The Bismarck tribune., 1924-05-02
WHEELER CASE
PROBE ENDED
BY COMMITTEE
Elair COan Tells Of Being
Sent to Montana to lnveS-
tigate the Charges


Wa hinCton, May ,. Investigation
of the chargcs in the indictment re
turned against Senator Wheeler
Democrat, Montana, by federal
grand jury in his state, practlcall|
was completed last night ny the
special senate committee.
Blair Coan, the last witness heard
testified that he had been sent Z"
Montana by George Il. Lockwood,
secretary of the Republican national
committee, to Investigate the acliHi-
ties not only of Senator Wheeler,
prnsccu,or of the bauphcrty commit
tee. bu, also OF another senator.
After he left the witness stand loan
said this senator was Senator NaiAh,
Democrat, Montana, pro "rut"r "'
the oil committee.
Lacks Personal knowledge
Cuau told the committee he had no
pcrsCnul knowledge as to any en-
ployment of Senator Wheeler by Cor
don Campbell Montana oil man L"
mosecutc oil permits before the IN
terror drnartmcnt. He stated that tn"
department Of justice had some I'M
ease which might interest the com
mittcc. It wa agreed that Attorney
General stone would be asked To fur
i, nish them.
! " ". Rhca Of Idaho SPRING, Cot,
who said he had had IN interest m
the Phil M,Gowan permit held by
Campbell, testified that he had heard
, Senator Wheeler say that 'Ampb"il
and Rhea need not worry about that
permit; that this would be all taken
. care of when he got back to Wash
ington.
Before Rhea was called rs the first
. witnes of the day, Chairman borah
| put into the record Il letter from
Z Commissioner Spry, of the general
land office, saying that an cXamina
ton of the files of the land offict
failed to disclose that Senator
4 Wheeler had appeared as counsel II
{ land permit matters.
n Promised to Help
n Rhea said the statement by Scna
1 tor Wheeler had been made at con
S ference at the Rainbow hotel in Grea
7 Falls. Mont, on the night of Januar.
10, 1928, and that the main purpoS
Of the conference was to discuss tn
N Phil McGowan permit, which he late
C declared was then in contest befor
c the interior department.
b The witness said he could not stat
b that Campbell had said ut that tim
p that Senator Wheeler was employe
S to look after permits, but he testlfie
p that Campbell had stated that tn
McGowan permit would be fixed
when Senator Wheeler got to Wasi
incton and that Senator Wheeler Ia
ID, said that it would be taken care of
M Campbell was quoted by the wi
u ness a having said that II the pc
" nit were fixed up, the owners wou
w give Wheeler quite a.sIicc out of
st Rhca 5 recollection was that Wheel'
Bt had made no statement rcSpectil
~ this suggestions.
- Coan, who was the third witness
ii the day. was on the stand only
comparatively short time. He test
fled he had been employed Ia
March by Secretary Lockwood
write for the National Rcpublica
+ He went to Montana, he said rig
after his employment.
COan Secures Affidavit
Upon arrival in Montana Coan h
II. G. CLOSER, formerly an cmplo
/ of Campbell, make an affidavit. Lat
Il he went to Denver where Rhea ma
an affidavit for him. In the fin
/ affidavit, Clio ser. he said, failed
3 make q statement about the Rainb
L Hotel conference and he obtained
& second affidavit from him.
Z What did you do with the affit
{ Wits after you got them? asked 81
I ator Borah.
Z II mailed them to Mr.. Lockwo
and he turned them over to the
4 partment of justice, Coan replied
DO you know of your own kno'
edge anything with reference to
& employment of Mr.. Wheeler by
& Campbell?' asked Chairman Bora
& Il could not be expected TO h:
knowledge of it, Coan replied.
was not there ut the time.