The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-10-22
RULE MONDAY.
ON SINCLAIR'S
SENATE STORY
Jury Rests as Conspiracy
Trial ReCesses Over
Weekend.
STRATEGY Is PLANNED
Judge Must Decide If Oil
Mans Former Testimony
Can Be Used.
STRATEGY is PLANNED
Bv HERBERT LITTLE

United KTeSS
WASHINGTON, Oct. %. With
the Fall Sinclair oil conspiracy trial
in recess until Monday, the jury
rested today while presiding Justice
Siddons pondered adnissibility OF
the Senate oil Investigations testi-
mony as evidence here. He Is TO
announce his decision Monday.
Meanwhile government and de-
Tense lawyers reviewed the panor-
ANA of events involved in the Tea
pot Dome lease, as presented in the
first week of the trial, and planned
their strategy for the bitter legas
battle next week.
The government outlined it's case
and made three important moves,
designed to show Albert B. Fall,
former Secretary of Interior, ana
Harry F. Sinclair conspired to de-
fraud the United States of the rich
Teapot Dome Naval Oil Reserve in
Wyoming.
Set Up Patriotism Defense
Government witnesses have testi-
fed Fall was advised by his experts
that there was not enough danger
of draining the reserve to warrant
leasing more than a small part OF
it: that Fall personally handled the
leading negotiations, and that Fall
did not inform his assistant Secre-
tary, who handled the petroleum
business of the department, con-
corning the Teapot Dome Lease I'M
til four days after it was made.
Defense lawyers, on the other
hand, have set up patriotism
defense, alleging the lease was part
of a plan originating in the Navy,
to obtain fuel oil for battleships in
exchange for the Reserves under
ground oil; they have credited Ad-
miral j. K. Robson with carrying
out the plan; and they have attacked
testimony of the governments
drainage experts as unverified. To
refute the charge of secrecy a
letter from Fall to the late Senator
LaFollette announcing the making
of the lease five days after it was
executed was read.
Case Barely Opened
The Governments eight witnesses
so far barely have opened the case.
About seventy more are under sub
poena, although some of them may
not be called. Then the defense
probably will have thirty or forty
witnesses.
Justice Siddons' deliberations this
week end will result in a decision
important to the case, as the Gov
eminent intends, if sustained here,
to introduce various statements
made to the Senate oil Investigate
ing committee of 1924 by Sin
clair and by Fall.
After this question is disposed the
Government intends to call L. E.
Eddy and r. w. Tallman, general
land Office employees during Falls
incumbency, to testify regarding
status of placer claims to various
parts of Teapot Reserve. Another
early witness is A. w. Ambrose, for
mer chief technologist of the In
terror Department, who played an
important role in the drainage part
of the lease negotiations.
Oil Operators to Testify
Some of the oil operators who
were refused information at the In
terror Department about leasing
Teapot Dome, will then be called.
Robert w. Stewart, chairman OF
the board of the Standard Oil Com
pany of Indiana, central figure in
the Continental Trading Company
out of the profits of which the Gov
eminent charges Sinclair gave Fall
$230,500 in Liberty Bonds few
weeks after the Teapot lesae wa,
signed, probably will be called
Wednesday or Thursday.