The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-16
Vanderlip Admits Dis- belief Of Rumors He
 Helped To Spread
LEASE SENSATIONS
 AFFECTING MART
Wall Street Bull Turns Bearish On Belief Public Losing Con-.
 fidence In Government
REPORT OF SLUSH FUND
 IS ALSO HELD UNTRUE
Investigations In Teapot Doms Scandal Will Be Resumed By
 Senators In Ten Days

Senators In Ten Days
 WASHINGTON, Feb. 15.-The Sem ate oil committee took ten days re- cess tonight after receiving information which discredited two of the most sen- sational rumors which recently have come before it.
 Frank A. vanderlip, whose public ref erences to the sale of of President Hard ing's Marion Star had shocked the eoun- try, told the committee he himself did not believe the rumors to which he gave them and had made no efforts at veri. fcation.
 Otto H. Kahn and B. F. Yoakum. who had been depended upon as prin- cipal witnesses regarding the story of a $1 100000 oil slush fund, notified the committee they had no knowledge what ever about it and were ready to say % on the witness stand.
 Reaction In Stock Market
 The ten days recess was coincident with a sharp reaction in the New York stock market after reports were circu. lated that prominent Wall street trad CT had turned bearish in the belief that the oil disclosures were undermining public confidence. The adjournment was announced after an executive session at the end of the day. It was explained that Senator Walsh. democrat, Mon- tana. the dominant figure in the pressing of the inquiry, found it necessary to be absent from Washington for some days.
 At this executive session the commit tee approved without a record vote the nominations of special government coun- sel in the oil cases--Atlee Pomerene. of Canton. Ohio, and Owen J. Roberts of Philadelphia. The nomination of Mir. Roberts was sent to the Senate to- day by President Coolidge to take the place of that of Silas H. Strawn of Chicago, which was withdrawn yester- day. H....rs Pomerene Fight. Eosmss The fight on Mr. Pornerene. which has been waged in the committee for several days, will be taken to the Senate floor. Senator Dill, democrat, Washington, who initiated it, said he would ask for consideration of the nomination in open executive session and had assurance that his request would be granted.
 After it had finished with Mir. Van. derlip the committee received a state- ment from Louis H. Brush. one of the purchasers of the Marion Star. that he and Roy D. Moore alone had bought the paper and that every cent that went into the purchase was their own money. The committee did not think it neces- sary to question him.
 Constitution of the government spe- ciai counsel in the oil cases was brought within single step of completion today after having been delayed for one reason or another for nearly three weeks.
 President Coolidge sent to the Senate the nomination of Owen J. Roberts of Philadelphia, as republican member of the counsel to succeed Silas H. Strawn, of Chicago, whose name yesterday was withdrawn. Several hours later the Sem ate oil committee ordered a favorable report on the nominations both of MT. Roberts and of Atlee Pomerene, former senator from Ohio, the demoeratic mem- Der.
 Kahn Amazed
 Otto H. Kahu. New York. notified the Senate oil committee today that. bs would come to Washington at any time regarding the story of a million dollar oil slush fund.
 In a telegram to the committee from Palm Beach. Fla, Mir. Kahn said ''hs was amazed and scandalized at my name being used in connection with any such rumor." f
 Without having any details before me other than the newspaper reports" Mir. Kahn said. "I am not in q position at present to do more than send a word of unqualified, absolute and comprehen- sive denial of any allegation connecting me directly or indirectly with any such fund or incident, or attributing to me any knowledge thereof whatever.
 T never have contributed directly or indirectly to any fund for distributing among men in high places, or for influ- encing the actions of any one in pablic life or otherwise. nor has my firm.
 Gave Legitimately ts
 "Other than subscribing ffrom time to time moderate amounts for legitimate campaign expenses of the republican party, or of individual republican candi- dates, or for open political movements never have made any contribution incidentally or indirectly to any party fund. or to any fund to influence legis- lation or administration, or executive discretion, or politics. or political per. sonages.
 II am of course willing at the dispos. al of. your committee to give testimony under oath as to this or any other sub ject concerning which you may desire to inquire. Meanwhile. may 1 ask the courtesy of your embodying this tele- gram in the records of your committee"
 Louis Brush Testifies
 Louis II. Brush, one of the men who bought the Marion Star from President Harding. testified about details of the sale before the oil committee.
 The Associated Press account of Mir, Vanderlip's speech which was sent to it's members throughout the country and the world was verified as correct by Mir.
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