Evening star., 1927-10-25
Former Secretary Voices Dif-
ference of Opinion on OBJ
lection to Testimony.
QUESTION OF DRAINAGE
AT DOME IS REVIVED
Government Attempts to Show De.
fendant Was Advised Leak
Was Not Serious.

The smooth-running and harmonl-
Gus joint defense of Albert B. Fall
and Harry F. Sinclair split abruptly
shortly before noon today in the trial
of the former Secretary of the In
terror and the New York oil magnate,
charged with conspiracy to defraud
the Government, over the admissibility
of testimony from a Government wit
ness on redirect examination by Owen
j. Roberts, special Government Oil
prosecutor.
Arthur w. Ambrose, chief petru-
leum technologist Of the Bureau of
Mines at the time Of the leasing OF
Teapot Dome, had been cross-exam-
ined at length by counsel for Sinclair
and Fall on his part in the leasing
when Roberts sought to clear up some
points for the benefit of the Govern
ment's case.
Fall Voices Opinion.
Roberts delved into technical ge.
| illogical matters concerning whether
Secretary Fall had learned from Am
brose that a dome on the border of
Teapot Dome and within the reserve
was sealed, in which event 1t would
| not be in danger of drainage from
private wells Immediately across the
| boundary line.
1--WE object" declared George P.
| Hoover, counsel for Sinclair, as the
| witness began his answer.
Fall, from his chair behind his
counsel, spoke up in a clear voice
which could be heard throughout the
courtroom.
1--WE don't object"
"We do object" declared Hoover
with emphasis on the do"
Justice Frederick L. Siddons snlil-
| ed.
William E. Leahy, counsel for Fall.
then made this statement voluntarily;
| 1--WE have no objection to any ques-
| ton with reference to this lease OF
| Teapot Dome" Justice Siddons over
ruled the objection, to which ruling
| Hoover did not take an exception and
| Roberts, after one further question,
| concluded his redirect examination.
| Former Senator Atlee Pomerene Of
4 special Government counsel was per-
! mitted to offer in evidence a deposit
| ton made by the late j. w. Zevely,
Sinclairs attorney, bearing on the
trip he made to Falls home at Three
Rivers. It was on this trip that the
1
purpose of discussing certain Usage
| Indian oil lands desired by Sinclair.
| Reading of Zevely's testimony de.
veIoped the fact that at this confer.
ence Fall had told him that the Navy
was investigating Teapot Dome and
that he would not make up his mind
about leasing it until after this report
had been made.
Inquiry About Stock.
Shortly before the morning session
| closed the Government called to the
stand George E. Stanford, counsel for
the Mammoth Oil Co., and inquired
| Immediately into the exchange of
stock Of the Mammoth Co: for stock
| in the Sinclair Consolidated Co. Sim
clair owned nearly all the stock in
| the two companies.
| When Pomerene asked that the
minutes Of this meeting on September
29, 1922, be read, Martin w. Littleton,
counsel for Sinclair, objected vigor-
ously, A long argument followed, the
| Government contending that the ex-
change of stock would prove the value
! that Sinclair then placed on the Tea
pot Dome lease. The testimony was
| important, Pomerene stressed, in forg-
| ing the links in the conspiracy charge
| of the Government.
Justice Siddons finally ruled in
favor Of the Government, and counsel
| for both defendants noted exception.
| Falls counsel declared that the de-
| fendant knew nothing whatever about
! the transaction.
Shortly after the noon recess the
Government introduced evidence to
show that the Mammoth Oil Co., con-
trolled by Sinclair, would pay SS00,OO0
| for quit claim deeds to all the areas
in Teapot Dome held by the Pioneer
| Oil Co. and the Belgo Co. of Wyoming
| in the event it received a lease on
Teapot Dome from the Government.
This evidence comes on the heels of
Government testimony that the Pio-
neer and Belgo claims were worthless
and could not be used as a means Of
obtaining a least without competitive
bidding, as provided by the leasing act.
Agreement Is Produced.
Former Senator Atlee Pomerene of
Ohio. special Government oil counsel,
produced this evidence through George
K. Thomas, an attorney of Denver,
who was secretary of the Pioneer COM
pany at the time Teapot Dome was
leased to Sinclair. After establishing
the claims both his company and the
BelgO company had, which were re-
jected by the Interior Department
when offered in connection with an
application for lease, Thomas pro.
duced the agreement which was drawn
up in Washington, March II, 1892,
after II days of negotiation.
Thomas said he was summoned to
Washington and received the propo-
sition by the Mammoth Co, follow
ing which the agreement including
these points was drawn up: The
Mammoth Co. will in the event it
receives a lease on Teapot Dome. pay
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