Evening star., 1927-10-24

Pioneer Co. 1000 600 were without "a
shadow of validity"
This evidence was presented by
Roberts to oppose the defense claim
that it was necessary for Sinclair to
obtain quit claims before a lease could
be made to him.
Mr.. Leahy. counsel for Fall, strove
desperately to break down statements
of the witness, c. f. Eddy. chief of
the oil and gas section of the General
Land Office at that time.
In response to a request by Fall,
relative to investigating the placer
claims, Eddy caused a memorandum
to be prepared and delivered, which
set forth that none of the claims
was valid or deserved serious consid-
Grafton.
This memorandum was based on q
report made three years previous by
Glenn T. Morgan. department geolo-
gist, who investigated thoroughly all
conditions affecting the claims. Rob
erts read this voluminous report in
part to the jury. Emphasizing that
there were no valid titles to land
in the naval reserve, the report
chara cterized the so-called claimants
as "trespassers, who had no legal
rights to remain on the reserve.
Just before the luncheon recess the
Government produced Roy w. Tall
man of the General Land Office, who
framed a report in March, 1922. stat
ing that the five claims for oil leases
on Teapot Dome by as many COM
panies and individuals. were worth
less. This report was read to the
jury and then Tallman testified he
produced the records of the nNe
claims for Secretary Fall. Fall told
Tallman, the witness testified, that
he understood that these applica-
tions have been rejected and the case
is closed" whereupon Tallman said
he replied in the affirmative. Fall
then asked for a copy of the letters
closing out the cases and when II
could not be found the witness de-
clared the secretary said:
"Oh. | have no doubt the copies
have been misplaced. | am now
speaking as a cautious lawyer. for 1t
worries me that the claims might
come into the possession of un-
scrupulous persons who may use
them to the disadvantage of the Gov
ernment."
The Government offered this in an
attempt to prove that Fall had been
informed that the claims were worth
less. and that when these claims were
acquired by Sinclair and offered IN
the application for the lease of Tea
not Dome the Secretary knew the
claims were invalid. However, the de-
fense has vigorously maintained the
claims were valid.
Siddons Reads Statement.
Immediately after taking his place
on the bench when court opened this
morning Justice Siddons began the
reading of his statement, which is as
follows:
with respect to the pending obJec'
tim 10 the Governments offer IN
evidence, as an admission against the
defendant Sinclair OF certain state
ments said to have been made by MN
on december 4. 1923. before the Sen
ate committee of public lands OF tie
Irnited States Senate, the court feels
that. in order properly to pass upon
the objection, there should be no
Doubt IN the court S mind of the pre-
cjse circumstances under when lhe
defendant Sinclair is said 10 nave
made the statements before or 10 the
senate committee mentioned lhuS
for NO evidence of those circumSta noes
has hean offered but in the course OIL
oral argument of counsel Tor the ''oN
orrmant and for the defendant sin
clair there seem to be admlsSloiS
made as to some of the circumstances
of Sincldir's appearance ana Stdte'
ment before the committee. FOR IN
stance. Government counSel lIihh'hE
nrOffer OF the evidence stated U'be
954, stenogrq phic reporo that the
defendant on the occasion OF ms
aupearance before the committee was
not under a committee subpoena: that
he had not appeared in answer to any
subDoena, but he was sworn as W.T.
ness on the day that he made the
statements prOffered, and, apparently,
before he made them. 1t also appears
uace 955, stenogra phic report, from
the lns of Government counsel, that
no subnoena was issued directed to
the defendant Sinclair before Decrm'
her 81. 1928, four days after he made
the statements which are the subject
matter of the pending offer. Mr.. Lat
Teton. of counsel for Sinclair, refer
ring to the pending offer. states that
on that occasion Mr.. Sinclair was Il
witness. and again on the same page,
he states that he does not think that
il appears. or will appear, that on the
occasion in question the defendhn
Sinclair w8s subpoenaed as q witness.
Again ton page 95S. stenographic re
porto. Mr. Littleton stated that:
lit Is not cnntendcd here that Sin
clair went before the committee Nolun
tarily, hut he did appear there t'
make this statement. There was NO
question but what he was notified t.
come there: there is no question but
that he was asked or requested Il
come there
Seeks More Facts.
Again. Mr.. Littleton stated:
The record shows here that Mr..
/ Sinclair--it will appear: do not know
whether Mr.. Roberts is going to make