Evening star., 1927-11-03
SINCLAIR DEFENSE FLAYED
BY PRESS AS TRIAL IS ENDED
Editorials Emphasize Grave O@ense of
Jury Tampering in Comment on Sud-
den Hating of Proceedings.

The Harry +. Sinclair defense forces
have been given quick trial by the
press Of the Nation on the charge OF
seeking to corrupt the jury in the
Sincair-Fall trial here. and have been
found guilty. by almost. unanimous
vote. of seeking to undermine one
of the pillars of American society
the sacredness of the courts. And
there Is unanimous demand in editor
ial comment gathered from all sec
tons of the country for relentless
prosecution of the person, or persons,
responsible for the alleged jury tam.
pering.
The young Juror Edward j. Kid
we'll, whose indiscreet utterances broke
the case wide open, comes in for Il
generous measure of tolerant under.
standing and sympathy from many of
the editorial writer's. The general at
titude seems to be that it is not
surprising that this young leather
worker, enjoying the limelight for the
| first time in his life. should have been
dazzled by the Sinclair millions and
| by his desire for an automobile "a
| block long"
| Eastern Comment.
Typical of Eastern comment is the
editorial in today's New York Times,
which dismisses as relatively unim-
portant the question whether any of
the jurors actually was corrupted, and
continues as to Mr.. Sinclair's possible
personal guilt:
| IF man with ample wealth and
no embarrassing scruples, bound to
\ get what he wants, bought and paid
| nf
should he boggle at tampering with a
| Jury? Whatever the techni-
calities of the law or the weaknesses
or worse of any juryman, he has made
himself figure Of public infamy."
| The New York World sees the case
as "a test as to whether the criminal
law in the United States applies to
very rich men," and continues: THE
proceedings are intolerable. They
constitute a defiant challenge to the
authority of the United States which
must be met relentlessly and swiftly.
| We shall find out now whether or not
a man like Harry F. Sinclair is more
| powerful than the Government"
Points to "New Case
, Following are extracts from edi.
torials which have appeared In news
pa pers of every section Of the country:
New York Herald Tribune.-"We
| had not supposed that anything could
add to the shame attaching to the
names Of Albert B. Fall and Harry
| f. Sinclair. 1t Is with feel.
| ing of dismay and rising anger that
| the Nation reads these charges of
fresh corruption arising about the be-
smirched figure of Harry F.. Sin.
clair
| ~, VII. c,,,. s.1-L, fotos+ .1a,AIac-
ment in the Teapot Dome case makes
the public turn up it's nose higher
than it went at the charges that are
being tried. One scandal has
| piled on another, and the odor OF the
second is ranker than the first.
New York Telegram-"If a multi.
| millionaire can be permitted
TO use his wealth to tempt humble
citizens who have been selected to act
as jurors, our system of justice Is
complete failure"
| New York Evening WOrld-"There
must be something more In this case
than a mistrial and q new trial. We
! have here a new case. 1t involves the
integrity Of American courts"
Philadelphia Bulletin-"rhe chief
crime Of the oil scandal, so far as its
! revelations can be substantiated, Is its
utter disregard Of and contempt Tor
the essence Of our governmental insti-
! tutions-the honor and integrity Of
public office--it's befouling and be-
trayal of public trust. II to this
noxious record there shall be found
| to have been added like contempt
| for the integrity Of judicial processes
and similar encoiling Of one or more
Jurors, or other attempt to besmirch
justice, the strong arm of the law
| chou1d NOT he restrained
OIL Called "Polluter."
Newark, n. j.. Evening News--"1t
has been notorious, especially since
the transactions in the Teapot Dome
and Elk Hills naval oil reserve fields,
that oil has been a polluter Of public
life. A mistrial means Il
further delay in the Fall-Sinclair case.
which has been dragged out for so
long time. 1t is worse than mis-
fortune"
Chicago Daily News-'"The princi-
pals in the conspiracy to corrupt
! Jurors must be exposed and punished
with due severity if that result is pos
sible. It Is high time that an impres.
sive example be made of audacious
men who endeavor to pollute the
sources of justice. Such attempts in
grave criminal case constitute a
challenge to the peoples tribunals
| that requires a stern response"
St. Louis Whatever the
outcome Of the doings at Washington.
somebody has been chump. II an
effort was made by the defense
olegeaneous to corrupt jury it was
worse than folly. If it turns out that
gabby jurymen were merely talking
to make themselves heard, the joke Is
hard to place"
San Francisco Bulletin--"In all but
the seemingly impossible task of en-
forcing prohibition, Federal law IL as
visilant and efficient as ever
there is a political angle to the pro-
ceedings. The Coolidge administra.
gence in prosecuting the oil cases.
How negligent it has been may he
judged by the vigilance shown In the
Fall-Sinclair prosecution"
"TraiI Of Bribery"
Los Angeles Express-'"rhroush
the entire history Of the Teapot Dome
affair is the same Shiny trail Of br.h'
cry and corruption and defiance and
disregard for law and government.
It is time the Government took a
Arm grip OIL the coat collars OF those
responsible and showed them into Jail
cells. where they belong"
Denver post--"Men who could stoop
to 30 Infamous conspiracy as
charged in the Teapot Dome deal
would not hesitate at trying to bribe
n Juror. They do not overlook any
scheme 10 keep out OF prison.
The lone or they can stall the case
l.-.u...~.. -.