Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1924-02-16
INVESTIGATORS CONTINUE
WORK WHILE COMMITTEE
TAKES TEN DAY RECESS

any 81 100000 VIA sln.h fund sent to
Washington for distribution to public
Officials and others.
The committee in addition approved
the nomination ~ special government
counsel in the oil lease cases. Atlee
Pomcrcne w Canton. Ohio. and Owen J-
Roberts of Philadelphia. Mr.. Roberts
was appointed in place ~ Silas III.
Strawn WI Chicago. whose nomination
was withdrawn Thursday By President
Coulodge.
The nominations will w called up soon
IN the senate. where Senator Dill. demo
craf. Washington, will continue the
fight on Mr.. 'omerene which started ia
the committee. Meanwhile, the counsel
will proceed with a study nf the facts
20 a. to speed the institution " injunc-
tion proceedings 10 stop extraction of
0il from the naval reSrrvrS-the first
step i'll the contemplated litigation for
annulmenf Of the Fall leases.
Adjournment 0f the committee was
simultaneously with a break ia New
York stock markets. which resulted from
circulation WI reports that one big oper-
ator had become bearish on the theory
that public confidence had become under
mined by the 0iI disclosures
Announcement Of the adjournment
came after the executive session at
which favorable vote was given 10 the
special counsel and ii was stated that
the recess waS made necessary. among
other reasons BY the enforced absence
from Washington of Senator Walsh,
demo rat. Montana.
During the interim the committee in
vestgiators will 20 forward with their
work and the accountants Of the federal
trade commission will be able to con-
clude their examination III the books
or some Or the brokers which have been
subpoenaed by the committee with a
view of determining whether there were
operations in Oil stocks BY public Off
cials AZ or after the time the leases
were made
Although the committee made rapid
progress this week In clearing up it,
witness list. many persons remain to
be heard. Among them is Edward b.
Mclean, publisher Of the Washington
Post who has been called from Palm
Beach for questioning with respect to
the slush fund report and also the
checks for 100000 which ne has tes-
titled were returned to him uncashed
by Albert B Fall.
Harry r Sinclair, who IS now return
inn from Europe. may be one Of the
first witnesses after the recess The
committee desires TO question him par
ticularly regarding the unpaid loan of
S25.000. which his personal attorney. j.
W. Zevely. has testified he made to Fall
within three months after ne had retir-
ed from the cabinet.
Moreover. il desires to interrogate
him further about circumstances sur
rounding the lease az Teapot Dome and
conferences which he had with Fall at
the former Sccrctary's New Mexico
ranch. Other subjects which the COM
mittee want 10 AXE up with him are
the condition under which Ne agreed To
pay 81 100000 to the Pioneer and Bel
80 Oil companies for their claims i'm
the Teapot reserve and the contract for
the payment Of another 100000 TO J.
Len Stack. Denver oil operator and
Frederick q. Bonfils, publisher of the
Denver Post.
Other witne. e. for whom subpoenas
have been issued include John II. King,
former national committeeman from
Connecticut. and others connscted
with the Association for the Protection
Of American Rights in Mexico. The
committee wishes 10 examine the books
OF this organization with respect to ex-
penditurcs which the committee has i'm
formation IL has made In Washington.
Cost % the improvements made 20
Falls New Mexico ranch will he anoth-
er subject az inquiry. late reports 10
the senatorial Investigations indicate
that the sum was In excess Of that first
reported ID them. They were unsuccess-
ful in obtaining any information on
this matter from Thomas Johnson. fore
man Of the Fall ranch. who was exam
ined yesterday after three weeks stay
in Washington
Without debate the house adopted to-
day the Walsh resolution directing the
beginning of proceedings t0 recover sec
tions 16 and 81 within naval oil reserve
No. in California now operated by the
Standard Oil Company Of California