Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1924-03-13
MARINES
To OIL LANDS
At TER LEASE
General Lejeune Says Orders
Were to Clear Teapot of
Trespassers
ROOSEVELT ALSO HEARD
Mclean to Be Called as Wit
ness in Senate Probe of
Daugherty
ROOSEVELT ALSO HEARD

WASHINGTON, March 13.-
Turning It's attention to the use of
marines to clear Teapot Dome of
trespassers after 1t had been leased
to Harry F. Sinclair, the oil COM
mittee was told today that the order
for the marine expedition had been
issued at the request of Albert B..
Fall.
Theodore Roosevelt, who, as act
ing secretary of the navy, signed
the order, said Fall had told him
President Harding desired that
course pursued.
Later, a letter or, the subject from
Mr.. Harding to Fail, dated June "a,
1922, was put into the record. In
1t the President said that unless
James G.. Darden of the Mutual Oil
Company withdrew from Teapot, he
should be elected.
Major General Lejeune, Comman-
dant of the Marine Corps, was the
first witness in this line of inquiry.
He said orders for the action were
issued by Theodore Roosevelt, then
acting secretary of the navy, who
also was called TO testify.
This was in July, 1922, General
Lejeune said, and George X. Shuler,
then a captain of marines, was
selected, after a conference with
Secretary Fall to command the de-
tail seit to Teapot.
Four enlisted men were selected
to accompany Shuler, no now is
treasurer of New York state.
Roosevelt had ordered that men
of tact and DISCRETION be chosen,
General Lejeune said, so as to avoid
trouble.
ShuIer telegraphed on August
that his mission had been accom-
plished. Later Fall wrote the navy
commencing Shuler for his work.
Asked whether he did not regard
this as an extraordinary use of the
marine corps, the general said he
did not consider that point at all.
He simply obeyed orders.
Assistant Secretary Roosevelt tes-
titled that the request for the clear
Ing of Teapot Dome came from Fall,
who was quoted as saying he and the
elected as they were about to take
out oil on which the government
would get no royalty.
Fall told him, Roosevelt said, that
Secretary Daniels had taken similar
action.
Secretary Roosevelt did not recall
anything ''very clearly" about pro-
test from the governor of Wyoming
against employing force to remove
trespassers.
On July 29. 1922, Colonel Roose-
velt said, he found note from
Fall to the effect that there were
trespassers or squatters on the
Dome, about to take OIL" from
which the government would get no
share.
In conversation with him later,
the witness continued, Secretary
Fall said he and tho President want
ed some marines sent to put these
people off the oil reservation. The
secretary added he said, that he had
not expected President Harding to
favor the action because one of the
men engaged in trespassing was
friend of his. This, however, he de-
clared. made no difference to the
President.
In selecting marine officer Tor
the duty, Colonel Roosevelt proceed
ed. he had Sought to get some man
who would not do anything rash,
get into a fight or shoot somebody.
Senator Walsh read into the rec
ord letter sent to George B. Chris.
tan, Jr.. secretary 20 the President
by II. H. TANNER. of the Denver
Post. under date OF August l. 1922,
characterizlng the situation in Tea
pot Dome as IAN awful mess"
Tammen called Christians atten-
ton to an article in the Post on the
election of the Mutual Oil Company
from Teapot. Christian transmitted
the matter to Fall with a request
for material on which to base an
answer. and Fall responded with
history of the naval reserve, and
discussion of a legal controversy
CONTINUED on page 30