Evening star., 1925-05-04
OIL CASES DELAY
REGARDED AS SURE
May Be 1927 Before Teapot
Dome and Elk Hills
Suits Are Ended.
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

The Government is this week NOV
against Albert B. Fall Edward L.
Doheny. Edward L. Doheny, jr, and
Harry F. Sinclair, but public eXpecta-
tions of early results from civil action
! to recover the naval oil reserves are
doomed TO disappointment. 1t is
likely to be 1927 before a final deci-
sion by the United States Supreme
Court Will be rendered. That will be
three years from the date the Gov
ernment's legal proceedings We're first
instituted. Widespread fears that
the wealth of the defendants may be
buying the laws delays" appear to
have little foundation.
The defendants are taking full ad-
vantage of their rights, and proceed =
ure in our Federal courts permits eX-
asperatingly protracted delays. One
of the rights which even the United
States. as a litigant plaintiff, does
not possess is the right to demand
precedence. Uncle Sam. in the oil
proceedings enjoys no privileges in
this respect that are not at the dis
posal of the humblest citizen of the
land. He has got to stand in line and
await his turn. The docket of every
Federal court in the country is
crowded. The oil cases will be tao
killed. and decided as they are reached.
and no sooner The Government
cannot ask that they be put ahead of
anything or anybody.
Won't Wait Appeals.
Meantime, Messrs. Atlee Pomerene
and Owen D. Roberts, the Govern
ment's special counsel, are this week
moving in the direction of fresh in
dictments against the Sinclair -Doheny-
Fall quartet in the District of Column
bia court. Summonses are out for wit
nesseS to appear before the MAY grand
jury on May and s. The Government
has decided to seek new indictments
on the bribery and conspiracy charges,
rather than await the outcome of their
appeal from the decision of Justice
Mccoy, which quashed the first indict-
ments on April 8. Messrs. Pomerene
and Roberts decided to move without
delay toward new indictments, be-
cause the appeal from the Mccoy de-
cision could not be heard by the Court
of Appeals before October. 1925. Their
decision is, to some extent, inspired
by doubts, raised in some quarters. as
to whether or not the statute of limi-
ants favor, at least on the bribery
charge, unless there is speedy action.
There is understood to be no such
danger in the case of the conspiracy
charge.
The month of May is expected by
parties at interest to bring decision
on the civil cases filed by the Govern
ment. Two judges and two iurisdic-
tions are involved-the so-called Los
Angeles case against the Doheny Pan
American Petroleum Co., for recovery
of the Elk Hills oil reserve, and the
So-called Cheyenne case against the
Sinclair Mommoth Oil Co, for recov-
cry of the Teapot Dome oil reserve.
History of Cases.
AS there has been some unrest and
now and then suspicion, over the pro.
longation of the oil proceedings. II
may be useful to recapitulate the out
standing dates involved They are as
follows: ..,-..
October, 1923-Senate committee be-
gan its investigation of the oil leases.
January, l924-Financial transac.
tions of Albert B. Fall We're brought
to light before the Walsh committee
by Edward L. Doheny.
February s, 1924-President Cool.
idge approved the Walsh resolution
which made a special law for the oil
cases.
February %, 1924-Congress appro
priated 100000 for expense of con
Quoting the oil litigation.
! February. 1924-Messrs. Pomerene
Continued on Page. 3, Column 50