Evening star., 1924-01-25
FALL ILL HERE, WILL TESTIFY
MONDAY IN LEASE SENSATION
Remains IN Bed at Home of Sinclair Attorney.
Doheny Willing to See Oil Rights
s Cancelled.

was made to Senator Fall in WASH
| ington. He telephoned me he was
ready to receive the loan II I was
ready to make it. as had told him
previously ! would do.
II have known Senator Fall for
about thirty years or more. We are
old-time friends. We both worked
in the same mining district In New
Mexico. and were bound together by
in camps under trying circumstances.
l started in law at the same time
| Senator Fall did and practiced In the
same district"
The witness then related to the
committee in homely terms how ne
had followed Falls career. explain
, ing his deep sympathy with him in
his many business adversities ana
family tribulations. He said that his
Symrathies had been deeply aroused.
and that he had taken a keen per-
sonal interest in Falls troubles. The
former Secretary has several times
discussed his business affairs with
him. Doheny said. and had told MN
Of his hope to acquire the Harris
ranch.
Fall Set Heart on Ranch.
~all's heart seemed set on that Iat
@isness snd snserpr,ss toid him that if he
wanted it. I would loan him the
money to purchase II"
"He told me of the possibility OF
Went on. When / told him would
loan him the money. he said It would
money in cash. I do not know
whether 1 did it at his suggestion
or not. I think it was in response
to a conversation we had three or
four weeks previous.
The money was obtained upon
check drawn upon Blair & Co, New
York city. and it is my recoli9ction
that the check was cashed by them"
When members of the committee
expressed surprise over what they
suggested seemed loose business
methods, Doheny replied that he had
paid out more than a million dollars
that way during the last five years.
A loan of 100000 by him was not
more than a loan of $40 or $50 to most
men, he said.
Not Made to influence.
The witness insisted that the loan
was not made with any expectation Of
influencing Fall in his official acts. He
asserted that Fall was not In any
position to favor him. and declared
the negotiations leading up to the
leases were carried on by men In his
department who were not under the
Secretary's direct control.
ut was loan." Doheny said. In re:
ply to further questions. which I Will
insist upon him repaying.
Did your company at that time
have. any leases on the public re-
serves?" asked Senator Walsh.
only on section s, adjoining the
naval reserve, which we obtained
witness replied. I'VE got that lease
from Secretary Payne" (John Barton
Payne, Interior Secretary in the cab
met of President WILSON,.
Senator Walsh had the witness ex-
plain the transactions which even
tually led up to his company being
awarded the contract for construc-
ton of storage tanks for Navy oil
and for improvements at Pearl Har-
Dor. Hawaii, Doheny going into con-
siderable detail concerning his fire.
quent conferences on the subject with
Admiral Robson, who he said was
apprehensive that the Navy woull
not be able to find any one who would
do the work and pay for 1t In the
form Of government royalty oil.
Much against the judgment Of some
Of the officers of his company. he said.
he assured Admiral Robson that he
bid, which would be made by the
Doheny company He insisted that
the contract was awarded to his COM
pany after the Navy Department had
received two bids in addition to his
own.
How long were you in New Or
Walsh then asked.
Conferred With Fall.
'I arrived on Sunday evening last,
about o'clock, and remained in New
Orleans until about o'clock the next
refineries. about twenty miles from
New Orleans, and remained there
throughout the day. I had confer
ence with Secretary Fall on the eve
14n In "
night"
encer' asked Senator Walsh.
Senator Fall, Mr.. McNab, my coun-
sci. and myself"
"who accompanied you on the train
from Los Angeles to New Orleans?"
"Mr w. A. Hawkins. an old law
partner Of Secretary Fall, Joined Mr..
McNab and myself on the train at Ell
Paso. I invited him to come along.
I expected to have a. talk with Sena-
tor Fall and wanted him along, he
being an old friend of the senator's:
I wanted to present to senator ran
the statement I intended to make to-
day. / did not want him to be sur
prised about 1t.
Thought Statement Proper.
"When I spoke to Mr.. Fall about
the statement, he thought 1t w was as. the tine
also was of the same opinion"
"Did YOU have any talk with Sena-
tor Fall with regard to the statement
you intended to make which might be
in conflict with statements previously
made to this committee?" asked
Senator Walsh.
"That may seem incredible. but we
did not have any general discussion
Of the matter. I simply stated to
facts. and the only question was
whether he should come on and tell
them or whether I should. 1t was
agreed that I would come on and
tell them"
any one elseT
mo, sir"
Did you see Col. Zevely?"
No Desire to See Zevely.
No, did not / was asked to see
him, but I did not have any business
with him and I did not want to see
him. Somebody said he was in town
and said I might like to see him. I
with those with which Col. Zevely is
connected"
"Who was 1t that suggested that
you meet Mr.. zevely?"
McNab interrupted the witness to
say that 1t was Mr.. Hawkins.
explained to- him that it was Mr..
Doheny's intention to see Mr.. Fall
and ask him IL he would be willing
to see Mr.. Doheny and myself alone.
I sent for Mr.. Doheny to come to
my room in the st. Charles When
Mr.. Doheny arrived, he said he would
not see Mr.. Zevely. but that he would
like to see Mr.. Fall before coming
here to the committee. I called up
Mr.. Fall. and Mr.. Doheny and I went
to his room, Mrs. Fall letting us in.
The conversation was very brief. CON-
cerning Mr.. Doheny coming here. A
discussion arose following MIR. Do
heny's question to Mr.. Fa1 asking
him why he had not told III these
things when he told him to-"
Senator Walsh then asked Doheny
whether he had had any CONVERSE