Evening star., 1928-04-12
|O|L MEN TESTIFY
|. AT SINCLAIR TRIAL
Tell of Unsuccessful Effort
to Bid on Teapot Dome
Lease.
tcontinued from First Page,

S0nIlnue0 from cIFSt rage
the conference. Fall told him he would
leave Washington in few days for his
would be back IN month. He made
the suggestion that a further conference
be held with him at Three Rivers.
Helms returned to Fort Worth. Tex.
his headquarters. and learned through
newspapers that the Teapot Dome
lease had been signed. He sent two
kilograms to Fall, which were read to
the jury. protesting and declaring that
FAN had given him 70 understand at
their conference that the Teapot Dome
matter would be held open for another
month. Falls reply. stating that the
Teapot Dome matter was closed and
containing the additional statement
that he would be glad to discuss roy
alties on the Salt Greek field upon his
return to Washington. was read to the
Jury,
Miller. hearing of the possibility that
Teapot Dome might be leased. sent a
telegram to Senator Kendrick April s,
the day before the lease was signed,
asking him to call upon Fall and make
an application for lease on part of
the reserve. 1t was not until April 81
that Miller learned the lease had been
signed, he testified
Senator Kendrick then took the stand
and told of sending his secretary. w. A.
Anderson. to the Interior Department.
April Z. following Miller'S request in the
latter's telegram. The Senator also
produced letter from II. Foster Balm,
director of the Bureau of Mines. stating
that Fall had asked Balm to supply the
Senator with press memorandums on
the leasing subieetA press notice dated
April 6. was inclosed, and this set forth
indications that policy soon would be
established to prevent drainage OF the
naval oil reserves The notice concluded
tracts had been made along the line of
protecting the reserve from drainage.
Anderson Takes Stand.
Anderson followed the Senator on the
stand. told of visiting Falls Office, OF
seeing C. B. Stafford. Falls administra-
tive assistant, and receiving from SAT-
ford the information that no lease had
been signed but that the Secretary
would be glad TO consider bids of Sena-
Dor Hendricks Wyoming constituents.
The visit was made during the day of
April Z, Anderson testified.
Brooks testified he first learned of the
leasing of Teapot Dome through the
newspapers in April, 1922, and immedi-
ately sent kilograms of protest to the
Wyoming delegation in Congress and
to Fall. Brooks said would have been in
terested in bidding on the reserve, but
he had no knowledge that 1t was to be
developed.
Following up Brooks testimony, for
mer Representative Frank w. Mondeli
Of wyoming testified that the first
animation he had Of the leasing of the
reserve came in Brooks telegram.
Fall and DENLY, but as Fall was out
of the city, Acting Secretary Finney
accepted the protest and informed
Monden that the matter is being con-
sidered personally by Fall" DENLY,
then Secretary Of the Navy. wrote Mon
den that Fail likewise was handling the
Teapot Dome leasing matter IN person.
and could undoubtedly supply Mondell
with the details.
Testimony by Darden.
Darden's testimony was head from the
civil proceedings adduce0 at the Chey-
enne trial and showed that he CLEANED
$50 acres on the reserve. His testi-
mony was that he called on Fall In
March. 1922, asked for lease on the
ground that he had a good title 70 q
part Of the Dome and was told by Fall
mot at all, you have no title. and I
cann0t find any record Of It.. Fall
told Darden 70 see Sinclair. "as he viii
settle with you IL you have claim"
the testimony said. Darden's testimony
also set forth that Fail gave him 10
understand that whoever got the lease
would settle the dAim. and 1t con-
tained the added statement that Fall
told him this TO get rid Of me-
Clark's letter, dated February 10. 1922.