Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1924-04-11
Further Inquiries Into
Campaign Contributions
Made by Oil Committee
(By The Ass ociated Pressl

WASHINGTON, April 1l.-Returning &
to its inquiry into possible oil company
contributions to national political cam
paign funds. the senate oil committee
today sought information about n S3.-
00O.O loan made by the Chase Nation
al Bank in New York in 1919 to Will
liam Boyce Thompson. formerly chair
man Of the ways and means committee
Of the republican national committee.
Declaring his client was too i'll to APP
pear. William Wallace. Jr.. attorney for
Thompson testified that the $4,000. 900
loan was secured by 50.154 shares of
Sinclair oil stock. but insisted it had
nothing to do with the campaign funds.
He said Thompson had no part in repub
lican financing until after the 1920
campaign and that the Chase bank loan
was repaid in full in 1919.
The lawyer also read into the record
a telegram from Thompson. who has
been sought by committee subpoena SER
vers for more than two weeks. saying he
had been wholly out Of the Sinclair
interests since 1921" Thompson was
said to have failed to respond to the
committee summons because he is con
fined in sanitarium in Arizona.
Appearing voluntarily and speaking
for his client. Wallace also denied that
Thompson had borrowed large sums to
wipe out the republican national defi-
cit after 1920.
Wallace later testified .Aat Thomp-
son had reinvested in Sinclair stock in
1922. buying 450 shares on January 10,
and l.072 shares on February 20. ard
selling the entire lot in April 1922. This
was the month in which Albert B. Fall
leased the Teapot Dome naval reserves
to Sinclair. The witness was unable to
give the exact date of the sale.
Reading from records. he affirmed
that Thompson resigned as a director
Of the Sinclair companies in 1921. He
testified that the New York financier
never had any connection with the
Mammoth Oil company. organized to OPP
crate Teapot ONE. but he disclosed that
after disassociating himself with the
Sinclair companies he invested in the
Mutual Oil company, which was put off
Teapot Dome BY marines in 1922.
The committee then called +. J. Cos
employed by the late Jake Hamon. Ok
iahoma republican national committee
man. as publicity agent.
The witness explained that his ser
vices for Hamcn were performed in
1917. sali he met Hamon at the
Chica JSconyont and was told lit
was ali fixed. .tnst ling was to be
nominated, that "Gove 'oolidge was
to be vice president" anu " was
to be member Of the cabin.
"Did he tell you what positio. Fall
was to have?" asked Senator Wa',n, the
committee prosecutor.
NO"
"what was Hamon to get out OF
this?" He said he would be taken care
Of"
Costello said this conversation took
place "about ten hours before Harding
was nominated.
James Sloan. formerly attach ed 10 the
White House staff. and for time af-
terward manager Of the Washington
brokerage office of Ungefleider and
company. testified about visit to Ok
lahoma during the 1920 campaign.
where he attended a dinner at which
Hamon. Brigadier General c. +. Saw
yer. X. B. Creager, republican national
committeeman from Texas and others
were present.
John Smith. a Paris. Texas. business
man testified that Philip f. Baer. United
States marshal for the eastern district
of Texas. told him of n talk he had with
Hamon in which the latter said he was
TO be secretady of the interior under
President Harding and that Baer was to
be made Indian commissioner.