Show ODELl FIGURED IN PRAIRIE ME OIL Repaid a Gift of by Getting Company a Fran Franchise Franchise chise From Roosevelt I HITCHCOCK WAS REVERSED PRESIDENT STILL STIRRING UP THE HASKELL MATTER Indianapolis Ind Oct 3 There Is in Indianapolis a man who ho declares that he has the positive word of T N Barnsdall of ot that President Roosevelt ordered Ethan Allen Hitch Hitchcock Hitchcock Hitchcock cock then secretary of ot the interior to grant to the Prairie Oil Gas com company compan company pany pan a franchise in the territory of Oklahoma after Barnsdall president of or orthe the oil company had made a contribution to the campaign fund of Benjamin B Id Odell who was at that time a candidate for tor governor of or New NewYork NewYork NewYork York The man who tells the story here is isone Isone Isone one of ot the best known men in the state but he declines to have his name used in the matter for tor the present He HeIs HeIs Heis I Is interested in the oil business in Ok Oklahoma Oklahoma Oklahoma lahoma and has extensive oil proper properties properties properties ties and producing wells and has had considerable business with the Prairie Oil Gas company himself He read the story sent out from Washington a few days ago that President President President dent Roosevelt said in effect that th t Sen Senator Senator Senator ator James K Jones of ot Arkansas for former former former mer chairman of ot the Democratic na national national national committee was one one of the men who ho sought to have the franchise granted Mr Barnsdall and I were w re together one day da and the conversation turned to the franchise matter this man said I Barnsdall told me he had been in the oil business a good many years and had learned to look ahead and prepare for what he might wish to accomplish Then he told me the story Barnsdall and Odell were reared to together together together gether and grew up together were fast friends Barnsdall got Into the oil business and made millions of dollars doll rs while Odell entered politics p Odell suc succeeded succeeded succeeded as a n politician but never ac accumulated accumulated accumulated cumulated much money Barnsdall ap applied applied applied plied to the secretary of ot the interior for a franchise the Prairie Oil Gas company compan to do business in the ter territory territory territory of Oklahoma and he saw at once that he would have great difficulty ty in hi Inducing Secretary Hitchcock to grant It He remembered that Odell was a successful politician In New Ne NewYork York Tork and the right hand Tiana an I man of Pres President PresIdent President ident Roosevelt Roo evelt and that he could reach the ear of the president as quick quickly ly and as effectively ly as any man In the country Looked Up Odell Barnsdall went to New York and called on Odell Odell predicted his own election but said he was hampered for money to make the canvass Barnsdall told him not to worry about that mat matter matt matter ter t for he had made money and would be only too glad to help him out Barnsdall gave Odell as a con contribution contribution contribution to his campaign fund Odell was elected and inaugurated as governor of New York It was probably probably probably ably a year after the contribution was made that Barnsdall found that the Prairie Oil Gas Ga Galt company could not nt obtain Its franchise franchise from Secretary Hitchcock unless President Roosevelt were to order Its Issuance He decided i to see Odell and ask him to see the president about it Barnsdall called on In Odell and during their conversation told Odell of the troubles trouble of the Prat Pral Prairie rie re company He asked Odell to go to Washington and lay la the matter before tho the president Odell remembering kindness to him In making the campaign contribution agreed to go So he and Barnsdall went to Washington and called on President President dent Roosevelt at the White House Roosevelt Fixed It Odell explained to President Roose Roosevelt Roosevelt velt that Barnsdall was a very good goodfriend goodfriend goodfriend I friend of ot his and that he had done him himI many great teat favors He told the president president presIdent dent that a franchise had been refused I company to do business in Oklahoma Odell asked the president to take care of the matter and to see seeto seeto to it that the franchise was granted Roosevelt called Secretary Hitch Hitchcock Hitchcock Hitchcock cock to the White House and ed him to grant the franchise asked for forby forby forby by Barnsdall Hitchcock objected strenuously He declared it was not a just franchise that It was wholly wrong and should not be granted but President Roosevelt told the secretary that he wished the franchise granted and gave positive orders that It should be done Secretary Hitchcock went back b ck to his office and followed the di direction direction direction of the president by granting the franchise Neither Senator Jones nor any an one else had anything to do with it It Barns Barn Barnsdall Barnsdall dall told me that It was all done by Governor Odell Barnsdall told me he knew lenew what he was was doing when h he made the campaign contribution contribution contribution tion He said he knew he would some som someday someday day need the influence of Odell with the president and he proposed to haveIt have haveit it |