Evening star., 1928-11-08
ROBERTS RESIGNS
OIL COUNSEL. POST
President, Accepting Plea of
Attorney, Praises Work in
Lease Prosecutions.

President Coolidge today accepted
the resignation of Owen j. Roberts of
Philadelphia as special counsel for the
Government in the prosecution of the
naval oil lease cases, and at the same
time praised Roberts for his services.
It was said at the White House that
the President is not considering ap-
pointing a successor to Mr.. Roberts.
He feels that the oil lease prosecutions
have been completed to the extent that
Former Senator Pomerene of Ohio, the
other Government counsel, will be able
to handle the Governments interests
alone. "
VIII Return to. Practice.
Mr. Roberts retirement was said at
the White House to be prompted by a
desire on his part To- devote his time
to his private practice. The joint con-
gressional resolution, under which the
oil counsel for the Government func-
toned, prohibited any private having
any relation to any OF the various de-
partments of the Government.
The Presidents letter follows:
Confirming my wire accepting your
resignation as special counsel for the
United States, appointed in accordance
with Senate joint resolution 54 of the
Sixty-eighth Congress, am sending you
this letter. I understand your re-
luctance to retire, which is made neceS-
sary by your being disqualified from ac-
cepting employment from any clients
having matters which must be taken
up with any of the various depart
ments of the Government, and your
feeling that as there is little to be done
at the present time you ought not to
continue in position which hampers
you in the active practice of the law.
I also appreciate your suggestion that
if the Congress would amend this reso-
luton so as to relieve the present situ-
alton you would be willing to accept q
reappointment and that you are willing
at all times to give any assistance you
can, whether legally employed or not
President Voices Thanks.
"I want to express my gratitude to
you on behalf of the Government for
the fidelity and energy with which you
have prosecuted these cases, which have
returned to the United States all the
property in question and many millions
of dollars in money. The work which
you and Senator Pomerene have done
has been of the highest legal quality
and will always commend itself to those
who may examine it."
Roberts and Pomerene were appoint
ed special prosecutors in the oil cases
after the Senate investigation of the
oil scandal in 1928 and 1924 brought
to light the leasing of Teapot Dome
to Harry F. Sinclair by former Secre-
tary of the Interior Albert B. Fall.
In the series of prosecutions which
followed indictments were returned
against Fall and Sinclair in the Teapot
Dome case and against E. L. Doheny,
his son and Fall in the cases growing
out of the lease of the Elk Hills naval
reserve in California to Doheny.
Reserves Won Back.
In addition to the criminal cases, the
special prosecutors brought suit for the
recovery of the Teapot Dome naval re-
serve in Wyoming from the Mammoth
Oil Co., which took over the Sinclair
lease and the Elk Hills reserve. They
carried these cases to successful con-
clusion before the Supreme Court OF the
United States, which returned to the
the reserves, valued at be-
tween $60,000,000 and 100000, 5000.
Sinclair. charged with conspiring to
defraud the Government In the Teapot
lease, was acquitted by jury and Fall
remains to be tried on the same charge.
Doheny and Fall were acquitted of con-
spring to defraud the Government in
the Elk Hills lease, but an indictment
charging them with giving and ac-
cepting a bribe remains on the court
calendar. A charge of bribery against
younger Doheny was nolle pressed.