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Show INQUIRY BEGINS. Balllnger-Plnchot Controversy to Hold Center of Stage for Awhile. Washington. Tho Balllnger-Plnchot congressional Inquiry began Its public sessions on Wednesday with Louis R. Glnvls, chief accuser of Secretary Bal-linger, Bal-linger, on the witness stand. As a result of many Interruptions nnd tho final decision of the committee commit-tee to Insist that Glnvls' counsel make nn opening stntcment of tho specific chnrges ngalnst Mr. Ballln,?er, tho witness did not get far In his narrative. narra-tive. Tho charges, in brief, aro "That-, prior to entering tho government ser-vico ser-vico In any capacity, Ji. A. Balllngcr noted ns attorney In drnwlng up an agrcoment In escrow nnd deeds In tho Wilson Coal company cases In Lowls county, Washington; theso cases being be-ing an alleged fraud upon the land laws. Mr. Balllngcr's name did not appear ap-pear In court records In tho case. "That Mr. Balllnger, as commissioner commission-er of tho land, office In 1907, did not show duo diligence In investigating alleged frauds connected with tho Cunningham coal land claims In Alaska; that ho had knowledge of nil circumstances surrounding theso claims and, In Bplto of this, entered tho employ of ono of tho claimants after leaving tho lnnd ofllco and before becoming secretnry of tho Interior; that ho ordered theso clnimB to bo "clear llBted" for patent without duo Investigation, nnd that thoy would havo gone to patent If Glavis and others had not intervened." |