U.S. OIL SCANDAL.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19148, 3 November 1927, Page 9

U.S. OIL SCANDAL.

CHARGE. FALL-SIXCLAIR TRIAL. ~ rU3S USOCUTION'-COrrEIOHT.) (Jt ijcD >••* CABL * *ssocunoK.) NEV7 YORK, November 1. • ne t ri«l of Albert Fall and Harry *• .Hit at Washington has again asTmost sensational aspects. When Jfj-.'lee Siddons ordered the recess K Court adjourned to chambers and -ducted an investigation into the " y L t , of jury-tampering preferred by counsel. Tii Judgo's enquiry was first sur..ded by lecrecy, only himself, coun"fa! lU sides, ami the Court £«r«*e» being present, while Sm*,l, J» called in later; but after STlancheon interval the Judge nnciiced that he would withhold his dcV. jjtii November 2nd, meanwhile •/fitting the publication of four af--feviti supporting the charges, wliich *** ( p3 a shock throughout the country, 'Vyjjjng that of the original oil , £X! jdals. It if now generally considered that declaration of a mistrial is inevit-

jj'f. ifo t affidavits, tour in number, g. aide by two assistant United SiMJ attorneys, a street-car conducts aad 3 journalist. They alleged: (1) That 15 operatives of a deteetJre ajencj'. allegedly employed by tjjjjiir had kept the jury under surfjjjjßte hour by hour since the trial ffj That the said operatives ln.d ujft txpenae accounts, and had made fgjtitotu efforts to obtain kuowledgc j jjjj jurors' personal lives, business extracts, and property, etcetera. rtl That the agents operated under jf faction of a so-called client, pa to the extent of moving into the 01 iotel as the so-called client Mjtiag Sinclair), and (<) That the operations were discov- . rfwhan Government men raided the 0j roojn at the hotel and seized ¥*■ Si affidavits also declared that one ■pg rtated o in the presence of two jMate-tbat he greatly admired Sinaaw no advantage to himKJffrm bringing a verdict of a conijf&t, bnt might get advantages from fajgitgi verdict of an acquittal, and s*bi expected to get "an automoft tt long as the block" out of the

IK operitivos' investigation of the jogi' movements even extended into opjriig regarding the ownership of m joror'i house, particularly whetttr it was mortgaged. fkj Government lawyers stated that &« TO, not-the slightest doubt that ia*tflai nrost be declared, and there ca ifet* that the Grand Jury is now Mat, and extraordinary developments n lid/ to ensue. fPiD, formerly Minister for the Intajtr, tod Sinclair, an oil magnate, liw trial on a charge of conspiracy ntlhtut to defraud the Government smsexion with oil-lands leases at Efc Bills and Teapot Dome several JWIIgO;]