Douglas daily dispatch., 1928-03-30
TEAPOT DOME
DEPOSITION IS
GIVEN BY FALL
Former Secretary of Inter-
ior Tells His Story of
Reserve Lease
SESSION!
Proceedings Are Conducted
Private in Falls Spac-
iOus Library
SECRET SESSION

Ell PASO, March 20 R-Propped
IN an easy chair in the spacious IL
brary of his home, Albert B. Fall.
charged jointly with Harry F. Sinclair
with conSpiring to defraud the gov
ernmentN in the lease of Teapot Dome
oil reserve, today began to tell his
story of the deal under questioning
of Daniel Thew Wright, counsel for
Sinclair.
The preliminary examination had
to do with the first laws passed in
1920 authorizing the leasing of oil
lands to individuals. The examine
ton then went extensively into the
government policy regarding oil lands
and details of negotiations leading
to the executive order through which
Sinclair obtained the naval reserve in
April, 1922. A mass of correspondence
and documents is to be introduced in
the defense attempt to show that Fall
had little to do with the leasing which
he is expected to say was handled by
SubordinateS.
Surrounded in his 2O-room home
with everything that could be pro-
vided for his comfort, the former cab
met officer answered questions asked
by Daniel Thew Wright, of counsel
for Sinclair. The preliminary ques-
tioning was expected to lead up to
the point where Fall would deny that
he had received bribe from the oil
man.
The government charges that after
Fall leased Teapot Dome to Sinclair,
in April, 1922, Sinclair sent him,
through his son-in-law, M. T. Ever.
hart, $233,OO0 in liberty bonds. Fall
will maintain, his wife said, that the
oil lease was carried out in the usual
course of business end that the liberty
bond transaction had nothing to do
with the deal.
The bonds, it was said Fall would
testify, were received by him in pay
ment of one third interest in the
Tres Ritos Land and Cattle company
which the former secretary sold to
Sinclair. This deal, the former Sec
retary will say, according to friends,
was not negotiated until after the
lease to Teapot Dome had been sign
ed and delivered to Sinclair.
Mrs. Fall, who has attended her
husband constantly since the oil scam
dial first broke and who has been
at his side since he was taken sick
three months ago arranged the down.
stairs of the large brick home she
built 90 years ago for the taking OF
the deposition. The deposition was
taken by w. B. Bull, of Ell Paso
appointed by Justice Bailey to do so
Besides Wright, r. w. Ragland, an
other of Sinclair's counsel and Mark
B. Thompson, of Las Cruces N. M,
and William E. Leahey, of Washing
ton were present for the defense.
Atlee Pomerene, special government
prosecutor and John j. Harland, as
sistant United States attorney, of Ell
Paso, represented the government.
The taking of the deposition was
private and only counsel and members
of the family were present except
DR.. H. T. Stafford, Falls physician,
who was present to see that his
patient did not overtax himself. Fall
was cheerful this morning and ex-
cited over the prospect of telling his
story but the excitement began to
tell on him later in the day and he
was not feeling SO we'll when the ex-
animation actually got under way.
DR.. Stafford however, felt that no i'll
effects would follow the examination
end Fall was permitted to testify
after he had been given stimu-
liant.
The former cabinet officer, whose
i'll health made necessary the con-
tinuance of the charges against him
and the severance of his case from
that of Sinclair, was surrounded by
correspondence and documents con-
cerning his actions when as secretary
Continued on Page Ten)