The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-10-17
2 WOMEN ARE
ACCEPTED FOR
OIL PLOT Jury
Teapot Dome Trial Opens at
Washington; Both Sides
Ready.
SINCLAIR is SMILING
Fall in Courtroom With His
Wife, Daughter; Great
Legal Array.
SINCLAIR is SMILING

By United Press
WASHINGTON, Oct. 1.-THE
Fall-Sinclair oil conspiracy trial
opened here today.
Former Secretary of Interior Fall,
characterized in a United States
Court decision last week as a faith
less public officer" went on trial
with Harry F. Sinclair, oil magnate,
on charges of seeking to defraud the
Government in the Teapot Dome
oil lease case.
The Government will try to prove
that Sinclair furnished in 1922 more
than 100000 in Liberty bonds to
Fall and his relatives after the
favorable lease had been made him
by Fall.
Two Women on Jury Panel
Both the prosecution and defense
announced they were ready when
summoned to the bar by Justice
Frederick L. Siddons of the District
of Columbia supreme-and the
famous Teapot Dome case was
formally started.
The defendants, Sinclair and
Fall, were seated in the midst of a
million COLLAR array of legal talent.
Mrs. DAnnela Bailey, who works
for a piano company, and Miss Ber-
nice Heaton, instructor in the tele-
phone Office, tentatively were ac-
cepted by both prosecution and de-
fense as jurors.
The two women were among the
first four veniremen examined. Two
men quicly were barred because
they had read of the case and ad-
mitted they had formed a definite
opinion of the guilt or innocence"
of the defendants.
Sinclair Is Smiling
Sinclair, dressed in a dark blue
business suit, walked into court a
few minutes before it opened, and
shook hands smilingly with ac-
quaintances. He wore a soft collar
and tan shirt with a modest tie.
He took a seat beside his chief
counsel, Martin B. Littleton.
Fall came in tht rear door, with
his daughter and wife. The women
were escorted to the back of the
courtroom while Fall stepped into
an ante chamber for a conference.
He wore a gray business suit, gold
trimmed spectacles and a black shoe
string tie.
Woman Is Questioned
The usual formalities of selecting
the first panel of twenty-eight tales
men required but a few moments.
Then Peyton Gordon, district attor-
ney, began examination Of Mrs. Bal
ley, a pretty woman with dark
bobbed hair and plain gray coat
over a dark blue dress.
Mrs. Bailey said she "did not
know that she knew" anything
about the great oil case. She never
read anything about the case that
caused her to form any opinion
about the case.
Under examination by George P.
Hoover, Sinclair's counsel, Mrs. Bal
ley said she had noticed in news
papers recently that the trial was
to begin, but she never paid much
attention.
Just Glanced at Paper
William E. Leahy, attorney for
Fall, found no objection to her and
Mrs. Bailey was seated tentatively
as the first prospective juror.
Miss Bernice Heaton. long dis
tance instructor with the telephone
company, said she did not know
any reason why she should not sit
as a juror and she was tentatively
accepted.
II just glanced through the pa
pers and I didn't pay much atten-
ton to them," she told Attorney
Hoover.
$50 Will Testify
About $50 witnesses are expected
to testify in the three to six weeks
the trial may consume. Witnesses
are to include Harry M. Daugherty,
former attorney general; Edwin
DENLY, former secretary of the
Navy; who with Fall signed the
Teapot lease; Secretary of the Navy
Wilbur, Senator Thomas j. Walsh,
who prosecuted the Senate inquiry;
Navy and Interior Department Of
ficials, who took part in the leasing
negotiations. and bankers of New
York, Colorado and New Mexico.