Show MAJOR GRILLED ON TELEGRAMS IN OIL PROBE Confidential Man of Edward Edward Edward Ed Ed- ward McLean Explains My Mysteries teries of Messages Involved in Oil Scandal WASHINGTON March 11 Senator Lenroot of Wisconsin has resigned as chairman of public lands committee which is investigating investigating investigating gating the oil scandal His letter of resignation is on the way here from Southern Pines Pine N. N C. C where he has been for a week resting v This statement was wu authorized by Senator Lenroot Since coming to Southern Pines I have not recuperated d as I had hoped and it will wil not be possible for me to continue my work on the committee on public lands and surveys I realized sometime ago that I Iwas Iwas Iwas was nearing the point of exhaustion tion and stat upon the cL upon floor jot ot the tho senate th that t if the oil investigation tion continues indefinitely I J would feel compelled to resign from the committee I have given nearly four months of service in this investigation gation trying as best I could to keep up with such other work as could not be neglected with the result that I cannot in my present state of health continue any Jo longerI longer n gerI ger I hope to be able to return to Washington next week but shall not attempt anything more than routine work of my office until my health is restored W WASHINGTON ASHI March 11 Un Un Under der pressure of a hard hitting cross examination John F F. F Major confidential man to Edward B. B McLean IcLean explained to the oil oll committee committee com corn today some more of the mysteries of the McLean tele tele- grams One of at those referred to without without without with with- out name in the messages he said was C. C Bascom Slemp with whom he ho declared he had returned from Florida and upon whom he had called several times since at Mr Ir Slemp's Invitation He insisted the calls were purely social The code word eyed the witness witness witness wit wit- ness explained as referring to E. E S. S Rochester attached to the theoffice theoffice theoffice office of ot Attorney General Daughert Daugh- Daugh ert erty He said Rochester on one occasion had asked him to come ome cometo cometo to to the department and had indicated indicated indi indi- that something g ml might ht be expected soon but he was hazy y as asto asto asto to details The m mysterious Willis re reI referred referred re- re I to repeatedly In the telegrams telegrams tele tele- grams rams as looking after McLeans McLean's interests finally was as identified by Major as Wilton Vilton J. J Lambert the I publishers publisher's attorney Major told of a trip taken by I Mr McLean and himself to Atlantic Atlantic At At- lantic City about the middle of December where IcLean McLean talked to former Secretary Fall I MAJOR INFERRED The McLean IcLean party part which Included Included in included In- In W W. C. C the publishers pub publishers publisher's lishers lisher's private secretary remained at the beach city two hours but hut Major said he did not know what his employer er and Fall lall had talked I about He lIe had naturally Inferred from the newspaper accounts of at I Continued on page 3 3 MAJOR GRILLED Continued from page 1 1 Falls Fall's later statement to the committee committee committee com com- he said that McLean and Fall had discussed the matter I I knew McLean didn't go to Atlantic City to say howdy-do howdy to Mr Fall aU he said Senator Bursum Republican New Mexico read from a transcript transcript trans trans- of or Majors Major's testimony on March 8 in which the witness first told of the Fall McLean conference con- con ference at Atlantic City Major MajorI had said Senator Bursum insisted that he knew Fall and McLean I discussed the mater of or Fall Falls Fall's s story that McLean had loaned him opo I Inferred that was the purpose I of the visit Major insisted because because because be cause the papers came out with the story Im merely Inferring I that Major went on to explain sevI several sev sev- I I eral of his telegrams under questioning ques ques- MESSAGES MESSAGES EXPLAINED S By his message to McLean Ea saying say say- ing that A A. Mitch Mitchell Palmer had parties working on Walsh Major said he meant simply that there i were people inquiring of Walsh I as is to whether McLean was to bo be I called to testify I He lIe testified that the telegram I saying he was busy with Curtis CurtIsl I Underwood he and Zev meant I Iwas I was trying Ing to avoid the calling calling- of I McLean IcLean from Palm Beach to tesI testify tes tes- tes- tes I I J J. J W V v. v Zevely personal counsel counsel coun coun- I coun-I sel to Harry F F. Sinclair he said I told him that all efforts to keep I I i Harry Payne W Whitney of off the I I I stand had failed He then went to Zevely to enlist his aid to a no I similar end for McLean but was wasI told that it rt was useless I Major said he ho thought that I man mentioned in another telegram telegram telegram tele tele- gram to 10 McLean referred to BerI Bernard Bernard Ber Ber- I nard M M. Baruch of or New York Tork The messa message e said that man was to see the party today and testified the party probably was Senator Walsh DISCUSSED With Baruch the witness witness witness' went wenton on he had discussed Mr Ir McLean and discussed you sir Ho He spoke highly of ot you not surprising Senator Walsh put In hes a friend of mine He said sald it was a damned shame continued Major l that Ned McLean was mixed up in this thing for nothing What was he Baruch going to see me rue about Senator Walsh asked I Do you know whether he did see me roe or not I I dont don't think he did Major re replied re- re I plied Major was asked what was meant by hy a telegram from McLean asking that he find out in a careful manner manner manner man man- 1 ner about a matter I will ill talk to you ou about over the telephone later UNCOMPLETED MESSAGE That Was an uncompleted message mes mes- sage the witness said I didn't talk to him Senator Walsh read a a. code coda message message message mes mes- sage to Major from McLean on the same day which said This is a hypothetical question and desired to know whether banks keep a record record record rec rec- ord of Indorsements on checks I I answered that bank did not pot ke keep kep p a r record cord of or what a was drawn for tor said Major adding that he did not know why McLean asked the question Where did you ou go to decode this telegram Senator Dill Democrat of or Washington asked after establishing establishing lishing that the McLean query had been sent In the department of justice code saidI saidI said I didn't decode it Major I imagine Mr Duckstein decoded It He returned it to me decoded Major explained that later he had purchased a private code He said that messages signed John were his and that when the telegrams mentioned Willie they meant I Wilton J J. J Lambert Mr McLeans McLean's I attorney The publication of telegrams telegrams telegrams tele tele- grams containing this name recently recent recent- ly Iy led Senator Willis Republican of Ohio to issue a statement saying he had no Idea to whom the messages messages messages mes mes- sages referred Willis said the party was in a friendly mood and nothing more will be requested from your end I McLean hid hd been assured In one of the messages you jou sir said Major to Senator Walsh asked about the identity of the party I Asked who was meant in the I telegram saying Harry out of I cit city the witness answered To ro the best ef of my Knowledge I its it's Mr Dau Daugherty herty Mr McLean and Mr were very warm I I friends A moment later under repeated questioning Major exclaimed I I want Twant to be frank with you be because because because be- be cause I want to get away from fromI I here I l H He then demanded that a telegram telegram tele tele- gram sent by B E. S S. S Rochester of the I justice department to McLean on January 16 be read Tead This message warned McLean the oil committee I was looking into his bank a accounts counts The code telegram sent to McLean McLean McLean Mc Mc- I Lean saying that E Eyed ed expects I something Major continued re referred referred referred re- re to Rochester I iON ON PRIVATE PRIVATE WIRE I I I think Eyed in the code meant Mr Rochester Major went on for I saw him on that day He told me in substance wha what the telegram said and I put the message on the private wire The code word for Rochester he explained was a part of the department department department depart depart- ment of or justice cipher Pressed as to what it was he thought Rochester expected Major Major Major Ma Ma- jor said it was to tell him about sending the telegram to McLean Senator Walsh pushed the he fhe examination examination exam exam- to Rochester asked you to come the department of or Justice and see him he asked 1 Yes sir I And you wired that he Rochester Roches Roches- ter expects something Yes sir I imagined that Rochester Rochester Rochester Roch Roch- ester would tell me what he heard about the inquiry What did you mean when you told McLean that Rochester expects something Major Majol then thea declared it meant that Rochester expected to have something something something some some- thing to tell I Another telegram mentioning the 1 party as expecting Major l to see I him the witness said referred to toi toj j i C C. Bascom Slemp secretary to the president I Mr Slemp asked me to come com I and see him Major said Was this a purely social call on Mr Slemp Absolutely I wasn't in Mr Slemp's office three minutes Major expostulated that hed he'd seen at least people since this thing began and had told McLean about It it itI the WhiteHouse White WhiteHouse I saw Mr Slemp at House and at his apartment in the Shoreham hotel Major said Did he give you any message Senator Dill asked Yes he did Major returned He told me to send Mr and Mrs McLean McLean McLean Mc Mc- Lean his best regards and to say he only wished he be could return to Florida Floria because his trip did him hima a world of ot good Senator Adams Democrat Colorado Colo Cob I rado fixed the dates Rochester wired McLean on January January January Jan Jan- uary 16 about the committees committee's search earch for bank accounts It ap appeared appeared appeared ap- ap and had given Major the same Information January 18 DECLARED IT WAS NEWS So it wasn't news when you telegraphed it Senator Adams asked It was to me Major replied I didn't know Rochester had wired It previously I Senator Walsh put in a telegram mentioning Willis and Lambert at the same time It was a challenge challenge challenge chal chal- lenge of the witness' witness statement that his term Willis meant Lambert Have you any explanation to tomake tomake tomake make of this asked the sena sena- I tor You want to know why I call him im Willis Villis one time and Lambert another said Major part of or it exclaimed Senator Walsh Theres no explanation the witness finally responded There I was a ripple of ot laughter and Major added Our telegrams show we haven't I been using ordinary language I He then began to explain that he had got a new code into serI service service ser ser- I vice because he naturally wanted to send some messages in code himself and couldn't get the department department department depart depart- ment of j justice code I I 1 never could get my hands on that code book he said and I didn't want to be going all over overtown overtown overtown town looking for Duckstein whenever whenever whenever when when- ever I wanted to send a message In one of his telegrams to McLean McLean McLean Mc Mc- Lean Major had indicated distrust of ot D Duckstein but the witness said he had told McLean later to dIsregard disregard dIs- dIs I regard that message I How many of or these codes did the Post use use asked Senator Senator Sen Senator Sen- Sen ator Dill There were three being used I I dont don't t know of or any more said Major Ive s destroyed the other code since Mr r. McLean got back from Florida and made up another another which will be In use until March 15 I McLean is ready to testify he added and later he said the publisher publisher pub pub- lisher had been eager to come come I Hes lies wired on occasions that I he was coming here no matter what we all ll s say sy Major saI said safa I. I Mr McLeans McLean's gone gone as as far tar as he ho could for tor a friend and all for tor nothing noth noth- I ing I Major was excused and the committee committee com com- adjourned until 10 a a. a m in m. m to tomorrow to- to morrow I CHICAGO March 11 Owen Owen J I Roberts and Atlee Pomerene government government gov gov- S counsel in the Teapot Dome matter passed through Chicago Chicago Chi Chi- cago cago today en route to Cheyenne Wyoming where on Thursday they will file a bill for an injunction allegIng al alleging alleging al- al fraud to restrain any further work on the Teapot leases I They were just twenty-four twenty hours 1 behind Harry F F. F Sinclair oil magnate magnate mag- mag 1 nate who departed yesterday with i his legal counsel for tor Cheyenne to toI I fight the tho government court action i Roberts and Pomerene left at 10 1030 30 8 a a. m rn shortly after atter th their ir arrival fr from m Washington They ex explained explained explained ex- ex that the government bill would be based on the assumption of fraud They made it clear that the proceeding in Cheyenne and the theone theone theone one to be bo filed later in California will not be criminal proceedings Any criminal action If Ir any were taken would haye have to be started in tho District of ot Columbia I LOS ANGELES March 11 E L L. Doheny oil magnate will come to I Los Angeles soon for a personal conference with city officials relative relative relative rela rela- tive to a year thirty-year lease granted the Pan-American Pan Petroleum Petroleum Petroleum Petro Petro- leum company and which has been attacked by the Municipal league a civic organization according to Lewis E B. Whitehead assistant city attorney Tho The Municipal league is attacking the lease which is on municipality municipality- owned land on the ground that It was granted in violation of or the city charter An investigation into the lease to the Doheny Concern and other barbor harbor harbor har bar bor leases is being conducted by the county grand jury ACTION IS DEFERRED v WASHINGTON March 11 Pres 11 Pres President ident Coolidge will be guided by the advice of the special oil counsel in acting on tho the offer made yesterday by hy Edward L L. Doheny to continue construction work ork on the storage tanks at Pearl Harbor Hawaii at athIs athis athis his own expense A As both loth of the government attorI attorney attorneys ney have left Washington to file tile legal proceedings to annul the Teapot Teapot Teapot Tea Tea- pot and California leases no Immediate immediate immediate Imme imme- diate action on the tho offer is expected |