Evening star., 1928-03-31
FALL TO ANSWER
POMERENE TODAY
Ex-Secretary viii Be Cross
Examined-Given Stimu-
liant by Physician.

/ Ry the Associated Press,
FL PASO. Tex. March 3l.--Under
direct examination for 10 hours. the
equivalent Of two court days. Albert b
Fall, former Secretary of the Interior
who is giving deposition detailing his
story of the Teapot Dome lease to be
used in defense of Harry F. Sinclair
charged with Fall of conSpiring 10 de-
fraud the Government today was eN-
peCtcd to undergo CroSS-eXamlnatlon.
When last nights session, that lasted
more than two hours, was closed Fall
was exhausted. but ii was believed that
he would be able 10 be croSS-eXamined
by Atlec Pomerene. special Government
prosecutor The roSS-eXamination,
however. was not expected to take more
than a few hours. There remained
about two hours of direct examination.
Fall disregarded his physicians in
structionS last night to halt his teStl-
mony and the physician permitted him
to continue. telling his story of the
signing of the lease This phase,
termed the most important OF his story
by his family. was concluded and the
examination closed for the night. The
physician found 1t necessary to give
Fall heart stimulants 10 enable him to
complete this part of the story.
Denies Illegal Tactics.
During the 10 hours Fall has been
telling his story of the lease which
the Government charges he gave SIN
clair in exchange for the S233,000 in
2 DC - Of f4.riHh from
the Continental Trading Co. oil profit
bond fund. the former cabinet official
has sought to contradict the Govern
ment'S contention and show there was
nothing unlawful or unusual about the
lease.
Falls story. which will be read in
the District of Columbia Supreme
Court during Sinclair's trial. insists
that the lease was negotiated in the
usual way. chiefly by his subordinates
who carried on the deal with j. w
Zevely. representative of Sinclair. Sim
clair, friends said Fall would testify,
did not personally participate in the
oil lease until the day ii was signed.
On that day, April Z. 1922, Sinclair
and Zevely called at Falls Washing
ton Office and when the cabinet officer
insisted that the Government should
receive greater royalty. Sinclair tossed
the lease across the table. declaring
Here is your lease. Mr.. Secretary, /
am done with it.
Accepted Lease.
However. Sinclair accepted the lease
after some discussion During the ex-
animation Fall has put into the record
all of his orders and correspondence
dealing with the oil leases. gone into
the Inauguration Of the Government
policy of leasing oil lands to individuals
and insisted the payment OF Liberty
bonds be received from Sinclair was
for one-third interest in his Tres Ritos
Cattle & Land Co. The deal on which
the sale Of the ranch interest was made
was not negotiated until after the oil
lease had been signed. Fall has con-
tended
If the cross-examination is completed
today, Falls family will depart with
him tomorrow for California. DR.. H.
T. Stafford his physician, has ordered
him TO lower altitude, believing that
FL Paso, 3.762 feet above sea level, was
TOO high for his patient. The family
wishes TO depart at once. for they fear
that after the excitement OF the ex-
animation. which his physician says
has kept him up. he may let down and
be unable 10 leave here for some time