Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1926-12-03
SEC. WILBUR
IS CALLED IN
FALL DEFENSE
New Line of Defense
Opened By Attor-
neys for Fall; To
Ask About Orders

WASHINGTON, ID. g., Dec. 3.-iPl-
Declaring navy witnesses are being
prompted from Secretary Wilbur's Of
flee regarding their testimony, de-
fense counsel in the Fall-Doheny oil
conspiracy trial today called On the
secretary for explanation.
Mr. Wilbur viii be placed on the
witness stand tomorrow and viii also
be asked why certain Navy Depart4
ment files subpoenaed BY the defense
have not been produced.
Frank J. Hogan. chief of the defense
attorneys. said during recess Of the
trial today that Admiral j X. Robi-
son. one Of the prospective star Wit
nesses for the defense. had been sum-
moned To the secretary ! office and
cautioned mot 20 reveal matters Of a
confidential nature which had come
to his attention in the department.
Summons, Hogan said. had come 10
Admiral Robson after he already VAS
under subpoena TO testify for the de-
fense.
1t was Robson who handled the
navy's part in the oh leasing program
Of 1922 anh his testimony has been
relied upon bv the defendants 20 show
that both the Navy and Interior De-
partments had say in the award Of
the Elk Hills lease to the Doheny OIL
interests. This lease is declared by
tine government TO have been awarded
through the Influence II Albert Il.
Fall. while Ia was interior secretary
and aft1r nc had been advanced $780,
600 hy D0heny.
WASHINGTON. Dec. 3.-iPi-An
ntirely new line Of counter attack
was opened up today by defense At
torneys i'm the Fall Doheny oil trial.
They announced that they would
ask Secretary Wilbur. on the witness
stand. whether naval officers listed
among the witnesses had received any
new orders since they were summoned
20 testify.
What prompted the step WIS not
disclosed. but the defense
after questioning one admiral
announced that Admiral j X. Robson.
one of their star witnesses. would not
be placed on the stand until the jury
had heard the testimony Of Secretary
Wilbur.
The secretary was asked to appear
either III today's afternoon session or
Naval Officer Heard
The one naval officer heard at the
morning session. Rear Admiral Greg
orv. chief Of the bureau Of yards and
docks. testified chiefly reIaAing the
national defense aspect Of the Doheny
case for naval fuel at Pearl Harbor,
Hawaii He said his bureau prepared
81 acifications for the project. but
that the leasing negotiations with the
Interior Department was handled By
Admiral Robson.
This is one of the contracts which
the government charges grew out of
between Edward J.. Doheny
and Albert y. Fall. while Fall was
secretary or the interior and shortly
after he had received the 100000
sent him by Doheny n little black
satchal.
Question Bombardment
Gregory was eros examined briefly
but another defense witness, ). Foster
Balm, former director of the bureau of
mines, underwent a perfect lombard
ment ~oi questions by prosecution
counsel Balm testified that Fall was
in New Mexico when the negotiations
between Doheny and the government
came TO 4 head, and in no position to
force the issue, but before he left the
stand the defense brought into evil
dence letter he had written Fall sug-
gting that doubts as to the legality
Of the proceedings be cleared up in
advance. No reply to this letter is IN
the record.
"None Of us wants Mr.. Doheny 70
get into trouble" said Bain's letter,
and | take il VIC will do everything
We can to make it easy for him.
Out Of all this has come the sug-
gestion repeatedly that the opinion
of the attorney general be obtained rs
10 Tho ln,rnlif,, of he-confract