The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-01-15
Prosecutions Growing Out
Of Lease Scandals
Take Courts Time.
Times WGshin0ton Bureau,
1929 Nan York Apenue.

1J%x NCtO YORK AD0nuG.
go ASHINGTON, Jan. 15.-''If
'lWI the proceedings are speeded,
0 the end of the string may be
reached In another year" Thus
Senator Thomas J. Walsh refers to
one of the legal battles growing out
of the Teapot Dome case. Senator
Walsh does not mean that all the
oil cases will have been settled with
in another year. Far from it. He
believes it will be at least year be-
fore the courts have answered the
preliminary question: Must Harry
Sinclair reply to the questions put
to him by the Senate investigating
committee?'
The many other cases that have
grown out of the oil investigation
cases involving the validity of the
leases granted to Doheny and Sin
clair, the integrity of Fall while
serving as Secretary Of the Interior,
and the conspiracy charges entered
against Fall, Sinclair, Doheny and
Doheny's son-are expected to run
on before Federal Courts and the
Supreme Court for years to come.
Indictment Returned
Toward the end of the oil investi-
cation last spring, Sinclair refused
to answer certain questions put to
him by Senator Walsh. The SEN
ate thereupon sought to compel him
to answer. for the questions were
held to be pertinent to the investiga-
ton. Charges were made before the
grand jury of the District of Column.
bia. and an indictment was found
against Sinclair.
Then" as Senator Walsh reviews
the case. Sinclair interposed a de-
murrer in which the authority of the
Senate was questioned, which, after
much delay, was overruled. Then,
instead of being required to plead
he was permitted to take a special
appeal to the District Court Of APP
peals.
"It is said that court will hear the
appeal about Feb. /. Whether the
judgment Of that court may be re-
viewed by the Supreme Court by
appeal, writ of error or certiorari
seems uncertain, but il he can go
no further in his efforts to postpone
coming to issue on the indictment
it will be incumbent on him then to
plead. If he pleads not guilty and
is convicted he may then appeal
again to the district reviewing court
and from it to the Supreme Court"
More Than Year
All this viii take moro than a
year, thinks the Senator. unless I'M
usual speed is shown. Meanwhile,
other phases of the oil cases, while
not waiting specifically Tor a de-
cision of the question-answering
trial, are still awaiting even pre-
hminary court skirmishes. The one
exception is the Los Angeles trial on
the question OF the validity OF
Doheny's lease to the Elk Hills oil
reserve. The court now has that
case under advisement.
When the ramifications of the oil
scandal stretched over into Canada,
much speedier court action was OBJ
tanned than in the United States.
Contrast the delay in the cases
referred to with the expedition with
which the courts of Canada proceed
in the effort to, compel witness to
testify concerning the fake corpora
ton, as it is claimed, to conceal the
transfer Of Liberty bonds from Sin
clair to Fall" says Senator Walsh.
"Six months after resort was had
to our courts, proceedings were in
stituted in Canada. The court of
first instance has already acted, and
the appeal to the court OF last re-
sort is about to be heard"