The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-10-03
Says Wilbur NOT
RESPONS|bLEbU
PROBE Is NEEDED
Expresses Opinion After Con-
ference With Former lnteri-
or Department Official
KELLEY RAPs RICHARDSON
Says Justice Department Man
Prejudiced; Declines to
Give Him Data

NIvo TINT O0S0
washington, Oct. 3.-ReChair-
man Nye Of the senate lands ON
mittee. said today he thought ralph
s, Kelley, former chief Of the federal
land office at Denver, was quite
thoroughly justified" in his charges
Of maladministrAtion Of Colorado OIL
shale lands.
The North Dakotan had Conferred
NOR than an hour today with Kel-
lev. He expressed hope the depart.
ment Of Justice would take fuI and
speedy action, on the charges.
The former officials explanation
convinced Nye Secretary Wilbur was
not responsible for the alleged I'M
troper handling Of the OIL lanas. nc
said. but some one was reSpcnsap'e
and should be questioned.
"Kelley,s charges do not go 10 the
door OF Secretary Wilbur" the sen-
ator said. There is q door to wnicn
his objections lead. however. ana TINS
door should be opened"
Kelley resigned last Sunday. sec
retary wilbur refused the resignation
and suspended him pending inquiry
into the charge. Assistant Attorney
ceneral seth w. Richardson Is m
vestieating at the department OF JUS
tice and has offered KELLEY tne
chance to lay all his facts beiore
him. $500.
dom after concession" had been msde
IN are oil companies In the Ool.
I'D slfsie fields, billions OF d0lte1s
~ vh,ch he asserted. WIRE the I'D
iect Of Illegal attempts TOT posses
sion.
~. can't help but b. impressed q
~. snirtt moving Kelley at TIM
stape." Nye said. II think he Is en-
Allied to q thorough hearing"
The North Dakotan said u the oe-
rortrent OF Justice did not take &C.
tion On Kelley's charges ne wouio
Gee, .reouired to Introduce . resolu-
ton in the senate calling Tor an M
Later in the day Kelley declined
+he invitation from Richardson q
ststa his case fully as an aid to the
department Of justice i~nvestieation'
He sent q copy of his letter to news
paper offices.
81 cited quotations which ne saio
had heen attributed to Richardson IN
newsnaners. and which he said IN
dicates you have pretudged the cas
and have already disqualified your
self"
The letter read in part:
.in INV opinion the public interests
ren,,ire an Investigation OF these
charres BY an impartial body. x x <
"Your statement referring to an al
,eced Invitation, Of Secretary Wilbur
that I come to Washington Is qulte
sncorrect. These and numerous other
rritical statements Of my position. at
tributed to you and which have zen
brought to my attention, may %
viewed as an effort to influence
public opinion =
Says Richardson Inspired
us It not true that the opinions
which you have been reported q ex-
pressing are inspired by higher off,
Gals. In the interior Department.
1T Is. my view that members Of the
presidents cabinet are much too
closely bound together to. permit Inn
PARTIAL investigations Of each other.
"eince Debating the foregoing. !
have noted in Z morning paper that
you aye quoted as saying that you
detailed Z man to watch his room
and that this individual. long after
the department had closed for the
day, handed me Z letter. This seems
to be In line with typical department
Of justice methods. A letter placed
in my box ct the hotel would have
promptly reached me.
you are advised that I have made
aryangements whereby the principal
facts supporting the allegations con-
tanned IA my lAtter Of resignation will
1t once be presented for the consider
alton Of the public. This procedure
alone will render It unnecessary for
me to 60 further into details ct the
present time"
The last paragraph Of Kelley's
letter quoted referred to the writing
Of q series Of articles which the New
York World announced today It would
publish.