Evening star., 1927-10-26

Continued from First Page)
! site for the erection of storage tanl
hy Sinclair under the terms of tn.
! Teapot Dome lease.
when did YOU first learn Of tn,
! leaseo" asked Roberts. (The leas'
was signed April Z. 1922Ds
/ The latter part of April, 1922" re
1 piled he witness.
Prior TO that time had YOU an,
knowledge of the intent to lease the
reserve?" asked Roberts.
NO" declared the witness. 1.-The
only matters / knew concerning leas
inc were for offset well drilling"
Here the direct examination ended
and Littleton took up the cross-eXami
nation.
The witness was asked by Sinclair's
attorney where the war plans OF the
Navy went before they were put into
effect. and Roosevelt replied they must
he countersiSned by the Secretary o1
the Navy before becoming definite
part of the plans of the Navy.
Roosevelt Is Excused.
After recalling Roosevelt's testi
mony as to the time he learned OF
the signing of Teaport Dome lease
Littleton inquired how Roosevelt was
officially occupied from January unit
April. Roosevelt said he was head OF
the naval experts at the disarmament
conference and also handled 1.-The night
in Congress on the same subject.
THAT took the major part of youl
time, did it not?" asked Littleton.
Yes" replied the witness.
lie was asked if he had anything
TO do with the negotiat tions leading ui
to the lease, and in giving negative
answer he said he assumed they were
being handled by the Secretary nj
the Navy" Littleton concluded his
cross examination here and Fall
counsel did not question the witness
who was excused from further ap
pearance in the trial.
KistIer Takes Stand.
F. f. kistler of Denver, the first
of several oil representatives catieu
TO testify about attempts TO lease
tracts in Teapot Dome, followed Col
Roosevelt on the stand. The witness
was asked by Government counse,
about a conference he had with ran
in March, 1922, at which time MS
company, the Producers q Renners
Co. operating partly in wyoming
S0llQ Qnt TO lease IWo II oSSS ~
each in Teapot Dome.
After being informed at Falls Office
that the Secretary was not prepared
TO talk about leasing, he made an en-
oa aeement with Fall that afternoon
A. this conference he. suggested leas.
;ng the two tracts and informed Fan
that he proposed to drill test wells
what did Fall say in reply Koo'
erts asked.
Kistler explained that Fall informed
hin, he had not made arrangements
or plans to lease any lands In Ieapot
Dome. and in effect had not determined
what was to be done with them. N =
told me il he should decided he would
let me know" kistler explained.
Goes to New York.
Roberts asked il the witness nao
asked Fall if he could file written
anplica ton. "Mr. Fall told me no.
that he was not ready to CONSIDER any
proposition,' kistler explained.
Nv further questioning Roberts
elicited from the witnes that nothing
was said at the conference about
nlacer mining, claims, the exchange
Of ROYALTY for fuel oil, construction OF
a nine line, the building OF storage
tanks for the Navy.
After this conference with Fan the
witness went to New York for two or
three weeks. and stated that wnlie
there he read in the newspaper Oh
April that Teapot Dome had been
leased to Sinclair.
You had received no communica.
ton from the Interior Department!
Roberts asked.
NO" Kistler replied.
"Did Won ever get an invitation for
your company to bid?"
No such invitation had been re-
ceived.
Kistler explained that his company
was an independent" and that a
ear later. in March, 1928, he had
sold some of his stock to the Prairie
Oil Co.
On cross-examina ton by MIR. Little
tom the witness brought out lnforma'
ton which the defense regafoeo az
very favorable to its cause.