The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-10-24
MAY BAR BEST
PROOF OF FALL
SINCLAIR PLOT
Oil Man Changes Story;
Would Exclude First

the Teapot Dome graft trial Of Harry
f. Sinclair and former Secretary of
the Interior Albert B. Fall. is whether
Sinclair will be forced to explain why
he testified one way before the senate
investigating committee in 1923, and
alleges thru counsel a Numerically
opposite contention in his present
trial.
The point at issue is vital one for
the defense, as the presentation of the
senate committees records would
catch Sinclair in damaging admis-
sions. He told the senate that the
business which brot him to the home
of Fall at Three Rivers, New Mexico,
in New Years week, 1922, was to get
from him a promise to turn over Tea
pot Dome oil lease to Sinclair and his
friends.
Changes His Story.
Events since then have made it in
cumbent on Sinclair to allege that the
trip was not for the purpose first
stated, but merely a friendly visit, in
which no Teapot Dome lease was dis
cussed, but other matters entirely.
Sinclair's attorneys now insist that
Harry F. Sinclair, head of the Sim
clair Oil Company, and beneficiary by
the Teapot Dome lease to the extent
of some ten million dollars, really thot
of leasing it only much later than the
New Years call, and after the mys-
FERROUS $257,000 had passed into Falls
hands, and that if Fall was bribed, it
could not have been by Sinclair.
Fraudulent Lease.
The United States Supreme Court
has already been forced to render a
decision that the Teapot Dome lease
was highly fraudulent, and has re-
voked it. Standard Oil needs the
lease. This decision, if it becomes a
matter of record in the court, will
make it hard enough for jury with
the best intentions in the world to-
ward Sinclair to acquit him. If Sim
clair's own admission before the SEN
ate committee, contradicting his pres
emit story is allowed before them, their
position will be painful in the extreme.
Therefore the long argument over the
immunity granted statements before
the senatorial committee investigating
the fraudulent lease, and the judges
deliberation upon it. A ruling is OK
pected Monday.
Some May Talk.
The first week of the trial has
ended without any of the more i'm
portant witnesses taking the chair
Among those expected to testify are
Col. Robert Stewart, chairman of di-
retcors of the Standard Oil of New
Jersey, now, but at one time a direc.
tor Of the elusive Continental Trading
Co., which mixed in the Teapot Dome
leasing and from which $230,500 has
been traced to Falls bank account anc
safety deposit boxes.
Former Senator Chas. S. Thomp
son, of Colorado, who drew up The
Continental Company's guarantee con
tract, and Senator Thomas Of the
Mexico-Texas Land and Oil Company
partakers in the wash sale of the
lease, will be called, and may or may
not tell what they know of the affair
1t looks like long trial. The prose.
cution has not thus far shown any
inclination to probe the reported i'm
plication of President Harding in the
oil scandal.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 23.-Theodort
Roosevelt, jr., and his brother Archie
who was employed in Harry Sinclair''
New York office when the TEAPOT
Dome naval oil scandal broke out, foul
years ago, are to testify in the Fall
Sinclair conspiracy trial in the dis
trict federal court in Washington.
That the sons Of the former presi
dent and conservation enthusiast will
be given more limelight than they
desire, when they explain their part
in the intrigues that led up to the
fraudulent oil leases and to the fina
exposure before the senate commit
tee, is assumed by the prosecution
and the public. Extraordinary per
oOii1l anu oOCldI pISSouiC was uScu
during the senate inquiry, to keel
young Theodore" in the background
when DENLY, his chief, was walking
the plank.
Brother Gets Fat job.
Archibald Roosevelt was given
job with the Sinclair concern in New
York when Theodore, jr, held blocl
Of Sinclair stock and was assistan
secretary of the navy. When Sen
Walsh of Montana, in Christina
week, 1923, secured startling evidenc,
Of the oil fraud conspiracy while OF
a trip to Palm Beach, Fla, to inter
view Fall and E. 3. Mclean of tn,
Washington Post, Archie BEGAN,
alarmed. He telephoned Theodore il
Washington, who went to see hin
and advised him to come before tn,
senate committee and testify. Archi,
and Theodore appeared together, a
a hastily-summoned meeting of tn,
committee, and Archie told of the