The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-20
CONVENTION IFS NEXT POINT IN
 THE '0IL' PROBE
And will appear in daily in- stallments until completed.

THE 'UlL) PROBE
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 sent Darden to the interior secre- tary about the lease.
 Describing efforts he had made to obtain a lease in the Salt Creek field, adjoining Teapot Dome, before the in- terior department in 1920, during the democratic administration, Darden said Mir. Taylor, who was contesting his claim, came to Washington with Mir Wilson, brother of President Wilson, as his attorney. Secretary Payne 1 recognized his claim in that contest he added.
 Tells Of Rumors
 In his brief stay on the witness stand Gilmore told of rumors current al the Chicago convention that oil in terests were ready to throw their sup. port to a candidate for a consideration that an offer had been made to Gener. al Wood by the late Jake Hamon then republican national committeeman from Oklahoma, to support him in re- turn for his appointment as secretary of the interior and that General Wood had refused to entertain it and de clared that his fight would be "out in the open on the convention floor
 The only specific statement obtained from Gilmore was that after the conven- tion he had conversation with Carmi A. Thompson, of Cleveland, Ohio, about some oil lands in the course of which Thompson was quoted by Gill more as saying:
 We needed the latter now more than ever"
 Gilmore could not identify the oil land which was the subject of the con- versa tion.
 A subpoena immediately was issued for Thompson, who was a republican candidate for governor of Ohio in 1922 and now is campaign manager in that state for President Coolidge. He probably will be heard Saturday. To Talk With Wood Jr. Meantime Senator Walsh plans to have a conference with Leonard Wood, Jr., here tomorrow about his published statement that he had heard Hamon made an offer to his father at Chicago. Just how far the committee will pur- sue this subject may depend upon the information obtained by Senator Walsh at that conference and the testimony of Thompson.
 Before getting back to that subject the committee plans to recall tomorrow G. D. Wahlberg, former private secre- tary to Harry K. Sinclair, and to hear Sinclair himself on Friday if he can reach Washington by that time.
 Wahlberg will be questioned about sko kn tho faa that he had delivered some liberty of this testimony, the investibators as- stunned this "Mr. Hayes" was an em- ploye of Harry Sinclair, but they now desire more light on the subject. The committee desires to question cluding the testimony of J. w. Zevely deliver $25,000 in ligerty bonds to Fall in the oil scandal had retired from l the cabinet.
 Today's session of the investigators was enlivened by two clashes between Senator Walsh and Senator Spencer, republican, Missouri, who took his seat today as a member of the committee succeeding Senator Lenroot, republican, Wisconsin, who retired.
 Spencer Upbraided
 Both tilts came while Darden was on the stand. Senator Walsh first remon- strated with Senator Spencer for putting words into the mouth of the witnesses" and again for making mis- statements of facts" in his examination of the witness.
 | Darden, who described himself as a | farmer, was subjected to a grilling cross-examination by Senator Walsh, particularly as to the basis for his claim in Teapot Dome, but he became ruffled only on one or two occasions. Once he told the senator he wanted to be fair and to be treated fairly and again he questioned the right of the commit tee to go into intimate details of his life.
 The claims which he and his asso- ciates, John F. Campien and Robert G. Taylor, were pressing, he said, were for 240 acres in the Salt creek field and 1G0 acres in Teapot Dome. These were acquired, he explained, in settlement of claims Campion and Taylor had against the Belgo company, one of the two companies which Sinclair bought out after he leased the Wyoming re- serve.
 The witness declared that no effort was made to enforce the Teapot claim until he learned through gossip among oil men coming and going from Wash ingtOn that the reserve was to be leased to Sinclair. This was about two months before the lease was signed.
 Had Assurance
 Both Assistant Secretary Finney and Secretary Fall told him his claim was not valid, he testified, and he then left for the west to consult with CampiOn. While there he received letter from President Harding inviting him to Washington to discuss the matter. This was at the time Fall wanted to use the marines to clear ''squatters" from the reserve.
 Darden asserted that he had not asked President Harding to intervene and had told him they would take the matter into the courts. It was after the conversation with the President, he added, that he first discussed the mat ter with Attorney General Daugherty.
 Subpoenas were issued tonight for NJ D. Thatcher of the First National bank of DuahIo Colo opd IVY " rTo rhalI o