Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-15
DIRECTED VERDICT
REFUSED SINCLAIR
Justice Hitz Also Rules Five
Senate Committee Ques-
tionS Pertinent.

| The Sinclair contempt trial entered
its closing stages today, when Justice
| William Hitz, presiding over Criminal
| Division 2, cleared away the maze of
legal difficulties which had gripped the
proceedings for several days by deny
| ing the motion of the defense for a
| directed verdict and holding las mat
ter of law" that the FIVE questions
propounded by the Senate oil com
mittee March %. 1924, to Harry r.
Sinclair were pertinent to inquiry be-
fore the committee. The statutes un.
der which Sinclair was indicted pro-
vide that any person refusing to an
swer questions pertinent to an in
quiry of a congressional committee
shall be guilty of misdemeanor.
Justice Hitz, as result Of his ruling.
in which he refused to instruct the
jury to bring in verdict of not guilty
for the defendant. told the IL men in
his charge, however, that the ques-
tions were pertinent to the inquiry
and it is for them to find whether Sin
clair was summoned to appear, If he
| appeared, If the questions were pro-
pounded to him and If he declined to
| answer.
Admits Part of Hearings.
The court, in denying the defense
motion, permitted the admission OF
portions of the printed oil committee
hearings for the cause of the defense
This included the colloquy of Senators
prior to Sinclairs taking the stand
in which there was some debate about
| whether he should be asked questions
relating to the oil leases, civil pro
ceedings against which already had
| been filed in the courts by the Gov
ernment, and the declaration of Sen
| ator Walsh of Montana that If he
could not examine the witness about
| the leases, he had no questions to
/ ask. Efforts to prevent Sinclair from
| being subjected to questions along the
oil-lease line were voted down.
Sinclair's prepared statement, which
he read to the committee as he took
| the stand, also was admitted as de
| fense evidence. In the statement he
set forth reasons why he should not
| be questioned, stating he already had
| appeared five times before that body
| had freely and fully testified and that
| the matter they desired to question
him about already was in court
where he would meet everybody.
Jury Called Back.
The jury, which had not heard any
thing of the proceedings for several
! days while the legal tangle was being
wound and unwound, finally was called
| into the box after the courts decision
and Martin w. Littleton of defense
counsel read the admitted excerpts
| from the hearings. Littleton's ora
testimony, given Thursday with the
| jury excluded. in which he set forth
the reasons why he advised Sinclair
not to answer the questions PROFOUND
| ed to him, was not permitted to reach
| the IL men by the court.
! Arguments on the motion Of the de
| fense for a directed verdict were com
! pleted yesterday afternoon after
George r. Hoover of defense counse
and Littleton had fought the author
! ity of the committee to summon and
swear Sinclair. Owen j. Roberts, spe
cial Government counsel, entered the
case for the first time, although he
| had been sitting i'm on the proceed
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