Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1927-10-20

az
her hands during the three minutes
her aged husband was on his feet.
-
WASHINGTON, d. C., Oct. 20.=R1
Introducing testimony designed to
show that Albert B. Falls's desire
for secrecy as to his negotiations
with Harry +. Sinclair for the lease
Of Tea Pot Dome went to the extent
of misleading other applicants for
the naval oil reserve, special gov
eminent oil counsel continued their
assaults today at the trial Of the two
men on charges of criminal conspir-
acy.
Recalling z. c. Finney, assistant
secretary Of the interior under Fall,
who testified yesterday, Owen j.
Roberts, Of government counsel in
troduced letters written by interior
officials TO inquiries about the lease.
As early as February 25. 1922, G. b.
Apland of Minneapolis inquired
whether the lease Of Tea Pot Dome
was in prospect. Finney replied that
no lease had been granted and that
no orders had been issued for open
ing up the reserve to leasing.
did you have knowledge that Fall
was negotiating a lease with Sin
clair at that time ?" inquired Roberts.
Eyes, | did" Finney replied.
Wanted Secrecy
"Then why did you make such a
reply TO Nj. Apland?"
Because the policy was not to
give out any information on the sub
ject."
From whom did you get that?"
81 understood that was the secre-
tary's desire"
Defense counsel objected sharply
to the witness understanding"
From what source did your under
standing Gomez" Roberts pursued.
Il was addressed by the secretary
himself and also by the contents Of
or two letters l saw"
Fall followed this line of examina-
ton very closely. He appeared in
better physical shape than heretofore
and said he felt much better. Mrs.
Fall, who has been indisposed for
two days also was able 10 be back
in the court room.
To Explain Letter
Before the court convened, the for
mer interior secretary told news
paper men that his "exultant" letter
to Edward l.. Doheny, as Associate
Justice Butler Of the supreme court
has denominated it,. would be ex-
planned 70 the jury "even IL l have
10 go on the stand" lie added, how
ever, that whether he would take
the stand had not yet been deter
mined.
In the letter to Doheny. written in
the middle Of 1921, Fall said he had
obtained control Of the administra-
tion Of the naval oil reserve and
would handle them as he saw fit
without consulting with naval auth
critics except possibly on matters of
policy.
Pursuing his inquiry as to secrecy
surrounding the Tea Pot Dome lease,
Roberts asked IL there were n in
q~uiries of the interior department as
TO the possibility Of leasing the re-
serve from which Fall is accused
Of having received $250,00O or more.
Yes, there were a number Of such
Inquiries Finney replied.
Taking up the cross-examination,
George +. Hoover, chief counsel for
Sinclair, brought out that Falls dis
satisfaction with the W. c. Menden.
hall. ~geologist. as adviser TO the sec
rotary in naval reserve matters was
due to the fact that M~endenkall
favored a compromise" policy.
Going back q the claims of the
Pioneer and Belgo companies to
lands in Tea Pot Dome, Hoover was
told that the interior department be-
fore the Sinclair lease had twice
turned down these claims solely on
the ground that the wells they had
developed were not producing in com
mercial quantities when the general
leasing act Of 1920 was passed.
Sinclair quieted the claims of these
companies after he got the lease.
us there anything in the general
leasing act saying wells must be
producing in commercial quanti-
ties?" Hoover demanded.
Il object" Roberts cut in. THE
law speaks for itself"
Justice Siddons sustained Roberts.
II then vas made a matter o frecord
that the interior department con-
strued the law as requiring COM