OIL LEASES CASE.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19138, 22 October 1927, Page 15

OIL LEASES CASE.

1 FALL SURPRISES COURT. PLEADS POINT IN OWN DEFENCE (BT CABLE—PRESS iSSOCIATIOK—COPIEIGHT) (AUSTRALIAN AND K.Z CABLE ASSOCIATION.'• WASHINGTON, October 20. At the hearing.of.the charge of fraud ••in uexiou with the oil leases, Fall •ushed the Court when he arose and pleaded a point in his own defence. Fall asked Justice Siddons to allow the'former Assistant Secretary for the Interior, Mr Finney, on the stand, to answer questions on cross-examination by lawyers for the defence relating to the Interior Department's leases made previous to the Teapot Doi - Lease. Fall's move created a . sensation which apparently surprised Sinclair and the lawyers for both defendants, as ■uv) !i as counsel for the Government. Mr Justice Siddons listened, but reminded Fall that he had capable counsel. Fall disregarded the Court and continued speaking for five minutes. Mr Justice Siddons denied Fall's plea, whereupon the latter resumed his seat. Fall's object had been to obtain testimony from Mr Finney that the Teapot Dome lease was not surrounded by undue secrecy because competitive bidding for such leases was not always customary. Thus, another important point was lost by the defence.

[Fall, formerly Minister for the Inter ior, and Sinclair, an oil magnate, are charged with fraud in connexion with the lease of naval oil reserves.]