Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-07
SENATE AUTHORITY
IS CHALLENGED BY
STEWART COUNSEL
Attorneys Contend Lawmak-
ers Have No Power to De-
mand Oil Testimony.
DECISION is RESERVED:
COUNSEL TO FILE BRIEFS
Sinclair and Associates Continue
Fight on Contempt Case
Charges.

AAOoe 0PPNN@ ~~
the bar of the Senate was taken under
, advisement today by Justice Jennings
Bailey in the District Supreme Court.
After hearing argument for more than
fro hours on the writ Of llabeas corpus
obtained by the Chicago oil man last
SATURDAY, after his arrest by the Senate.
Justice Bailey gave counsel leave to fiie
briefs.
Jesse Adkins, attorney for the chair
man of the board of the Standard Oh
Co. of Indiana, said he would file his
brief next Monday and former Attorney
General George w. Wickersham was
given until the following Friday 10 SUD-
init reply.
, Decision 10 Come Later.
The decision thus will not be maoe
for at least two weeks. and meantime
Stewart remains at liberty on bond OF
$1,000.
Disputing the authority OF the Senate
% mete out summary punishment 10Y
him because he refused to answer ques-
tions of its oil committee, Stewart S
counsel set itself agains. the REIN
forced array OF Government attorneys,
headed by Wickersham. who demanded
the oil mans return to the custody OF
the legislative branch Of the Govern
ment
Other Angles of Case.
While argument went forward in
the Stewart case, which for the time
being has focused major interest in the
oil tangle. Harry F. Sinclair and his
associates in nearby section Of the
courthouse continued their long fight
To purge themselves OF the contempt
charges which followed the FaIl-Sin-
Clair mistrial Al the Capitol the third
o. the current Oil proceedings SEN
ale oil committees hearings-proceeded
but without the development OF new
information as TO what went with the
Liberty bonds Of the Continental Trad
Ing Co. Ltd, Of Canada. 1t Is charged
that Albert 3. Fall received $233o00 Of
these from Sinclair after the Teapot
Dome lease. but George S. Taber, to-
6av's witness. said he knew nothing
about the transaction.
II was on this subject that Stewart
refused 10 testify. an for this refusal
he was arrested by the Senate. but re-
leased on writ Of iaabeas corpus which
the Government sought today 70 have
dissolved.
Taber former president o. the Sim
clair Crude Oil Purchasing Co. testi-
fed that he executed for the purchasing
company the contract for oil which re-
suited in the millions In profits for the
) Continental Co but under insistent
hannerirg by Senator Walsh Of Mon
tsna. committee prosecutor. Taber said
he knew no more Of the bonds or the
Continental deal than "a man down In
the street and was excused.
Seek Dismissal OF Writ.
Tne committee tomorrow viii ex-
anime C. e Crowley. VICE president Of
the Sinclair Consolidated
A, one point In the argument In III"
Etewart case Justice Bailey asked this
question. IF the Senate believed that
the Continental Trading CO was organ
fzed foy the purpose of br!bing public
officials and has evidence that part
% its profits were 80 Ufed would IT.
not be justified in inquiring how the
rest Of these profits were u$ed2'
'Eo, that Is purely judicial sunc-
ton" Adkins replied
Says Vital Questions Answered.
Adkins also told the court that The
statute o! limitations had run aRa'ns'
any one who nnlgflSChage committed "A
crime at the time ~ the Continental
CO vas In operation from Eopembef
1e 1921. ~ May 70 1923
He argued that the Ee,lste resolution
under which the Teapot OH Dome com
mit1ee was DYocfe6ing shaved tta, y,
was not the purp1se 10 iegisiste. bu'
merely 10 carry out q Judicial function
Of investigation.
EEwan's lawyer argued that his
sfirrt had answered every question put
g. Tin ~ public Interest with respec.
~ the disposition of the Coniinsn,a'
tones Iile TWO he refusHc ~ answer
he said co'ild have no public in'efes,
g',lese tgo questions dealt win Whe't1e
4. EGwart had tslkes 10 Gincliss akrI'
the Doil6s oY rad heard of tiiffF 6is-
tositiCn.
Citing f3tewsrt's testimony that ff
40 uot handle any NJ ths Coniinefita!
kI3ncs, Adkins afgsisc that fs thus fla0
answered every question that 'GpuiG
lawfully iaiA~fes, the senate" Adkins
sehec that Eteyag1's case ALREADY haE
bern referred by the fsena.e w courts
for contempt prosecution ard said there
ts}s.lc MT IN cumulative punishment o!
Hjtneke.
Wieksrsbsm's Argument.
Wlckefstasrn aygaed tlast the presen,
Efns,A inquiry is oil part ~ that be-
Rin ~ 1927 ~ GDfnectiou with tils
Esysj oil isaAte
That inquiry had dlsciosed ons oi
b+ most SHINY HfiG most dib9faAeful
H,ssiaATs IN aii ~ oar history" he said
"AsyESe u Tns though, that the history
tac iDfeti "aDsed, bat there came L
The sthntiysl of li4e Senate another
Gjssp'4-F IN tbs siiuy history"
Tue former EtDyfUry General saId
mat y bas rgt hhfeAsary that itye ssei.
ste GEhlTf ~ EfIact legislation IN gfGef
~ noii6uct aH investigation,
~ may veil lit HAT u would md
- UecekEsgy ~ give f!5eet3fIY1 ~ euotitt
Mstph ~ the G0BktfltuefIt ~ take sD~
pto;GisLe stiI4u " jle aided
Tuning ~ rieWs3is asihalE Wickef-
nam kh>9~rF UBa freely Testified down
~ sfr.rte aIInftDlG9 tender 3s Ia}tpusd
Then Ee refused ~ stsWer" rounbei
E0ntinnff "tt undertakes ~ assume
u kfiiDeI5pGy e!tt q"
WiCkeTslian hsId There had been 0
great deal ~ volunteering ~ infugns
taog of no iBlpDTtsncs" by ft4WBTi bl,
- withholding ~ ali that Ia u ina
Dortancs .
He volunteered that Wi}lch he Was
willing 10 tell 81 the attorney continued
II He SAID Why l never handled ans
of tnose Londs. sut there ls stops
xkssalsai&d on Fsas e. colaa4a III