Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-06-30
Conspiracy and Bribery
Charged to Ex-Secretary
and Dohenys-Accused of
Plotting With Sinclair.
FOUR BILLS RETURNED
IN NAVY GRANT PROBE
Leases for California and Wyoming
Lands and Contract for Con-
structing Tanks at Pearl Harbor
Declared Given Without Allow.
ing Competitive Bids.

Albert B. Fall, former Secretary
OF the Interior, was indicted today
by the additional grand jury which
has been investigating for two
months alleged criminality in con-
nection with the leases of Teapot
Dome and other naval oil reserves.
Three indictments were reported
against him, two charging conspir-
acv and the third acceptance of
bribe to influence his official de-
cision.
Harry F. Sinclair, New York oil
magnate, is indicted with Fall in one
OF the conspiracy charges. Edward
L. Doheny and his son, Edward L.
Dohcny, jr, of Los Angeles, Calf,
are joined with Fall i'll the other
conspiracy charge.
Bribe Offer Charged.
In r separate Indictment. the two
Dohenys are alleged to have offered
bribe to Fall of 500, 900 to obtain
the lease to California No. l reserve
and the contracts for the construc-
ton "f oil storage tanks at the Pearl
Harbor naval base in Hawaii No
bribery charge is laid against Sin
clair.
United States District Attorney
Gordon said this afternoon that he
will ask $4,000 bail for each of the
men indicted.
Attorneys for the defendants de-
clared the four would be in court
early next week.
The grand jurors filed into Grim
lnal Court at 1880 o'clock, accom-
panied by United States ATTORNEY
Gorden and Special Assistants AtIee
Pomerene and Owen j. Roberts, and
announced to Justice Hoehling that
they , were ready to report. Gratz
sented the four indictments to the
court. and the grand jurors We're dis
charged. The indictments followed
the testimony given before the Sem
ate investigating committee in refer
ence to naval oil land leases in
Wyoming and California.
Conspiracy Is Alleged.
The first indictment. occupying
fifteen typewritten pages, deals with
the alleged conspiracy between Fall
and the two Dohenys. After setting
out the orders, for the withdrawal of
lands in naval petroleum reserve No.
l and No. and the order of former
President Harding permitting the
leasing of such reserves and the
the leases to the Secretary of the In
terror, the Indictment charges that
continually from July l, 1921, to De-
cember II, 1922, at and within the
District of Columbia, the two Do
henys and Fall did unlawfully and
feloniously conspire, combine, con-
federate and agree together and with
divers other persons to the said
grand jurors unknown, to defraud
right and policy of conserving the
petroleum oil then contained in said
properties for the future needs of
the Navy of the United States. con-
cerning it's rights to have contracts
and leases for the performance of
any service in connection with the
drilling of any wells upon said prop
critics awarded comparatively to such
persons and corporations as could
terms most advantageous to the
United States"
Instead of ascertaining what cor
porations or persons would under
were reasonably necessary for the
conservation of the property upon
terms most advantageous to the
United States, Fall, at the request and
solicitation of the two Dohenys. gave
the contract to the american
Petroleum and Transport Company,
without inquiring concerning the
ability or Willingness of any other
corporations or persons who might
have been more advantageous to the
government, it is charged.
Says Money Was Given.
Instead of keeping his mind and
Judgment free from partiality and
bias Ing favor of the Pan-American
Fail is alleged to have conspired
"corruptly, secretly and surreptitious-
ly to accept from Edward L. Doheny
and Edward L. Doheny. jr.. large
sums of money as loans and gifts
whereby the United States was to be
deprived of the benefits of compe-
tition and of an honest, unbiased, i'm
partial and unprejudiced service
The indictment then sets out a num-
ber of alleged overt acts in fur
therance of the alleged conspiracy.
The second indictment is in
eighteen pages, and relates to the
alleged conspiracy between Fall and
Harry F. Sinclair. by means of a
corporation known as the Mammoth
poration a contract authorizing the
drilling of an excessive number of
oil and gas wells in the petroleum
reserve No. 3 in Wyoming, without
reference to the number of such
wells then reasonably required, upon
Harry F. Sinclair" and without
inquiry into ability or Willingness
of any other corporations to compete
for performance of the service and
without competitive advertAing. 1t
is contended in the indictment that,