Evening star., 1928-04-08
SINCLAIR TRIAL
/ OPENS TOMORROW
Story OF Formation of Con-
tinental Co. May Not
Be Heard.

In the same courtroom in which he
vas found guilty last Summer OF con-
tempt Of the Senate. Harry F. Sinclair,
oil millionaire. tomorrow morning will
GO on trial before Justice Jennings
Bailey and a Jury. charged with con-
Spiracy TO 6etraud the Government in
connection with the Teapot Dome lease.
Tomorrow's session of Criminal Dipi-
sion . Of the District Supreme Court.
will mark the oil mans second time III
court on the same charge--the first
trial. which began last october. haT-
trs been halted on charge of Jury
tsmpering. Out of this mistTial grew
the Sinclair Burns criminal contempt
proceedings
Sinclair will be alone this time his
co-6efendant Albert B. Fall. former
Secretary of the Interior. having been
granted sn indefinite postponement
owing 70 his poor health.
Nav Avoid Continental Story.
On the eve Of the trial. it was
learned by the Associated Press that
the story Of the formation Of the Con-
tinental Trading Co. which Govern
n,ent prosecutors sought 10 bring out
81 the previous trial Of Sinclair, may
not be touched upon during the pro-
cee6ings beginning tomorrow. The oil
man, il is said viii admit that he gave
Fall S2SS.ooo. part in bonds of the
Continental Co. purchased with oil
profits and will insist that the paw
rnent was for ona-tliiro interest in
Falls Tres RitoS Cattle & Land Co,
I'm New Mexico.
Sinclair viii naintsin that the source
of the bonds is not material to the
Government charges against him OF
conspiTiig 70 defTsud the Government
This prosecution contends that Sinclair
gave the bonds 70 Fall as bribs after
ths latter signed the lease giving the
oil man the naval reserve in Wyoming.
That ths Government is ready to go
into the Continental deal, should il find
Il necessary. is indicated by the calling
Of Robert w Stewart, chairman of the
hoard Of the Standard on Co. of IN
diana. as q witness. Stewart, ii is
charged. played prominent part in the
Continental transaction. and now is un-
ter Indictment charged with contempt
OF the Senate. for refusing TO tell tas
Senate TeaDot Dome committee his part
IN the deal
Twenty-Six veniremen are on call for
examination as jurors and should a
panel not be selected fror1 this number.
there will be 474 more available al the
Courthouse total OF 500 having been
called for the April term Attorneys
for both sides last night thought il un-
likely that this number would be ex-
hsuSed or even gone into very far be-
fore q jury Is sworn.
New Jury Method.
Impaneling of the IL persons To sit
In judgment of Sinclair is expected 10
BE- hastened with the execution Of a
new rule OF court placing the question
ing of each talesman with the court in
stead Of With attorneys for both sides
The new rule. recently adopted. would
not bar counsel from probing the quail
fcst1ons OF the taIesman beyond the
but these questions must be asked
through Justice Bailey.
The rule was invoked 70 eliminate
repetition IN questioning. The Gov
ernmenf counsel usually conducted a
ieagtav search into the tsleslnans past
ard then the defense would begin all
over with substantially the same oues-
lions
II was understood last night that
Sinclair. through his attorneys. would
attack the validity Of the new rule i'm
Te0lately upon the opening OF court
Sinclair will be represented by George
p. Hoover and Daniel Thew Wright Of
This city and Martin " Littleton of
New York Hoover and LittIeton were
counsel at the previous conspiracy and
contempt trials while Wright was at
torney for Henry Mason Day. conf
Dental assistant TO Sinclair In the Sin
claiT-Bur proceedings The Govern
rnent viii be represented BY its specially
eDointed OIL prosecutors. Owen j. Rob-
erts of Philadelphia and Former Sena-
tor AtIee Pomerene Of Ohio and United
States Attorney Leo A Rover