Evening star., 1944-12-01
Albert B. Fall, Central Figure
In Teapot Dome Scandal, Dies
Hording's Secretary
Of Interior Had Been
III for Years
Dy the Associated Press.

8s the ASSoclateo Press.
Ell PASO, Tex, Dec. 1.-Albert B
Fall, 80, Secretary of the Interior In
the Harding administration, died
here yesterday.
He was one of the central figures
In the Teapot Dome scandal in the
1920s.
Fall had been Ill for years. He
had been confined here in the Will
liam Beaumont General Hospital
from 1885 to 1888, and since 1912
in Hotel Dieu, Catholic hospital
where he died at $50 pm. yesterday
His physician, DR.. John Morrison,
was the only person at the bedside
when death came.
Prospector and Ranch Hand.
Fall was born in Frankfort, KY
He was prospector, ranch hand,
school teacher and attorney at Las
Cruces, N. Mex. He was appointed
Secretary of the Interior by Presi-
dent Harding and executed leases
to public oil lands which led to
prison and loss of his wealth.
He granted a lease to Harry F.
Sinclair on the oil reserve at Teapot
Dome, Wyo. Investigations followed
the lease was invalidated, Fall was
termed a "faithless public officer
by Justice Butler OF the Supreme
Court, and he was convicted in 1929
Of accepting a 100000 bribe for
the lease Of the Elk Hills Calf. }
naval oil reserve to his one-time
prospecting partner, Edward L. Do
heny. His conviction came six years
after he left the cabinet.
Sentenced to Prison.
Fall was sentenced to prison in
the New Mexico Penitentiary, where
he served 8 months and 10 days.
He was Ill during most of his time
in prison. and emerged on a
stretcher May 9, 1882. Doheny was
acquitted of rendering the bribe.
During his trial Fall insisted the
100000 was a loan and not bribe
a loan that eventually was fore
closed by Doheny's associates and
cost Fall his ranch. Doheny
through his Petroleum Securities
Co. foreclosed on 100,00O-acre Tres
Rios with the intention of return
ing the property, but Doheny died
a few days after the sale and Fall
received nothing.
Mrs. Fall died in March, 1943
Two daughters, Mrs. C. c. Chase
of Ruidoso, N. Mex, and Mrs. Jouett
Elliott of Ell Paso, survive.
Funeral arrangements have not
been completed.
Was Cleveland Democrat.
Fall started out in politics as a
Cleveland Democrat. He was given
foretaste of later vicisSitudes when
President Cleveland removed him
from Office as a territorial judge in
New Mexico because he stepped
down from the bench to lead posse
of hard-riding frontlersmen in a
man-hunt
Years later, as Republican Sena-
tor, he won a national reputation
as one of the most turbulent char
acters that ever emerged from the
rough and-tumble environment of
the Southwest.
1t was as a Senator that the coun-
try best knew him, before his name
was given an overshadowing promi-
nence by the Oil scandal. He taught
his enemies to fear him in debate as
few men have been feared in the
Senate in recent years. BY constant
vitrolic attacks he became known as
the chief antagonist of Woodrow
Wilson in all affairs relating to Mex
leo. and in the memorable League
Of Nations fight he played a no less
fiery role as one of the irreconcilable
foes of the covenant.
Summoned to Inquiry.
But all of these stirring days of
activity had passed into history and
Fall himself into retirement when he
suddenly was summoned from the
quiet of his ranch to face charges
OF bribery and corruption in connec-