The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-11-03
MAN. DEFIES u. IN
GRAND JURY'S OIL CASE QUIZ
Sinclair Co. Vice President
Refuses Answers on
Juror ShadoWing.
BY HERBERT LITTLE
Uaited Press stan Correspondent

WASHINGTON, Nov. 3.-Failing
in two attempts to find what part
A. Mason Day played in 'shadowing
of Fall-Sinclair conspiracy trial
jurors by Burns detectives, the
Government this afternoon acted to
pry the alleged contact mans"
story from his unwilling lips.
Day, debonair vice president Of the
Sinclair Exploration Company. is ac-
cused in one of the four aff1davits
which caused a mistrial in the case
yesterday of having received reports
regularly from fourteen or fifteen
Burns sleuths hired to check on the
movements and financial status of
the jury.
The affidavit said the detectives
real employer was Harry F. Sinclair.
Day refused yesterday to answer
questions by grand Jury preparing
to vote indictments for jury tamper-
ing. He refused a second time this
forenoon.
Charge to Be Filed
1t was announced when the grand
jury recessed for lunch that that
body would certify to a District of
Columbia Supreme Court justice
this afternoon, probably Presiding
Justice Walter 1. Mccoy, that Day
had refused to answer.
1t also was divulged that the
United States district attorney
would inform the court that the
reasons Day advanced for not testi-
flying we're insufficient.
1t then would be up to the Judge
either to grant Day immunity from
testifying or order him to answer
the grand jury's questions.
Eugene Blavuet. French chauffeur
for Sinclair during the trial, was
called this afternoon before the
grand jury.
The chauffeur told reporters be-
fore he entered the jury room that
he was employed with his car by
Day, Contact man" suspect.
Edward j. Kidwell, lean young
leather worker involved in affidavits
saying he predicted a hung jury and
asserted he expected to come out of
the trial with an automobile "as
long as a block" was recalled after
spending two hours before the grand
jury yesterday. He has waived i'm
munity and told MS story.
Jurors Are Angry
The eleven other jurors, including
two pretty young women, all angry
at even the remotest suggestion they
needed watching, were to confer on
what they had observed of possible
"shadowing," before going into the
grand jury room.
Neil Burkinshaw, assistant United
States attorney, engineering the in
vestigation. is preparing a for
midable list of subpoenaes for more
witnesses, including, it is understood,
several widely known people, some
from Chicago and New York.
Owen j. Roberts, oil prosecution
chief. and United States Attorney
Peyton Gordon have authorized
Burkinshaw to carry his inquiry as
far as possible, and the investigation
is expected to last from one to two
weeks.
Sinclair Stays in Capital
1t is problematical whether Sin
clair, co-defendant with former Sec
rotary Albert B. Fall in the trial, will
be called before the grand jury. 1t
is likely he will stay in Washington
until this investigation is completed,
however.
The gray-haired Fall, after issuing
a statement deploring the loss OF
opportunity to refute the charges of
criminal conspiracy against him in
the defense side Of the trial, packed
his bags and prepared to return to
his New Mexico home.