THE OIL SCANDAL.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 March 1924, Page 3

THE OIL SCANDAL.

CORft U PTION RAMPANT. AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. WASHINGTON, March 27. Before tho Dougherty Investigation Committee, Jeff Smith’s widow was again giving evidence. She said that her husband told her that lie and At-torney-General Dougherty were much chagrined that a group of their friends had made a profit early last year of 30 million dollars over oil deals; hut failed to take Smith and Dougherty into the deals. She indicated that .McLean (newspaper magnate) was one of those concerned, and she gave other names.

At a secret meeting of the Committee which followed, A 1 Jennings told the Committee that Jake Hamon, a famous oil magnate, who died last year, put up one million dollars cash to throw the nomination to President Harding when- the latter’s managers agreed to make FH, Secretary of the Interior. Dougherty took a leading part in the deal, in which Hamon represented not only himself, hut also •Sinclair, and perhaps Doheny. Jennings said that he got the whole stoiy from Hamon, himself. NEW YORK, March 28.

The story about the big money deal of 1920 was repented before the Senate Oil Committee by Al Jennings, the famous train robber, who has since turned evangelist and politician. Jennings said he was passing on what had been told to him by Jake Hamon, the Oklahoma Republican National Committee man, who Was killed by Clara Smith Hamon late in 1920. Jennings related Hamon’s story that he and Hamon had “nominated” Mr Harding tor the Presidency; that it cost him (Hamon! one million dollars; that the cost ol carrying Oklahoma for Harding was half a million dollars; that Hamon paid Dougherty twenty-five thousand dollars, Senator* Penrose, a quarter of a million dollars, and Mr Hays. Chairman of the Republican National Convention Committee twenty-live thousand dollars. WASHINGTON, Mitch 27.

The retirement of Attorney-General Dougherty has again been brought under serious consideration, and the indications point to developments in the near future. President Coolidge has almost, if not entirely come to an agreement with many ol his closest advisers that with the charges piling up daily against Air Dougherty’s administration of the Department of Justice, Air Dougherty’s continuance in office is too great a load for the Administration to boar.