Evening star., 1924-04-09
DECLARES HAMON
TOLD OF PAYING BILL
Texan Says Oil Man Claimed He
Drew Check Which Won Nom
nation for Harding.
COMMITTEE ENDS SESSION
Investigators Find Difficulty in Sc
curing Witnesses.


Further inquiry into reports of
deals" at the republican national
convention at Chicago in 1920 was
made today by the Senate oil COM
mittee.
j. W. Baughn of Harlingen, Tex.
formerly an oil operator of Okla
Iona, testified that the late Jake L..
Hamon, republican national commit
teeman of Oklahoma, told him he had
'signed the check" that resulted in
the nomination of Warren q. Hard
ing. This conversation took place
after the Chicago convention, Baughn
said. He quoted Hamon as saying
that he would spend S1,0O0,000 if nee
esslry 40 put Oklahoma in the repub-
lican column in the general election.
William II. Miller of Columbus,
Ohio, testified that he assisted in
Hardings pre-convention campaign,
visiting the northw estern states. He
first met Hamon 1T Harding head
quarters at indianapolis, before the
convention. and later saw him at the
Chicago conren zion.
Il had no part in the collection
or disbursement OF funds Miller
said.
:. b. French of oklahoma City tes-
titied last MONDAY that Hamon had
told him he had given $4,000 to Nil
l,r 70 pay the Headquarters eXpenS-
e OF the Harding committee at Chi
,1@0.
There was no discussion of oil
lands or leases at either of his meet
jucS with H&non, Miller said. Ha-
mon had told him at the indianapolis
meeting that hc was for Lowden, he
said, but had added that Mrs. Hamon
was 4 distant relation of President
Harding and was importuning him to
support Harding. The witness then
denied specifically that Hamon had
given him $4,000 to pay the expenses
OF Harding headquarters.
The committee adjourned until Fri
day because of the difficulty in secur-
in" the attendance of witnesses.
The Teapot Dome investigation will
be brought to close with this week,
If the plans of Senator Walsh of Mon
tana, who has been the chief inYesti-
said that he did not believe the ex-
animation of the seven witnesses now
great deal of time, and they will be
placed on the stand as rapidly as
they each Washington.
Senate process servers still are
seeking to have Il subpoena served on
William BoEce Thompson of New
committee Of the republican national
committee. but they have been unable
to locate him. The committee desires
10 question Mr.. Thompson about re-
publican campaign expenditures.
Senator Din of Washington. demo-
crat. member of the investigating
committee, renewed his attack on
Theodore Roosevelt, assistant Sccrc-
tary of the Navy, on the Senate floor
because of his connection with the
leases of the naval oil reserve.
Raps Roosevelt Testimony.
Senator Dill drew what he charac-
terized as a contrast between Mr..
Roosevelts testimony before the COM
Tnittee regarding the oil leases and
statements he made concerning them
in a recent. letter to State Senator
Campbell of New York, which was
read to the Senate last week by Sena-
tor WadsWorth. republican, New York.
Replying to Senator Stanley, demo-
crat. Kentucky. s nator Dill said that
Mr.. Roosevelt void be recalled be
fore the oil committee and questioned
as to his knowledge of the organiza-
tion of the Mammoth Oil Company.
. which operated Teapot Dome. and
whether he charged anything for his
services in connection with tine or
ganiZation of that or any other Sim
clair company.
III you send for Mr.. Roosevelt"
Senator Stanley said, you may have
q pleasant surprise.
Senator Pepper. republican. Penn
sylvania broke into the debate to in
uuire whether Senator Dill brought
any chargss against Mr. Roosevelt
upon which he desired the Senate to
act. Senator Dill replied that he
made no charges. but presented the
facts to let the country draw It's own
conclusions"
Heated Interchange Ensues.
An interchange marked with un-
usual heat ensued between. Senator
Dill and Senator Pepper.
VIII the senator say whether he
has divulged any new facts here?
asked Senator Pepper.
Il explained in the beginning, repiled
Senator Dill, that my purpose was to
correIate pertinent parts of the commit
t, q record.
And | am correct in assuming the
senator brings no charges against Set
retary Roosevelt upon which he desires
the Senate to act, insisted the Pennsyi-
vania senator
senator Din protested against what he
termed Senator Peppers self-imposed
custom of ''lecturing senators"
''I make no charges Senator Dill
said but [ present the facts and let
the country draw its conclusions |
don't believe a man who has had so in
innate a connection with the lease
should continue in office.
IF the senator's purpose was as mar
row as his explanation" Senator Pepper
continued. Il hold there is nothing to
b. said in reply except to register our
dissent from the views he expressed.
Rebukes "Other Side.''
Il am one of those who have sat pa
tientIy through hours, days and weeks
while senator's on the other side have
been making lengthy observations upon
moral and statute law to which we
know they have not subscribed.
"In the midst of these continued ut
terances we find ourselves asking, What
is it our attention is. being distracted
from, not by charges. but by innuendo
and base differences. What is it We are
,.1nnnnsed to forget in listening to