Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-02-05
Believed Senate Will
Give Committee Au-
thority Challenged
by Former Secretary
Of Interi0r-COunsel
Seeks Constitutional
Rights in Testimony
to Be Given-POmer-
enc and Strawn AL
ready at Work on In
vestigatiOn

washington, Feb. 4-Albert B. Fall.
central figure in the naval oil lease
,nvestigation, was notified today that
bIs temperance before the senate
,nvestleating committee would be
deferred until next Friday because Of
,be adjournment of the senate until
Thursday out Of respec: to the men,
ory Of former President Wilson.
The one time secretary Of the in
-erior who has challenged the au-
th6rity of the committee to proceed
with its inquiry. had been summoned
for tomorrow but further efforts to
examine him had been postponed un-
III the senate has given the commit
fee an additional grant Of authority.
This will be asked for Thursday with
the expectation of prompt and ia
vorable action.
The committee will meet tomor-
row and adjourn until Thursday
when Carl i. Biggerman, assistant
cashier OF the Chase National bank
Of NeW j VI IL, ID W pC Nhh''' A''' .
Blggerman has been directed to
hiring to Washington the records OF
the Chase National bank relating to
any remi,tances of funds by that
hank TO any bank in Washington pay
able to the order Of Harry +. Sinclair
or his personal counsel. j. w. Zevely.
between September ]. 1921 and June
1923. Mr.. Sinclair obtained the
lnose to the Teapot Dome reserve
on April Z. 1922. =.
Samuel Ungerleider and officials or
other Washington brokerage nrms
have been summoned for tomorrow.
but whether they will he called at
that time was undetermined tonight.
The committee will seel from them
permission to have accountants cX-
amino their books in an effort to de-
termine whether there was dealing
~ any government Officials I'm the
stock Of the Mammoth Oil Company.
organized by the Sinclair interests
10 take over the Teapot Dome lease.
Such an examination now Is being
made of the books of w. ID. Hibbs ana
Company. a Washington banging
and brokerage firm, on the basis o.
q list of names in possession or tne
committcr. The accountants Will
probably be able to report mt the
end Of the week or early next week.
Meanwhile the special counsel ap-
ronted by President Coolidge to In
itlaie court proceedings in the Oil
resolution Is pressing Its work 1or-
lease cases under the authorization
Cr congress in the Walsh annuimeht
resolution is pressing its work lor
ward. Former Senator pomerene OIL
ohio. who accepted appointment lasl
Saturday in place of former Attor-
ncv General Gregory, conferred to-
day with members of the senate COM
mttcc.
Probably tho first step to be taken
BY Mr.. pomerene and his Republican
associate, Silas IL. Strawn. Will ne
the filing of injunction suits To pro-
hibit the further extraction or OIL
from California Reserve Numbcr
one and the Teapot Dome field. me
fling of suits is directed in the Walsh
resolution but they probably Will not
be brought until after President
Coolidge has signed the resolution
which still awaits the signature OK
President Cummins of the senate:
Until he ia recalled on Friday, tor-
mer Secretary Fall plans TO remain at
the home OF his friend. Mr.. ZeVely.
Arrangements to have MIN spenu
some days in seculsion at nearby
suburb have been abandoned. MS
counsel. Levi Cooke. conferred with
several senator's today regarding ms
constitutional rights in connection
with his refusal to testify before the
committee on the ground that ms
answers might tend to incriminate
him in any future court proceedings.
Mr.. Cooke is understood to nave
received little encouragement In the
position taken by Mr.. Fall. Senators
said that in their view the statute
which provides that testimony given
before a senate investigating commit,
tee cannot be used in any criminaI
court proceedings, was bar 10 'i'iS
objection raised by Mr.. Fan.