Evening star., 1928-06-14
Indiana Oil Man Found "Not
Guilty" on Third Ballot,
Taken This Morning.
HOGAN SEES IN VICTORY
REBUKE FOR lNQUISIT0RS
Colonel Smiles Broadly at Vindica.
tion and Immediately Tele-
phones His Wife.

u
board of the Indiana Standard Oil Co,
was acquitted today by a jury in the
District Of Columbia Supreme Court Of
charges OF refusing TO answer questions
9f the Senate oil committee concerning
Liberty bond oil profits Of the Continen-
tai Trading Co.
The wealthy oil MN was charged
with a nnisdemeanor for alleged viola
tion of section 102 Of the Criminal Code,
which provides punishment for a reg
ularly summoned witness who refuses to
answer pertinent questions asked by a
congressional committee Stewart main
tanned the questions asked last Febru-
ary by the committee were not peril
pent.
The acquittal came as a distinct sur
prise to attaches of the court. The
conviction of Harry F. Sinclair on a
similar charge and the direction of
Justice Frederick L. SiddonS to the
jury, that they should not beNdisturbed
over the question Of the summoning OF
Stewart before the Senate committee.
but If they found that he actually ap-
peared, took the oath. testified as a
witness, and then refused to answer
pertinent questions, the charge in the
indictment had been made, indicated
there would be conviction.
Admit Three Ballots.
The jurors refused to discuss as to
how the four women voted, but ad-
mltted that three ballots were taken.
On the first ballot five jurors voted for
acquittal and seven for conviction. On
the second vote nine jurors were for
acquittal and three for conviction. Thus
the jury stood up to midnight, when
they were taken TO the Metropolitan
Hotel for the night.
woman deputy marshal looked aft
er the comfort of the four women on
the jury, while two man deputies were
with the other eight jurors. After
breakfast this morning another ballot
was taken and the entire jury was in
accord as 10 acouittai.
A broad smile spread over the face
OF Stewart when the foreman an
nounced the verdict Of mot guilty"
and, after receiving congratulations
from his counsel he left the court
room to be surrounded in the corridor
for more congratulations.
Attorney Frank j. Hogan, who bore
the brunt Of the defense. and made
the arguments to the jury, repeated
his faith in the iusy system and de-
clared that Justice was done" Neither
Stewart nor United States Attorney
Leo A. Rover would comment on the
verdict. but Col. Stewart Immediately
phoned TO his wife in Chicago.
Associated with Hogan In the de-
fense Of Stewart were Attorneys Ad-
kins g. Nesbit Of Washington and Hop
kins & Hopkins Of Chicago. Assistant
United States Attorney Neil Burkin-
shaw assisted in the prosecution
Statement Issued.
Later Hogan issued the following
statement:
This is another case Of the citizens
Of the District Of Columbia resenttng
in an unqualified manner that era OF
political persecution, born in Sena-
torial investigating committees and
sent to the courts with Senate orders
TO convict. 1t is time the washes.
Nyes and Norrises should learn that
prosecutions of this kind cannot pre-
vail in this Capital City.
THE defense did not challenge
single man or woman on the Jury.
They we're picked by the court and the
case was picked by the Senate. The
Senate should know by this time that
you cannot railroad an innocent man
in the District"
Attorney Jesse c. Adkins. who assist
ed Hogan in the defense. said:
The jury indicated the rights OF
citizens to defend themselves in the
courts"
Acquittal Of the miSdemeanor charge
does not entirely clear Stewart OF
charges that resulted from his appear
ance before the Senate committee. His
testimony on the occasion Of his first
and last appearance was certified 10 the
district attorney and presented TO the
grand jury. An indictment on a charge
OF perjury was asked of the grand jury,
which is expected to return its decision
to the court within few days.
Grew Out of Bond Case.
Stewart. called as a witness during
the committees investigation of the S.
080.000 Liberty bond oil profits of the
Continental Trading Co. last February.
declined TO say whether he had discuss
ed the bonds with Harry F. Sinclair or
whether he knew of any one who had
taken part in the bond transactions.
Appearing in April. after Sinclair had
been acquitted of charges of conspiring
with Albert b. Fall TO defraud the Gov
ernment in the Teapot Dome oil lease,
Stewart said he had received S759.0O0
In Liberty bonds from II. S. OSler. presi-
dent of the Continental Co.
The Chicago oil executive, however.
said he had Immediately turned the
bonds over TO trust fund created for
his company or the Sinclair Crude Oil
Purchasing Co. owned Jointly by the
Indiana Standard and the Sinclair Con-
sulidated OIL Corporation. The bonds
he testified. had few days before been
turned over To his board OF directors.
The latter were delivered to the Sinclair
Crude OIL Purchasing Co.
The Senate committees Investigation,
which resulted in Stewards indictment.
divulged the operations OF the Conti-
mental company and how It's profits
were divided among four wealthy oil
operators.
Blackmer In Deal
In 1921 III. NJ Blackmer of Denver
engineered deal whereby the late A.
Z. Humphreys of Denver sold to the
newly formed Continental Trading Co
Ltd, of Canada. 33,333, ,a33 barrels OF
oil In the MeXia field. The Continental
company contract was guaranteed by
Stewart and Sinclair for their board OF
directors. which later approved the con-
tract and also the resale OF the oil by
the Continental company TO the Sin.
clair Crude Oil Refining Co and the
Prairie on 81 Gas Co.
The Continental Co. purchased the
oil from Humphreys at $3.50 a barrel
and resold II for sl.T5.
Testimony before the committee
showed that out OF the profits Of 20
cents barrel the millions OF d0llarS
~ prflts made hy the Continental
f(.nt4tfnuad n,4 nee. n fx.t..--r 4, -7-