Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-11-26
100 OIL WITNESSES
TO Be SUBPOENAED
IN CONTEMPT CASE
Gordon and BurkinShaW at
Work Preparing Papers
for Dec. 5 Hearing.
PROCEEDINGS EXPECTED
TO CONTINUE FOR WEEKS
Virtually All Who Testified in
Jury-Tampering Probe to
Be Recalled.

Subpenas for nearly 100 Govern
ment witnesses to give testimony in
the Sinclair-Burns contempt of court
proceedings. scheduled for December
). We're being prepared today by
United States Attorney Peyton Cor
don and his assistant, Neil Burkin-
shaw.
Disclosure of this development served
to confirm opinions about the court
house that the proceedings brought by
Maj. Gordon on the charges that
Harry f. Sinclair New York oil mag.
nate; William j. Burns. the investi-
gator, and four other Sinclair and
Burns men sought to influence the
Fall-Sinclair trial jury would be pro-
tracted for many days and possibly
weeks.
1t was predicted that this case, to-
gether with the Harry NJ. Blackmer
contempt proceedings, set for Janu-
airy 6. and the new Fall-Sinclair con-
spiracy trial. scheduled to begin jan
uary is. would give the subject of
"oil' pre-eminent interest for the next
two and a half or three months at the
courthouse.
Virtually every witness who testified
before the grand Jury during its four
weeks investigation into charges of
Jury tampering will be called and held
in readiness to give testimony, Mai.
Gordon said These witnesses will
include former Gov. Clifford Pinchot of
Pennsylvania, Donald Woodward,
Washington merchant; members of
the Fall-Sinclair trial jury; c. G.
Ruddy, manager of the Philadelphia
branch of the Burns Detective
Agency. who was placed in command
of more than a dozen Burns opera
tives during their shadowing of the
trial Jury and the operatives them
selves.
The star Government witness will
he James j. MCMullin of Philadelphia,
who under the name Of William V.
Long. served as a Burns operative
and informed the Government that he
was induced" by the Burns agency
to make false reports and affiiavits
about the jurors for the purpose of
enabling the defense in the oil trial
10 bring about a nistrial If necessary.
These subpoenaS were 10 go out this
afternoon and Monday, ard the per-
sons named therein are to present
themselves in the District Supreme
CCGAL AsApAlueiy OScei1DSF D.
Justice Siddons to Preside.
The contempt proceedings will be
presided over by Justice Frederick L.
Siddons, who presided over the Fall
Sinclair trial. ordered a mistriaI in
that case and subsequently appointed
a committee of lawyers to inquire INTO
whether or not a criminal contempt
had been committed by the persons
named in the four affidavits which the
Government presented and resulted
IN the withdrawal of the jury.
The United States attorneys office
today was evidencing some interest In
the matter of acceptance by Sinclair
and his confidential associate Henry
Mason Day. in New York, and Sheldon
Clark, another confidential associate in
Chicago. of Justice Siddons' order call
ing upon them TO show cause why
they should not be cited in contempt,
which should have been served on
them yesterday by the United States
marshals in New York and Chicago.
The other three persons named in
the contempt rule, Burns. his son, w.
Sherman Burns. secretary-treasurer of
the detective agency. and Charles L.
Fletsch, manager of the Baltimore
branch of the agency. have arranged
to accept service of the order Mon.
day morning in the office of their at
tOrney. Charles A. Douglas.