Evening star., 1927-11-16
MISSING WITNESS
IN OIL CASE FACES
PROPERTY SEIZURE
Court Orders Slackmer to
Appear idruary 6-Can
Be Fined 100000.
Jury INVESTIGATION
MAY END TOMORROW
Kidwell ASK Hearing Against
Reporter aEd Conductor to
Be Held Friday.

While the grand jury investigation
into the charge of jury tampering in
the Fall-Sinca1r conspiracy trial was
virtually concluded today. another de.
velopment growing out of the famous
oil trial occurred with the signing by
Justice Frederick l.. Siddons of an or.
der calling upoE Harry NJ. Blackmer,
delinquent Government witness in the
OIL proceedings. to appear before him
January s. 1928, at 10 am. and show
cause why he should not be adjudged
guilty of contempt for falling to re.
spond to a subpoena served upon him
IN France earlier this year.
AT the same time. United States
Marshal Edgar c. Snyder was di.
rected in the CIDER to seize property
OF Biackmer to ,he extent of S10O. 600
ana hold it to satisfy any Judgment
mat the court rtay render in the case.
The penalty for refusing to respond 10
a subpoena serted on Blackmer is a
hne not to exceed 100000.
Sensation Is Created.
Possibility of mild sensation in the
grand jury investigation loomed for a
moment today when Owen j. Roberts.
special Government prosecutor, called
on United States Attorney Peyton Cor.
don, and after brief conference left
the courthouse l-tIrriedly, accompanied
by w. NJ. j. McNullin, who as a Burns
detective sWore in an affidavit that
the detective agency induced him to
make false reports about jurors in the
taii-Sinclair cor spiracy trial for the
purpose of enabling the defense to
obtain Il mistriaI if needed.
Roberts and Nj cMullin entered car
parked at the east entrance of the
courthouse on private driveway and
disappeared in the traffic. Mai. Cor
don later explained that the special
Government prosecutor left to keep an
appointment with Secretary of the
Navy Wilbur, anil the fact that Nc
Mullin accompanied him was of nj
significance whatever to the grand
jury investigation ar Government evI
dence for the charges that have beet
filed.
1t was understood at the courthouse
today that former Gov. Nathan l. Mil.
Ter and Gordon Battle Of New York.
Biackmer's counsel. will not seek to
prevent seizure of Blackmer's property
or evad@ service of the court order.
AT the time the Coy ernment filed il,
motion requesting the court to issue O.
rule citing Blackmer in contempt II
was agreed that the Government and
the Blackmer attorneys would decide
on date for hearing. on the motion.
1t was stated, however, that counsel
Tor both sides have conferred and have
agreed upon the date Ot the rule, call.
ing for Blackmer's appearance.
Has Ignored Suhpoenas.
AT that time a vigorous legal battle
will be waged on Blackmer's behalf.
The rule as signed t,'day will be
mailed to the American consul near
est Blackmer, who has been living in
Europe since the Teapot Dome scam
dal broke. Blackmer was chairman
OF the board of the Midwest Refining
Co. and reputedly figured in a big
oil deal' involving Harry l. Sinclair.
details of which the Government
would like to have Blackmer tell from
the witness stand. Twice he was
served with subpoenas. but refused to
respond. Another subpoena for his
appearance at the new trial. January
10, has been issued
No more witnesses will he brought
before the grand jury's invest cation,
which suspended all considerac zion Of
the case for today and tomorrow.
Friday. however, numerous records
and telegrams bearing on con,muni-
cations involving Sinclair a>d a
Burns agent will be presented to ne
grand jurors by Neil Burkinshaw.
assistant United States district at
torney in charge of the investigation.
1t was authoritatively stated at the
courthouse that should the grand
jury make presentment, no indict-
ment or indictments would be forth.
coming before a week. Much tine
must be spent in drafting the indict-
ments, 1t was explained, and this
would he the chief contributor to de-
lay in the matter.
Faces New Truob!e.
Sinclair, co-defendant with Fail in
the recent conspiracy trial, faces new
trouble in the investigation ordered
by Justice Frederick l.. Siddons to de-
termine whether criminal contempt
charges should be prosecuted. Linked
with Sinclair in this new angle are
his two business associates. Henry
Mason Day and Sheldon Clark. who
are already out under bond, charged
with conspirinS to influence the de-
cision of the trial jury.
Expect Conclusion Tomorrow.
Well satisfied with the presentation
of the GoVernment'S case in the grand
jury proceedings. United States At
tOrney Peyton Gordon and his ener-
setic assistant. Neil Burkinshaw. were
busy today checking up minor details.
it was expected that all matters re-
lating to the jury tampering case
would be concluded tomorrow at the
latest.
Assuming indictments are return
ed" said Gordon, Il will bring them
to trail at the earliest possible mo-
ment."
1t wilt not be known before tomor-
row whether or not the grand jury.
will decide on the indictments. Under
the usual procedure in the District
courts. it was said that the grand
jury. at the end of an investigation.
makes its formal charges to the United
States attorney. who writes out the
Both. presentments and
are then filed with the
court.
The retrial of the Teapot Dome case
has been set for January 16 by Justice
Siddons. Consequently, any trials
from the grand jury pro-
ceedings will be got under way long
before that date, possibly as early as
next week.
Kidwell Asks Hearing.
The investigation of contempt
charges ordered by the court will not
start until after the grand jury has
finally wound up the present case.
United States Attorney Gordon. John