New Britain herald., 1929-11-02
Convicted ex-Cabinet Off Ger Confesses He Made Fatal Mistake When He Lied About Source of S1O0,0O0 Lean.

Washingt on, Nov. ? UpD- Former Interior Secretary Albert E. Fall. after making public for the first time his story of the $lO0,u00 loan he received from r.. L. Do- henE, prepared today to leave with his family for the southwest 10 re- gain strength 10 fight the one-year jail sentence and $100,00O fine i'm posed on him by Justice William HitH.
 Fall said he erred in putting him self under obligation. and in trying to hide the obligation by an untruth. referring to the money he received from Doheny and his statement to the senate oil committee that F.. E. Mclean, Washington publisher, loaned it 10 him.
 ''If l alone had suffered the con- sequences of my act l could depart in peace" lie said. In the mean time, 1 ask the American people to judge me by the acts I confess, and not 10 believe me guilty of inc damnable crime of which l am in- niccnt.'
 Falls appeal will be perfected in the next 19 days, after which his lawyers will have three months to prepare and file the transcript with the District of Columbia court of appeals. Thereafter, briefs will be filed and the case will be ready for argument probably in April or May. Fall will not be required to return from New Mexico for these pro- cecdings.
 Falls detailed story of the loan and the awarding of tho oil reserve leases 10 DOheny's companies cor respond exactly with the story as told by Dohcny. Admiral J, k. Rob- iSon. and other defense witnesses in the trial. Fall said the statement was prompted by a desire to win dicate the faith of those who have loved, honored or trusted me-" His family has followed his fortunes closely since his indictment, firmly defending him and believing he act cd rightly. His untruth as to the source of the S100.0O0 loan which he made to buy New Mexico ranch properties was prompted by fear that it would be used against the republican administration by mak- ing charges of general dishonesty, :" the statement said.
 My friend Harding was dead. The new administration would not want to be burdenod with my de- fense. XxXI knew the power of the public press, and how it could be used under such circumstances from the floor of the senate.
 q knew that under those condi- tions my reputation would be de- famed and that 1 would be unable to adequately meet in the public press the charges against me. To avoid the calamity l made the un- speakable blunder of attempting to cvade the matter by an untruth. ] wrote the committee I had obtained the money from Mclean. I thus made a very bad matter very, very much worse. The committee i'm mediately asccrtained that this was not true. l then requested my friend Dohcny 10 go before the com- mttee and state the whole truth. I was too ill physically and mentally 10 do so.'
 Fall also said he had been twice put in jeopardy for the same of fense, through his previous trial and acquittal on another charge, and that Justice Hitz whether he intended it or not. in many ways conveyed to the jury his belief that I should be convicted.
 Tt seems that one strong man on the jury was able in the secrecy of the jury room to turn the jury against me with arguments that were unjust and unfair" Fall said.