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Show SPRINGSJENSATION FOHMER SECRETARY GARFIELD A STAR WITNESS IN THE BAL-LINGER BAL-LINGER CASE. Statement Made That Guggenhelms Had No Interest In Alaskan Coal Claims, When Records Showed They Had Secured Options. Washington. .Tames R, Garfield, former secretary of tho Interior, was finally excused from the witness stand at the Balilnger-Pinchot investigation lato Thursday afternoon. His final half hour beforo tho committee furnished fur-nished tho sensation of what hnd been a decidedly dull day. Mr. Garfield stated that Mr. Bnllln-ger, Bnllln-ger, after having been commissioner of the land office, submitted to him on September 17, 1908, an affidavit signed by Clarence Cunningham and containing the statement that the Guggenhelms had no interest whatever what-ever in tho Cunningham group of coal claims In Alaska, 'while as a matter of fact, tho record of a recent hoarlng before the senate committee on terrl-' torles shows that, prior to the making of the affdavlt, the Guggenheim syndicate syndi-cate had been given an option on a half Interest In all tho Cunningham claims. The former secretary of the Interior was examined nnd cross-examined on his administration of the office which ho surrendered to Mr. Balllngor on March 5, 1009. Mr. Garfield, in explaining ex-plaining what he did in the matter of the withdrawal of lands without specific spe-cific provision of law, declared ho was working In the interest of the people and to prevent monopolistic control of power sites nnd consequent extortionate extortion-ate prices to consumers. |
