New Britain herald., 1927-11-02
Tampering ( h arges Disbands Jury and Sends Edward ]. Kidwell, Post Haste, to Grand Tribunal.
Government and Defense Counsel to Discuss Plans for Second Hearing Within a Few Weeks More Veniremen to Be Summoned.

Washington, Nov. P-The long, winding trial of the Teapot Dome investigation took another awkward turn today when the attempt to convict former Secretary Albert E. Fall and Harry F. Sinclair of crimi- nal conspiracy ended for the time being in q mistrial.
 Charges of jury tampering, in- cluding allegations that detectives employed by Sinclair, had sought to make improper contacts with jury men. led the court, the prosecution and the defense to agree that it was useless to proceed further with the original jury in the box.
 Counsel will confer soon on ar- engagements for another trial, with the government favoring a date in January.
 Meantime, grand jury Is inquir- ing into the governments charges that the jury was improperly shadowed by private detectives and that one of the jurymen. Edward Kidwell, 31 year old leather work CT. had talked indiscretely of the case and of "a car as long as q block" which he hoped soon to possess. Justice Siddons, in closing the trial. notified kidwell in open court of the allegations involving him, but took no other action against him for the time being.
 KidwelI Served First
 Kidwell was the first of the jurors to be served with a gran,i jury summons. After he had pro- ceeded for a block from the court house. two deputy marshals ap- preached him and served the sub poena. He accompanied them back to Burkinshaw's office, where he awaited the young assistant district attorney. who then was closeted with the grand jury.
 Roberts later assured a group Of jurors that they should not con sder the situation reflection on their integrity.
 Soon after court adjourned Sin clair fought his way through the crowds that overran the courtroom and went to rear entrance of the building, standing for time on . small portico, talking with some friends. Fall remained in the court room for a quarter of an hour, greeting friends who crowded around him. then left for his hotel with his family.
 Must Repeat Trial
 The mistrial means that the government must present all over again before a new jury. every scrap of the evidence on which 1t seeks to convict Fall and Sinclair of hay- ing conspired in the leasing Of the Teapot Dome Oil reserve to Sin- clair while Fall was Secretary of the Interior.
 As the tension Of the courtroom let down after court was dismissed, one of the jurors, Charles J. Her zog, rendered to Owen J. Roberts Of government counsel the regret of the other eight men and two wo- men on the jury that things had turned out as they did. Herzog al- so declared that so far as he was concerned, he had not been ap- preached by anyone. but Roberts told him that as a matter of fact he had been shadowed day and night.
 The government has not spent a plugged nickel on tactics such IS these,' said Roberts.
 Jurors Scorn kidwell
 The jury members are 10 appear tomorrow before the grand jury The summons did not omit Robert C. Flora, the one iuryElan who was not under surveillance, the government reports showed. Flora said today that the other jurors did not take kidwell into consultation when em- towering Herzog to give their re- grets to Roberts. because they did not consider that he was one of them.
 kidwelI was taken before the grand jury at 11:i4 q. m. by Bur kinshaw.
 You understand that you have perfect immunity from answering any and all questions before the grand jury" Burkinshaw told Kid well. If you do answer, you do so voluntarily"
 kidwell made no reply but walked straight ahead down the corridor towards the grand jury room. with his head up. AS he ap- preached the swinging doors of the jury room, he quickened his pace. as though anxious to have it over with.
 Kidwell Denies Charges
 kidwell was in the grand jury room for an hour and six minutes. When he emerged he said he had told the truth" to the grand jur- CTS, and would return for further