Evening star., 1927-10-20
FALL INTERRUPTS
OIL LEASE TRIAL
Former Secretary Creates
Sensation in Plea for
Statement by Finney.

Continued from First Page.l
less in SO far as thew did not pro
duce oil in commercial quantities
When the applications were present.
ed To Finney after the Harding ad-
miuistration came in he likewise
ruled against them on the same
ground as specified by Payne How
ever. he did grant hearing TO the
Company3 attorneys for oral arau-
ments and set the date for Septem-
her 20. 1921. hut this date was can
Celled and the attorneys were in-
formed that Fall would take charge
of the hearing at later date. So far
"a he knew. Firuey testified, thai
: hearing has never heen held.
Hoover announced in court from
time to time what he sought to prove
ae his questions were blocked by
Roberts and among these announce
ments was the statement that the
claims against Teapot Dome which
Sinclair later acquired in order 70
clear title To The area We're valid
despite the final ruling of Finney.
When the luncheon recess was
called F'innev was still under cross
examination by Hoover.
y
as defense witness did not by any
means constitute his only opportll-
nifty of counteraCting the Govern =
rnent's charges. On one occasion.
when Justice Siddons declined to per
nit him 10 pursue A question which
he had hammered away at because
Re wanted 10 show there was no act
of had faith on the part Of Fall az
the Government charges. the court
observed that the defendant could
meet the question by affirmative
testimony at later date.
Negotiations Kept Secret.
When court reconvened al 10 o'clock
this morning Mrs. Fall. who was ab-
sent Yesterday on account of illness
accompanied her husband and dauSh
ter, Mr.. Fall took occasion just he
fore the session opened to explain
that he had not announced any in
tention to. take the stand in his own
behalf during the trial.
E. c. Finney. First Assistant Secre
tary of the Interior, was recalled to
the witness stand ard after a brief
period of questioning Mr.. Roberts
for cross-examination,
terrcsation the Government counsel
introduced the letter written by G.. d
Applin of Minneapolis. Mimi. dated
February 25, 1922. requesting the De.
partment of the Interior for informa.
tinn rega riding naval oil land leases.
Finney admitted replying to this
letter stating that no informa ton
could he given by the department.
From the witness Mr.. Roberts oh
tanned the admission that he knew
at the time this letter was written
that negotiations We're being con-
Quoted with regard 10 Teapot Dome.
The policy was not to divulge any
Information said Mr., F'inney.
Further questioning bv Mr.. Roberts
was tended to draw from the witness
the jnforma ton that Secretary Fall
had invoked this policy of secrecy
regarding the leases on the part of
departmental officials. Finney ad-
nlitted that he had been so advised
by Mr.. Fall himself.
Government counsel then went into
The question of other oil concerns
making applications for leases dur
ing the early part of 1921 and up to
April 1922.
Teapot Dome Inquiries.
Mr.. Finney could not say that these
companies were applying for land in
Teapot Dome, but he mentioned spe-
cifically the Standard Oil Co. of In
diana. the Prairie Oil & Gas Co. and
the Midwest Oil & Refining Co. as
being interested in oil lands in the
Salt Creek field. adjoining.
Were there frequent inquiries about
Teapot Dome about this time?" asked
Roberts.
Mr.. Hoover for the defense objected
to the term frequent, and Roberts
changed it to amy" inquiries
Yes, there were a number of in
cuiries,' Finney admitted.
1t was at this point that MIR. Roberts
said he had concluded with the witness
and turned Mr.. Finney over to the de-
fense for croSs-eXamination.
The cross-exanination of the witness
was begun by Mr.. Hoover, who seemed
to be intent on impressing the jury
with Mr.. Finney's extensive knowl.
edge of land and oil laws gained during
long years of service with the Govern
ment. The witness went into detail
in his various connections with the
Department of the Interior in the las
2S or so years.
Mr. Hoover then directed the wit
ness attention to the order of August
8, 1921, allocating various. duties in
the Department Of the Interior. He
said there was nothing unusual in the
ALLEGATION of this work.
AT the time this was done" asked
Mr.. Hoover, was there any policy in
effect in regard to lease. under the
act Of June /. 1902"
Mr. F'innev replied that he could
not answer exactly, but that he did
know that no leases had been made.
Fall Sought Oil Expert.
Mr.. Hoover brought out that before
Finney left for the West, in June,
1921. Fall asked him TO suggest the
appointment of some one to be placed
in charge of oil matters. He suggest.
ed w. c. Mendenhall. A Reologist con.
nected with the Geological Survey.
After Finnev's return TO Washing
| Bad Weatf