Evening star., 1924-04-23
MYSTERIOUS LETTER
TO WHEELER SOUGHT
Probers Demand Correspondence
Relative to Land Permits,
Hinted by Witness.
BOOTH NAMED AS WRITER
Lawyer Says Senator Never Ap-
peared in Case Here.

a hint of mysterious letter about
land permits, said to have been writ
ten by Solicitor Booth of the Interior
Department to Senator Wheeler's
Montana law firm, was heard today
by the special Senate committee in
vestigating the senator's Indictment
on charge of accepting money for
appearing before the department in
land matters.
Senator Sterling of Soutn Dakota,
republican member of the commit
tee, said he had been told of such
a letter and expected to produce it
before the investigation was ended
He DECLINED to reveal the source of
his information or say who prepared
memorandum with the aid of which
he was cross questioning l.. V. Beau
lieu, western attorney, who said
he also had heard of such a letter
Describes WheeIer's Stand.
Beaulieu. the only witness at to-
days hearing, testified he had been
chief counsel for Gordon Campbell
the Montana Oil man indicted with
SSiotci hCeiCl, Out tltNSE lldu ucdTU
of the senator's acting for Campbell
in land cases. On the contrary, he
said, wheeler had told him he de-
clined specifically to have anything
to do with any of Campbell's litiga-
tion except in the Montana state
courts
The statement of the witness was
admitted to the record after Senator
Sterling first had questioned whether
it was "hearsay" evidence, but later
had waived the point
wheeler told him in strong west
ern language" Beaulieu continued
| that he knew nothing about govern
ment permits and had told Campbell
he would handle only state cour,
cases. He denied any knowledge tha,
Wheeler performed. agreed to per.
form or had been paid for any iegal
services to Campbell in connection
with any federal question. AS CHIEF
counsei for Campbell, he said, he haG
reasonable ground" to claim that h,
knew Campbell's legal affairs.
Says Wheeler Positive.
When I asked Mr.. Wheeler abou
law point regarding a certain per.
nit" the witness said, "he was yer,
positive.,He said: 81 don't know a
thing about government permits.
told Campbell i would have nothing te
do with government permits; that
would appear for him only in the court:
out here
Campbell had employed a Washing
ton lawyer to look after land per.
NIT matters, Beaulieu continued.
Have you any knowledge of Sena
tor Wheeler representing Mr.. Camp
bell in any land permits?" askec
Chairman Borah.
No sir, ! have no such knowledge
CroSS-eXamined by Senator Sterling
Beaulieu sad Campbell obtained M
permits while he was counsel for him
He added that there was only one
government permit held by Campbell
but he could not recall whether it wa:
for the maximum acreage allowed un.
under the law.
do you recall that there was a con.
tention that Mr.. Campbell controlled
| more acreage than was allowed un.
der the law?" asked Senator Sterling
The witness could not say.
Objects to .Hearsay Evidence.
Didn't you hear that Mr.. Campbell
got his employees to obtain land per.
mits from the government" Senator
Sterling pursued.
Il don't think we ought to go into
hearsay evidence here" remarke eG
Chairman Borah.
Senator Sterling changed the form
of the question. Beaulieu replied tina,
there was only one permit. and tha,
Mr.. Stevenson, a former PARTNER OF
Campbell, attacked it's validity.
Senator Sterling then asked Beau
lieu what he knew about letter
| from Solicitor Booth of the interior
Department to the firm of Wheeler
Baldwin, dealing with nine claims in
which Campbell was interested
Chairman Borah demanded tina,
Senator Sterling produce such let.
ter If he had it. 1t developed tina,
memorandum, but he declined to say
| who had furnished it to him. He said
that he had not seen the letter" to
which he referred.
Senator Caraway. Democrat, Ar
| kansas, said that "if one member OF
the committee was being furnished
with information" it was only fail
that all should have it. Senator
| Borah declared he would insist" that
the letters mentioned be produced.
Beaulieu finally said he had heard
of" a letter of some sort.
Asked to Produce Letter.
"If you have such a letter, yor
should produce it," insisted Senator
Borah.
az haven't the letter now" Senator
Sterling replied, but L expect t.
produce it during the course of the
proceedings. haven't seen any
such letter. I have a memorandum
reminding me of such a letter.
The South Dakota senator insisted
1t was ''immateriaP' where his mem.
orandum came from.
Pressed by Senator Sterling, the