fur ther statement to make.
 Cannot Find stubs
 lie said under questioning that he had searched everywhere for the stubs of the checks he testified he had givep Fall, but had been unable to find them.
 "Thcre aren't any, and never were, were thcre?" asked Senator Walsh, democrat, Montana.
 Why, yes there are, senator, 10 the best of my recollection, as I told you," the witness replied. Mclean then said that at q confer l ence he had with Fall at Atlantic | City last December, Fall asked him If he would say that he had loaned him i tho si00.o00 in cash instead of in un- | used checks No Connection With Leases
 Fall assured me-" he said. that | the loan had nothing to do with Sim l gl3lr ana Ica1OL lOflcs
 Mclean insisted that his credit was good at the time he gave Fall the ! checks and that he could have raised 1 s2O0.O00 if necessary. He said Tall | agreed to advise him before under | taking 10 cash the checks.
 Senator Curtis "PrincipaI.''
 When he Was asked about the fa- | nous principal" telegram. Mclean | said he did not know who the "prln- cipal vas unless 1t was Senator Cur l tis of Kansas. 1
 "Mr. Bennett Ura l.. Bennett who sent the messageD has testified it vas Senator Curtis said the witness. Senator Curtis has testified 10 the opposite; and President Coolidge has testified ii was not him.
 q didn't understand the president had made any statement remarked Senator Walsh.
 ''lhe thing thai struck mo when I got that message" continued Mclean. was that the principal referred to Harry Dauglicrty. I know Hho you think if vas. senator. hut l have d different idea"
 Senator Walsh said he had "a very definite idea Hho il was and vas glad 10 have his mind dis abused"
 Some Of McLean's ftstin0ny was the source of considerable amuse- mcnt to the crowd attending the inquiry.
 At one stage Oi fhe examination Senator Walsh asked about a refer ence in the Mclean ttIegrans 10 some papers from McLean's safe de- pgsii vault The witness passed ofier a long 1Ocunneft. fl
 This descriyed the ranch propo-
 
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