The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-03-13
Ex-G. 0. P. Chairman Back
on Stand; Had Private
Deals With Oil Man.
EXPLAINS HIS SILENCE
Didn't Think Men Who Gave
Back Securities Should
Be Brought In.
BY PAUL II. MALLON
United Press Staff Correspondent

DC Dl UuYIll VI,
BY PAUL II. MALLON
United Press Staff Correspondent
WASHINGTON, March l3.-Wil-
liam M. Butler, chairman of the Re.
publican national committee, re.
vealed to the Senate Teapot Dome
Committee today that Will Hays
former chairman, had attempted tt
get him to take over $25, 5000 of Lib
erty bonds-presumably from the
$l60,000 campaign contribution Of
Harry Sinclair, indicted oil man.
Butler said he did not know they
were Sinclair bonds.
This development came after Sec
rotary of Treasury Mellon had spent
nearly two hours on the stand tell
ing how he had refused to act as
dummy contributor to shield $4,000
Of the Sinclair bonds
Hays met him in the Biltmore
Hotel in New York, the latter part
Of 1923, Butler testified.
He had a package with him,
Butler said. HE told me it con-
tanned $4,000 in bonds. He asked
me to take them and make a con-
tribution. I refused to do So"
Hays Is Questioned
Butler made his statement after
denying a long series of questions
as to whether he had any knowledge
Of Sinclair bonds.
Butler said he declined to follow
Hays recommendation because he
did not want to become party to
something that would appear to be
what it wasn't"
Will Hays, former chairman OF
the Republican national committee
then was called and asked by Walsh
If he had anything to say.
Hays said Melons testimony was
correct.
But have very indistinct rec
election of the conversation with
Butler" Hays added. II didn't dis
CIISS my plans WIFI Illll.
"I don't think we said more than
what he said. We didn't get into
the matter OF where I got the bonds
am very certain 1 didn't tell him
where the bonds came from and tell
him what my plans were. I did not
go into my program"
do you care to say anything
about why you didn't tell the COM
mittee about these matters before?"
Walsh asked.
Eyes, 1 do"
"Proceed to do So"
Considered Matter Irrelevant
81 considered the matter irrele-
want. The bonds l offered to Mel
lon were those which were sent
back to Sinclair I didn't think
these bonds had anything to dc
with your inquiry because they were
sent back.
Nov the Butler bonds we're the
merest incident. 1 had no reason
to believe you were going into cam
paign contributions per Sc"
Then you didn't tell us about the
bonds because Mellon and Butler
did not accept them?" Walsh asked
eyes, sir"
eff you had attempted to bride
a public official with the bonds anc
he had rejected the offer, you woult
slot consider that relevant?"
Yes, would" Hays said. "But
that's not a fair question"
Il take the responsibility for So
liciting Mr.. Sinclair" Hays said. II.
there was money still to be raised
out of 1920, guess I would be ouf
raising it,"
Sent Bonds to Upham
"I'll also take the responsibility
Ior the 100000 of the Sinclair bond!
] sent to Upham, because he i!
dead. But don't know what he die
with the money"
Walsh told Hays that Upham haC
gotten James A. Patten, Chicago
wheat king, to absorb $4,000 Of the
bonds.
Would you have considered i
ethical if Patten declined to taxi
the bonds?" Walsh asked.
"It depends on how the bonds
were given to him." was the reply
'If the bonds were offered to him a
security for a loan, then I woult
consider it ethical"
Reads 1924 Testimony
Explain why you didn't go to Mel
Ion and ask him to make a dlrec
contribution" Walsh directed. "Yol
didn't think Mellon was in sucl
destitute circumstances that he hat
to have security for a contribution?
II was inducing him to make tn
contribution, and it worked" Hay
said. Spectators laughed.
Walsh read Hays testimony o
March. 1924, when Hays said he hat
never received any Sinclair stool
and that to his "best Judgment Sin
clair could not possibly have givel
more than $4,000 to the party.
After some further exchanges
Hays argued that Walsh had rea'
excerpts which gave an imprope
light to his testimony.
st have a little right in this situa
ton" said Hays.
"Of course" said Walsh.
"Well, resent reading of SOM
of my answers and not taking m
testimony as a WHOLE Hays re
torted.
Hays said his mind was on stor,
that Sinclair had given $4,000 share
of Sinclair Consolidated oil stock
which was not true.
Walsh tried to get Hays to admi
that the only particular in whicl
the story was wrong was that Sin
clair gave $4,000 of Consolidate
Trading Company bonds.