The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-11-12
BARE:S EFFORT
TO INFLUENCE
STEWART JURY
TaIeSman Tells Court He
Was Approached Before
Trial Opened.
JUDGE STARTS PROBE
Indiana Standard Chief Is
Accused of Perjury in
Il Senate Oil Quiz.
JUDGE STARTS PROBE
BY HERBERT LITTLE

dent attempt to approach pros
pective juror in the perjury trial
of Robert w. Stewart, Standard Oil
OF Indiana chairman, was revealed
here today during the questioning
OF Robert Caldwell, Venireman.
Caldwell said a man named
"Maginnis" had asked him Sunday
if he would hold out"
Later, after being excused by
Justice Bailey, Caldwell failed to
identify a man named Maginnis
who had been brought to the
United States attorneys Office fol-
lowing CaldwelTs sensational testi-
mony.
Leo Rover, United States attor-
ney. said the investigation would be
continued, and if the man named
by Caldwell is found, proceedings
would be brought against him.
Jury Is Sworn In
A jury of three women and nine
men was completed at 1:40 p. m.
and sworn in, after a total of thirty
talesmen had been called and ques-
toned.
The jury follows: Albert K. Ba-
ker, Carl W. L. Horn, William E.
Egan, Miss Eva Buckley, Mrs. Sadie
G. Jenkins, Morgan c. Emmons,
Walter M. Hogan, Laurence o. Kie-
fer, Hugh O'Donnell, Mrs. June P.
Chaffee, Fred P. Haas and Charles
E. Henderson.
Justice Bailey excused Caldwell
when Frank j. Hogan, defense at
torney, challenged him "for cause"
Caldwell later told newspaper
men that "Naginnis" also asked
him if he was Catholic. He is not.
Caldwell also told the press the
young man asked him if he would
stick with the others" on the Jury.
In the jury box he had said the
man asked i'm if he would "hold
out"
May Issue Contempt Charges
Justice Bailey elected the infor-
nation that the mysterious ques-
toner was about 81, of light COM
plexion and wore glasses.
United States Attorney Rover
sought further information through
the judge to see 'if he fitted the
description of young man have
in mind"
Caldwell, however, could give the
court little further information, eX-
cept that he refused to talk to the
man who approached him, and the
man didn't say where he worked"
If Justice Bailey concludes an
attempt has been made to tamper
with the jury, he will undoubtedly
issue contempt citations, as Justice
SiddonS in the same court did dur
ing the Sinclair cospiracy trial
a year ago. In that case the ap-
proaches were made after the trial
was we'll undeT way.
rs Are in Jury Panel
This caused the case to end in
a mistrial, after which a contempt
case was brought against one de-
fendant, Harry F. Sinclair, the Oil
magnate, and against William j.
and w. Sherman Burns, detectives,
and Henry Mason Day, Sinclair
Oil Company official.
All fcAr were adjudged guilty and
Sinclair was sentenced to four
months, w. j. Burns and Day to
shorter sentences and Sherman
Burns to pay fine. a..
Judge Bailey continued his ques-
tiondng of the jurors after the
Caldwell incident, without removing
any from the box. After he fin
ished Hogan, head of the defense
staff, opened his technical case by
StrenuouSly objecting to the prac-
tice of the court in refusing to al
low the lawyers personally to ques-
ton prospective jurors.
Penalty Is Drastic
Stewards indictment grew out of
of his testimony before the senate
Teapot Dome committee in connec-
ton with $4,000 in Continental
Trading Company Liberty bonds
which he received.
The penalty for perjury-two to
ten yearS-is more drastic than in
any of the six previous oil trials re-
sulting form the Teapot Dome in
veStigations.
The Indictment is based on the
fact that Stewart, on his first ap-
pearance before the senate public
lands committee last February, said
he knew nothing of the Continen-
tai bonds under investigation. A
few weeks later he admitted he had
received them and turned them over
to subordinate for safe keeping,
and that the bonds had been so
kept for nearly five years.
Stewart was cleared by a jury of
senate contempt charges in connec-
ton with his refusal 20 testify on
certain other points during his first
appearance before the senate COM
tnittee.