Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-02-04
WRIT HABEAS
CORPUS GIVEN
R. .W.STEWART
Order Served 80 Min
utes Before Time
Set For Appearance
Before Committee

WASHINGTON, Feb. 4.--tFN-FAe-
ing summary punishment by the SEN
ate for his defiance az ita oil corn-
mittee, Robert w. Stewart. chairman
Of the board Of the Standard OIL
company or Indiana. took his case
TO court today and obtained his re-
lease from arrest on writ of
habeas corpus.
With the hour az noon. the time
set for his appearance before tha
senate bar almost az hand. the oil
magnate threw his legal forces into
the fray and they emerged from the
chambers Of Justice Bailey Of the
District az Columbia supreme court
with an order which called on SER
ate serEeant-at-aFms 20 release
Stewart. vko was placed under bond
Of $1,000 and ordreed 20 appear again
next Tuesday. At that time ArEu-
ments will be heard as 70 whether
he shall retain his liberty
Coincident with the swift move
ments In the oil case down town.
the senate Oil committee sought CO
obtain from ". 5. Fitzpatrick. pres
ident OF the Prairie Oil ard Gas
company, evidence of she diEposi-
tion Of the profits az the CoLtlnen-
tai Trading company of Canada.
which Stewart had risked jail 10
withhold.
Called as a witness pending the
expected appearance of the Standard
oil man before the senate 10 face "a
contempt charge because q his Ea-
/ fusal 20 answer questions. FltzFAa-
/ rick gave the committee It's flrEt
clue ms 20 the profit OF she Cnnti-
i xrhFrh hmwywhM e~AN
for $3.50 a barrel and sold 10 back
TO Stewart and Harry F. SinclAir's
companies for Sl.75.
The witness said James III. O'Neil.
who fled 70 Europe after the OIL
scandal broke, had turned over 90
his company $4,000 of Continental
Liberty bonds in 1925, but thst
/ O'Neil said he knew nothing ~
| Teapot Dome, Whose lease ~ SIM
clair started the present investiga-
tion. O'Neil was "A former president
l Of the Prairie. O'Neil felt the
profits were due the Prairie, hs
said.
Stewards decision 10 60 before
| the courts with his case came late
in the morning after a number of
Washington attorneys had been call
ed into his hotel suite 20 confer
with his regular legal staff. Bulky
| brief cases were carried up and
down the halls Of the Willard ho-
tel as the lines of battle were form-
ed. and when the decision finally
was reached. only "a few minutes
were required 70 take the ease be-
fore Justice Bailey. where IL wea
disposed of in quick time.
The success Of Stewart IN obtain
ing the writ was a distinct surprise
| in the senate. 50 sure were these
interested IN the case there that tire
oil man would be or hand 80 H0ua
that all Of the precedents had been
placed On hand so that there would
be no slip in procedure IN this uE-
/ usual case "A chair even had beea
placed for the prisoner.
The senate galleries were crowd-
| ed long before the time fnr eaENaH-
ing and the sudden turn IN affairs
sent many away disappointed.
The 1000 bond ~ stewart. him-
| self reputed 70 be a millionaire. Was
signed by Robert w. Fleming. Ir..
president OF the Riggs National
Bank. one Of the largest financial
| institutions in the east.
The weight Of the blow caused hv
the release of Robert WI. Stewart nn
writ Of habeas corpus today weieE-
| ed heavily on the senate. whore
some OF the lawyers said IL mlgEt
be even several years before stewart
was returned 70 the custody cI that
branch OF congress.
These lawyers held that the Dist
riet OF Columbia supreme court
must decide whether the questions
proponnded w the OIL man were de-
signed 70 elicit Information about
matters on which congress must
/ legislate. After the decision On
that, they said. appeals were in Or
der hv StnNrnrt WV fhn ElEhNE courts.