Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-03-20
Convention Gossip
Continued from Pace Onel :.

the Wyoming reserve and of converse
lions on the subject with President
Harding, Secretary FAN and Attorney
General Daugherty.
During a long and vigorous cross
examination by Senator Walsh of Mon
tana, committee prosecutor" Darden
quoted President Harding as having
said Fall is kind of T. n. t. on the
subject of clearing the reserve. Also
he fatty denied statement contained
in a letter from Fall to Mr.. Harding
that Attorney General Daugherty had
sent Darden to the interior secretary
about the lease.
Describing efforts he had made to
obtain a lease in the Sa Creek field.
adjoining Teapot Dome. before the in
terror department in 1920 during the
Democratic administration, Darden
said n Mr.. Taylor. who was contesting
his claim. came to Washington with
Mr.. Wilson," a brother of President
Wilson. as his attorney. Secretary
Payne recognized his claim in that
| contest. he added.
In his brief stay on the witness
stand Gilmore told of rumors cur
rent at the Chicago convention that
Gil interest were ready to throw their
support to candidate for n con-
citSl ludl III OcI Iitu Dttll
made to General Wood by the late
Jake Hamon. then Republican ma
tional committeeman from Olilaho-
ma. to support him in return for his
appointment as secretary of the in
| terror: and that General Wood had
refused to entertain it and declared
/ that his fight would he "out in the
open, on the convention floor"
The only specific statement OBJ
tanned from Gilmore was that after
the convention he had a CONVERSE
ton with Carmi A. Thompson of
Cleveland. Ohio. about some oil
lands in the course of which Thomp-
son was quoted by Gilmore as say
ing I'VE" needed the latter now
more than ever" Gilmore could not
| identify the Oil land which was the
subject of conversation.
a subpoena Immediately was is
sued for Thompson, who was a Re-
publican candidate for governor of
Ohio in 1922 and now is campaign
manager in that state for President
Coolidge. He probably will be heard
saturday.
Meantime Senator Walsh plans TO
have a conference with Leonard
wood, Jr., here tomorrow about his
published statement that he had
father at Chicago.
The committee plans to recall to-
morrow G. ID. Wahlberg, former pri-
vate secretary to Harry +. Sinclair.
and to hear Sinclair himself on Fri
day If he can reach Washington by
that time.
Wahlberg will be questioned about a
previous statement TO the committee
that hs had delivered some Liberty
bonds to "Mr. Hayes" At the time Of
his testimony the Investigators as
sumed this Mr.. Hayes" was an cm-
ploye of Harry +. Sinclair. but they
now desire more light on the subject.
The committee desires to question
sinclair on variety of subjects. in
Guiding the testimony Of J. W. ZeveIy
that the oil magrate directed him TO
deliver $4,000 in Liberty bonds to Fall
four months after the central figure
in the Oil scandal had retired from the
cabinet.
Today's session of the investigators
was enlivened by two clashes between
Senator Walsh and Senator Spencer.
Republican. Missouri who took his seat
today as a member of the committee.
succeeding Senator Lenroot, Republic
can. Wisconsin. who retired because
OF his physical condition.
DUN tlltS came WhIIe Darden was on
the stand. Senator Walsh first remon-
strated with Senator Spencer for put
ting words into the mouth of the wit
ness and again FOR making mis-
statements of facts" in his examina-
ton Of the witness.
Darden. who described himself as a
farmer. was subjected to griIling
cross-examination by Senator Walsh.
particularly as to the basis for his
claim in Teapot Dome. but he became
ruffed only on one or two occasions.
Once he told the senator he wanted to
be fair and to be treated fairly, and
again he questioned the right Of the
committee TO go into intimate details
Of his life history.
The claims which he and his assoc
ciates. John +. Champion and Robert
@. Taylor, were pressing. he said. were
for 240 acres I'm the Salt Creek field
and leo acres in Teapot Dome. These
were acquired. he explained, in a set
tlement of claims Champion and Tay-
Tor had against the Belgo Company,
one of the two companies which Sim
clair bought out after he leased the
Wyoming reserve.
The witness declared that no effort
was made to enforce the Teapot claim
until he learned through "1ossiu''