The Washington times., 1924-03-19
RUMORSATG .Q.P.MEE7
RELATED BY OHIO
STATE OFFICIAL
Continued from First Page.)

4Atps4dAA0 COuAGu even ave OlA IL UQt
added that two wells had been
drilled on it."
why did you ask him that?"
asked Walsh.
"Weli, since Friday before the
convention closed the atmosphere
had been charged with stories Of
deals concerning General Wood"
Heard RumOrs Of Deals.
''What deals?"
II had heard that big oil inter-
0Sts had approached General Wood
and offered to back him il he
would give some oil man the post
Of Secretary Of Interior"
What land did you have in
mind?" asked Senator Bursum,
Rep) of New Mexico.
MY impression was that it was
some Government land near Bakers
field, Cal, that some oil interests
were trying to get hold by lease or
otherwise"
what oil interests were they?"
II can't answer that. There were
some oil interests from Oklahoma
there"
"Was Jake Hamon there?"
"'I think So"
D1n NOT Meet MCGFaW.
. ibid you meet Jim McGraw, Ma
tional Committeeman from Okla
homa?"
mo"
"Did YOU know that McGraw and
Hamon were fighting each other for
the national committeeman job?"
ooh, yes"
"Do you know anything definite
about the alleged oil deals?"
"Only what I heard from man
named Motter in the Oklahoma
delegation"
what did General Wood say to
the offer by the Oil interests?
"He walked up and down and
finally said: Boys, this is a shady
deal, I won't have anything to do
with 1t. If they beat me they'll
have to do 1t on the floor of the
convention"
'fIew did you know Thompson
knew anything about lands"
81 had heard about the lands
from q publicity man we had in our
Headquarters from Des Moines,"
"What were the lands?"
"Some mineral or oil lands that
were about to be opened. He know
what l meant and knew what he
meant"
Spencer Qulzzes Witness.
Senator Spencer R.) of Missouri,
new member Of the committee, took
Np the examination.
"Do you know anything definite
about these deals? Had you heard
yourself any. definite offer to
.Wood?"
mo, only from the super-charged
atmosphere in the convention"
$50 all you knew were charges
ARd rumors, what you call the
unprecedented atmosphere?
eyes, that's it," Gilmore replied.
~But all of US had heard these
charges about the offer of the Oil
interests and what Wood replied"
Gilmore was excused and James
G. Darden, of the Mutual Oil Com
pany, who was evicted as a squat
ter from Teapot Dome by Marines
was called.
Darden, who followed Gilmore on
the stand, told Senator Walsh he
lived in Gainesville, Md.
He said he had not run away"
from the committees subpoena, but
. had been away and had not learned
the committee wanted him until I
read 1t in the paper"
The subpoena was issued more
than month ago.
Knew Harding.
ri think the sergeant-at-arms of
the Senate has not been diligent or
he could have located me-" Darden
said. He also said hO had known
the late President Harding for
flour or five years prior to his
death"
Darden explained he was a farmer.
"When did you meet Mr.. Hard
ong?" asked Walsh.
About 1917 or 1918"
Darden said he knew Harding
e"Very well as the time for the 1920
Republican convention approached"
and Helped to raise money for
HardiNg's campaign.
where did you raise the money!"
'In North Carolina and other
places"
did you go to New York;"
81 was there with Attorney Gen.
eral Harry M. Daugherty."
ibid you meet Joseph Hall in
New York;"
Eyes with Daugherty."
,Darden said he had been in New
York with Daugherry "three or four
times"
GLOW intimate were you with
Daugherty?"
at was with him four or five
tnonths during the 1920 primaries. I"
at appears you had some claims
en Teapot Dome?"
"No; some years ago some friends
Of mine in Denver, Colo, asked me
to go with them into the oil bust
ness in Salt Creek"
'Who were these friends?"
"Mr. Champion and Mr.. Taylor"
Secured Claim, He Said.
Darden explained that when Salt
Greek was thrown open he secured
some claims to Salt Creek which
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