The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-07-01
TRUE BILLS IN OIL CASE NAME FOUR Criminal Action Laid To
 Fall. Sinclair, Dohesty And Son FORMAL CHARGES
 OF FELONY MADE Conspiracy To Obtain Con-
 trol Of Naval Reserva- ton Alleged sloo, ,ooo PAYMENT ! IS TERMED BRIpE Accased Men To, Appear | Next Week And Put
 Up Bail
FORMAL CHARGES
 OF FELONY MADE
s1Oo, 900 PAYMENT
 IS TERMED BRIpE
tBs Associated < F,rssR).

WASHINGToN, June 50..~Fosr indictmsntae charging Albert B. Fall, former secretary of the inte- ri6r; Harry F. Sinclair and E. L. Doheny, Jr., with criminal action in connection with the leasing of naval oil reserves in Wyoming and Cali fornia were returned today in the District of Columbia supreme court.
 A special grand jury which has given weeks to consideration of the evidence, levelled former charges of felony against the four men, whose names have held the spotlight in the prolonged Senate oil investigation and the civil litigation which fol- lowed.
 Fall and the two Dch4nys. the first indictment charged, entered into and maintained an unlawful conspiracy from July 1, 1921, to December Il, 1922, to enable the Pan-America1l Petroleum coInpaI1y, to obtain control of naval oil reser- wation No. one in California.
 st00: 600 Fsribe Ghar6sa
 HintiIaeiy : the second ifte ~ ilnsFN said, Fall and ssinefnif c6nepifed uilla fully bekwSen Deeehibef 5t, 1924. and April [, 1922, to five the AfaniHuth tlil e6rl7 pangs SineiAEr eorpofatfon, control of the Teapot Donfe reserve in Wyoming. The third indictment charged Fall dnely with accepting a lyribe of S100. 600 from the Doheffts. to influence his action il the California lease, and accompanying negotiations concerning storage and ex- change of naval oil, and the fourth held the Dohenys up for prosecution for paying Fall the money in question.
 Much of the evidence and many of the implications dfagged to 1ight during the long Senate inquisition into the ndSal reserve leasing were repeated to- day in legal lahguaEe in which the court presenfments of the grand jury were couched. There also was iIidi- cation that other aceusat6ry matters had gone before the grand jury and the conspiracy indictments also gecited that persons unknown" had c0nSorfed with the four principals in the activi- ties brought under ban.
 Great Less Aileeed
 Fall, in both the conspiracy charges. was accused of having sought to pfe- vent the government from obtainine competitive bids for e1plOitihg tiae naval reserves and of having made false rep resehtations and statements to prevent the appearance of competitors agaiiist tie Sinclair and Doheny companies This resulted in great loss to the gov eminent. the indictments said, and ufi- just profits to the siiccessful lesaors.
 As an overt act in fsrthefance of the eoIlspiFaey charged. the indictments said, Fall, on July 8. 1921, sent to Do- heny letter, declaring the interior de- partment was now in control of the naval reserves. to the exclusion of the navy department. The letter, which was never before made public, recited for Doheny's benefit letter which the then secretary said he had just sent to President Harding.
 Fall Letter Quoted
 .TheFe will be no possibility of any further conflict with navy officials and this department" Fall said to sDoheny, 'fas l have notified Secretary DeIiby that should conduct flie matter of the naval leases under direction of the President, without calling any of his derstands the situation. and that I shall handle matters exactly as I think best and will not consult with any of- ficials of ans bureau in his depart-
 tccntlnued on Page Twol