Evening star., 1925-03-27
WHEELER INDICTED
WITH z OTHERS ON
LAND PLOT CHARGE
Edward S. Booth and Gordon
Campbell Named in Bill.
$1,000 Bond Required.
10000 ACRES OF FEDERAL
MINERAL LAND INVOLVED
Senator Was to Use influence to
Assist in Getting Permits,
Is Allegation.

Vice President on lne fToSTeSSiNe
ticket, was indicted today by the
special grand jury here on charge
of conspiracy TO obtain illegal use
and possession of public domain of
the United States in Montana for the
purpose of prospecting for oil and
gas.
Indicted with Senator Wheeler are
Edward S. Booth, former solicitor OF
the Interior Department and at one
time special assistant to the Attorney
General of the United States, and
Gordon Campbell of Montana, an oil
prespector.
The indictment charges the three
men with conspiring with James A.
MacGowan, who. because he testified
before the grand jury, was not in
6icted with them.
Bond Fixed Mt $1,000.
Senator Thomas j. Walsh of Mon
tana, attorney for Senator Wheeler,
was advised this afternoon by United
States Attorney Gordon that bail for
the appearance of Senator Wheeler to
answer the indictment for conspiracy
reported against him today would be
fixed at 81 900. Senator Walsh got
in touch with the United States at
dictment OF his associate. Senator
Wheeler is expected to give bail to-
morrow.
The same amount of bail will be
fixed for Booth and Campbell. 1t is
expected they will arrange TO give
bail in their home towns and not
he required to come to Washington
now.
Covers -Four Years.
The indictment covers % typewrit-
ten pages and charges that contin-
uously from April 1. 1920. to- January,
1924, at and in the District of Column
bia. the accused entered into con-
spiracy to defraud the United States
out of the use and possession OF TO-
coo acres in the County of Toole,-
Montana. which lands were. subject
to permit for prospectors for oil and
gas.
Wheeler Expresses Surprise.
Senator Wheeler learned of the
action of the grand jury this morn
ing as he was leaving the Washington
Golf and Country Club, where he had
been playing golf. After his return
to his office at the Capitol Senator
Wheeler said:
Il am surprised that the grand jury
has returned an indictment. 1 was
convinced that the grand jury was
not going to return an indictment for
the reason that after hearing all the
evidence the grand jury was permit
ted to take a recess of four weeks,
which is, to say the least, an almost
unheard-of procedure.
The only evidence called to my at
tention as being before the grand
jury was the same evidence presented
before the Borah committee which in
yestigated the charges against me.
asked the prosecuting attorney II he
had any kilograms or letters or other
testimony which had not been pre-
-sented before the Borah committee.
and l was informed that the same let
ters and kilograms constituted in the
main the evidence before the grand
jury.
Il am sure that when the case
comes to trial the general public will
be convinced of my complete inno-
cence.'
The case against Senator Wheeler
brought in Montana, and arising out
cf the same alleged transactions in
voived in the Indictment here, is to
go to trial at Great Falls, Mont,
April 16.
AS set forth in the indictment. 1t is
charged that Gordon Campbell con-
' spired to procure various citizens of
the United States to make application
for permits to prospect for oil and
gas upon these lands, under agree
ment that these persons would act
solely for the benefit of Campbell,
without making any disclosures as to
their agreements.
The accused, IT. was further
charged, were then enabled to have
the persons assigned the permit from
the Government in blank, and to de-
liver the assignment to Campbell,
who was to hold them for the benefit
of the alleged conspirators. The
names of the assignees were to be
entered solely for the benefit and un-
der the direction of Campbell and
the accused. in the language of the
indictment, and were "deceitfully and
fraudulently and without disclosing
the existance of the agreement and
of the true character of the appli-
cations to present such assignment
to the Department Of the Interior
and secure permits for the use of said
conspirators."
Got 1000 Acres, Charge.
Through these methods, the indict-
ment pursued, the accused were able
TO secure possession and control of
5000 more acres than either or all of
them would be entitled to under the
laws of the United States.
Senator Wheeler, after his election.
. tn6 CHdi ecu, was 10 use
his influence. as part of the con-
spiracy. with the Department of the
Interior, a Senator, and the de-
fendant Edward S. Booth. while solic-
flor of the department, was to use mis-
influence to procure the permits
without disclosing personal interest
in the matter, 1t is charged. Further
to insure the success of the alleged
conspiracy, it was charged the ac-
cused were to promise and offer to
Francis M. Goodwin, who, during the
period named in the indictment was
Assistant Secretary of the Interior,
an interest in portion of the land
covered by the permits, in order to
influence his action toward approval
of the permits. y
In reciting the facts as to the in
dictment the document recited spe-
cifically "a covert acts" Gordon
6'ampbell at Great Falls, Mont, on
August II, 1920, made application for
two permits, which was the first al
legged action of the series.
Az the fifteenth in the list OF "a
0Continued on Page S, Column 81