Evening star., 1926-12-09
Alarmed by Picture Admiral
Robson Drew of Pacific
Defense, He Adds.
100000 LOAN T0FALL
CALLED FRIENDLY ACT
Magnate Preceded on Stand by
Wife and Son Telling of
Aid Given Secretary.

OF naval engineers, Edward l.. DO
heny, co-defendant with Albert B. Fall
! in the Governments oil conspiracy
case, late today told the jury that he
was so worked up over the Navy's
! preparations to resist a feared Jap.
aneSe invasion from the Pacific that
! he consented to undertake construc.
! tion of oil fuel tanks at Pearl Harbor
to strengthen the Hawaiian base
against attack.
Mr.. Doheny declared that Admiral
Robson had told him that President
| Harding and Secretary of State
Hughes had called the disarmament
conference, then in session, because
Of Japanese gestures" in the Pacific.
The oil man gave vivid description
| of Admiral Robison's appeal to him
to help the Navy out of the situation
| that threatened "reign Of terrorism"
should Japan invade the Pacific Coast.
HE got me so worked up over it, and
I still am," said Mr.. Doheny, that 1
gave him assurances that my COM
pany would make a bid.''
Believed Mobilization Near.
The oil man told the jury that he
had been led to believe that orders
already had been issued for mobiliza-
tion in the Pacific to offset any steps
that Japan would make. Without a
large fuel base at Pearl HarbOr,
Admiral Robson had told him that
the American Navy would be at the
mercy of any fleet in the Pacific bent
on invasion. Robson was very earnest
and urgent the witness said, and told
him that the proposed Oil reserve sup
ply at Pearl Harbor would more than
double the value of the feet. Without
this fuel base the witness said he had
been told the ships could not move,
Doheny told the jury what seemed
to be a frank and complete story of
the 100000 loan to Fall.
Mrs. Doheny, the oil magnate's
wife, had told the same story to the
jury a little earlier and produced in
court Falls signature to the mutilated
note which forms one Of the vital
connecting links in the Governments
conspiracy charge.
Attorney Frank J. Hogan, Falls
chief counsel, put the witnesses upon
the stand as forceful touch to the
days proceedings. Edward l.. Do
heny, jr., the oil mans son, had gone
on the stand earlier and bore out the
testimony Of his father with regard
to Washington.
Security for Loan.
The defense brought out for the
first time that Falls 100000 demand
note was secured last year with one
third Of the stock of the Tres Ritos
Cattle and Land Co., which is the
concern Fall orga nized after the pur-
chase of the Harris ranch. The GER
tificate of stock was introduced in
| evidence by Mr.. Hogan.
The Doheny who testified today
was a different man, physically,
from the impetuous Doheny who
defied Senators at the oil investiga-
ton in 1924, when he first told of the
loan to Fall.
Suffering from an infected arm,
which necessitated two operations,
Mr.. Doheny bore up exceedingly we'll
under the strain, and in simple, direct
fashion outlined what took place be-
tween him and Fall with regard to
the loan for the purchase of the Har-
ris ranch at New Mexico.
Says Fall Asked Cash.
He explained that the 100000 was
delivered to Fall in cash at the latter's
own request; that the transaction was
one in which he thought only of rem
dering assistance to an old friend. He
graphically described the mutilation
of the note, explaining that he had
torn off the signature when he and
his wife were prepared to return 10
Los Angeles, so that in event Of his
death payment could not be wrung
from Fall by the executors of his
estate.
Il do not want it to be an instru-
ment Of torture, but form of assist
ance," he told his wife, upon tearing
the note and handing her Falls sigma
ture to guard carefully.
Admirals on Stand.
When court reconvened this morn
ing defense counsel indicated they in
tended going as fully as possible into
testimony to prove the strategic i'm
portance of Hawaii and Pearl Harbor
in relation to the war plans Of 1921
in the Pacific. Rear Admiral William
c.. Cole and Rear Admiral Robert E.
Coontz were the first two witnesses to
take the stand today.
F.. r. Kellogg questioned the wit
nesses. Admiral Cole, who was as
sistant chief of operations during
Denby's regime and now commandant
at LnC navy dI ANOlAOih, d., was
asked If strategic problems and naval
bases were the subject of special study
at the Naval War College. He ad-
mitted that was so.
What was and is the value OF
Hawaii for the strategic purposes Of
the Navy" Mr.. Kellogg asked.
"Of the highest Importance" Ad-
miral Cole replied.
Government counsel objected to the
line of testimony as irrelevant, but
the court permitted the witness to
answer.
Mr.. Kellogg next asked what i'm
portance was attached to the main
tenance of a properly equipped naval
. base at Hawaii. VITAL" he replied.
The same answer was applied to a
a.. question regarding the importance of
maintaining an adequate fuel oil sup
ply at the base.
U. S. Objection Overruled.
Government counsel vigorously OBJ
jected when Mr.. Kellogg asked il
1900, 900 barrels of oil was or was
not excessive for the Navy's need at
Pearl Harbor. as provided in the con.
tract. Mr.. Hogan interrupted to de-
clare that it had been charged that
the making of the leases was to de-
prive the Navy of its oil. The court.