Evening star., 1924-03-04
Chief Prosecutor Rejected
Offer on Ground Official
Position Barred Business
Relations With Government
MCLEAN ON U. S. ROLLS
AS AGENT, SAYS BURNS
Appointed Before Latter Entered
Bureau-Obsolete Code Used in
kilograms to Publisher-Mc-
Adoo's Son Refuses to Reveal
Messages to Committee.

Surprises tumbled over one an
other again today when the oil COM
mittee resumed its public hearings.
Senator Walsh of Montana, the
committees chief prosecutor, pre-
sented correspondence showing that
E. L. Doheny sought last December
to interest him in an oil enterprise,
and that he promptly refused to
have anything to do with any ven-
ture that might make him appear in
a wrong light in view of his official
position.
Mclean Secret Agent.
William J. Burns. chief of the
bureau of investigation at the Justice
Department, testified that E. 3. Nc
Lean had been placed on the roll OF
secret agents of the department
soon after Inauguration day in 1921 !;
that he still retained that connec-
ton. and that the famous Mary"
message was sent to Florida in an
effort to suggest that he should re-
sign in order not to embarrass At
torney General Daugherty.
Francis H. McAdoo, son of Will
liam G. McAdoo, told the commit
tee that Mclean had telegraphed
him that A. Mitchell Palmer, who
was Attorney General under Wilson,
was acting as attorney for Albert
B. Fall and Harry F.. Sinclair. Mr..
Palmer already has denied any such
connection.
Burns II Witness.
The testimony regarding Mclean
was given by William J. Burns. chief
OF the departments secret agents,
and Mrs. Mary Duckstein, former
Burns secretary. They both con-
firned that the publisher had been
enrolled on the force of the bureau
of investigation.
Burns said Mclean was appointed
before he BECAME director Of the
bureau Of investigation. but added
that he must have been appointed
in this administration"
Mclean was placed on the roll as
a special agent because the depart
ment obtained Information through
him and his newspaper, the Wash
ington Post Burns testified his
salary was 81 year.
Explains "Mary" Message.
Mrs. Duckstein testified that the
to Florida was intended to convey
the information that McLean's con-
nection with the department was
under investigation. She said 1t had
no other connection with oil.
Burns told her. Mrs. Duckstein said,
that Mclean might wish to resign II
he thought his position would be en-
barrassing to Attorney General
Daugherty.
When Burns took the stand he was
asked by committee members why he
Lad not himself sent the message to
Mclean.
Il have no right to ask Mr.. Nc
Lean to resign" he replied.
Walsh Puts In Letters.
The evidence regarding Doheny's
overtures to Senator Walsh was in an
exchange Of letters and kilograms
put into the record by the senator
himself. He said he submitted them
because word Of the correspondence
had been whispered about" in an
effort to discredit him and the Oil
committee.
Doheny's suggestion that the sem
ator or his brother take interest" In
the Montana project was made before
he revealed that he had loaned $780,
900 to A. b. Fall, but long after the
Senae inquiry into the Doheny and
Sinclair contracts had begun.
Telegrams Are DECIDED.
The committee devoted another ses-
between Mclean and his employees
while he was in Florida in December
and January.
A War Department code expert
gave the committee translations Of
the cipher messages found among
the kilograms. and William J. Burns,
chief Of the Justice Departments in.
vestigation bureau, and Mrs. Mary
Duckstein, an agent under him, were
summoned to explain how a code
once used by Justice Department
representatives came to be employed
in some Of the Mclean messages.
At the beginning of the session the
cipher messages as decoded at the
War Department were presented by
w. F. Friedman, cipher'expert Of the
Army Signal Corps. They follow:
Puts Hypothetical Question.
January 1s. 1924, 3:17 pm.
"John F. Major, care Washington
Post, Washington, d. c.:
This is hypothetical question.
John Doe draws q check for $4,000.
On the back Of the check is written
endorsement az follows: John Doe
FOR purchase OF house. Does bank