Evening star., 1927-12-05
Oil Magnate and Burns File
Answers in Contempt of
Court Case.
SAYS HE TOOK ACTION
TO PROTECT HIS RIGHTS
Day Admits Employing Of Agency
Burns Upholds Work by
Detectives.

1OHSplCOuSly QuleI lOE many WSChS
while the Government piled up allega-
tions that they sought to influence the
verdict of the Teapot Dome trial jury
Harry f. Sinclair, New York Oil mil
lionaire; William J. Burns, noted de-
tective, former head Of the United
States Bureau Of Investigation, and
their four associates, appeared before
Justice Frederick L. Siddons today in
the District Supreme Court in answer
to his contempt Of court rule, made
sweeping denial of the serious charges
set forth in the contempt petition, de-
Tended their right to shadow the jury,
and declared that the alleged facts in
the petition are insufficient as mat
ter Of law to constitute criminal con.
tempt.
Immediately after attorneys for the
six respondents filed, their returns to
the courts order calling upon them
to show cause why they should not be
cited in contempt, Justice Siddons de-
clared a recess until 1 o'clock this
afternoon in order to study the law
aspect of the case.
When court convened at 1 o'clock
arguments on the motions of three
of the six respondents to discharge
the contempt rule and dismiss the
Governments petition were begun,
and indications were they would run
into tomorrow's session. The argu-
ments were on the law of the case.
Daniel Thew Wright, counsel for
Henry Mason Day, vice president of
the Sinclair Exploration Co., deliv-
cred the first argument.
Admit Employing Detectives.
Frank admission by Sinclair and
Henry Mason Day, vice president of
the Sinclair Exploration Co., in their
returns that the oil magnate ordered
the employment Of the Burns Inter-
national Detective Agency to shadow
the jury positively established the
source Of the employment of the de-
tectives for the first time. Beyond
this was the motive" for such en-
ployment, which Sinclair himself de-
clared was to keep the jurors under
close surveillance ito the end that he
might know il any person who might
be desirous of seeing him convicted Of
the charges against him should en-.
deavor In any way to seek contact
with any of said jurors"
Day, in explaining the motive, told
the court that both he and Sinclair
had reason to believe that during the
trial of the Teapot Dome case attempt
would be made during recesses of
court and while the jurors were sepa-
rated and out of the presence of the
court to unlawfully influence and
tamper with the members of the jury
for the purpose Of producing an un.
just verdict"
The Government, on the other hand,
charges the jury was Swallowed by
Sinclair to bring about verdict for
the defendant or mistrial by spying,
bribing, intimidating and influencing
the 10 men and two women who con.
stituted the panel.
Besides including motion in the
return for dismissal of the contempt
rule against him, Sinclair declared
that the prosecution of him by the
Government Of the United States has
been conducted in a manner not in
accordance with the usual procedure
pertaining to the trial Of criminal
cases.
Complains of Prosecution.
He pointed to the Senate joint reso.
luton approved by the President ap.
pointing special oil prosecutors, and
ject Of special prosecution initiated,
sponsored and nurtured by the Con.
gress of the United States in a man.
ner and to an extent never before
visited upon citizen of the United
States.".
Sinclair declared that Congress-, by
enacting special legislation, has de-
prived him of the right to have his
appeals either heard or decided, and
that additional special legislation was
sought by special Government counsel
during the last session of Congress
for enactment Of other special laws
making radical changes in the Grim.
inal procedure of the United States
and specifically directed at his prose.
cution.
He also charged that during the
greater part Of the past four years
he has been subjected to surveillance
by agents whom he has every reason
to believe were in the employ of the
United States Government. These
agents, he added, have watched and
shadowed him not only in his place
of business, but also in and about
his home. and in addition have made
numerous examinations of his books,
records and documents and have, in
short. "pried into all his activities
Continued on Page 6. Column IL