Sinclair to Jail

To the large brick "common jail," on the banks of the Anacostia in Washington must go Oilman Harry Ford Sinclair for three months. The U. S. Supreme Count so ruled last week. His crime was contempt of the Senate.

In March 1924, when the oil scandals were white-hot, Oilman Sinclair was called before the Senate Public Lands Committee. Ten questions were put to him. One question was whether he had given money to Albert Bacon Fall, whilom Secretary of the Interior. Oilman Sinclair, on advice of counsel, Martin Wilie Littleton, refused to answer every question.

He was indicted, tried, sentenced in the District of Columbia Supreme Court two years ago. His appeal to the Supreme Court was on the ground that the Senate's questions pried illegally into his private affairs, that he was already threatened with court action on the subject-matter of these questions, were not pertinent to the legislation.

These contentions the Supreme Court swept aside as without merit.

Before the Supreme Court is still pending Oilman Sinclair's appeal from a six-month jail sentence, imposed upon him for contempt of court, for jury-tampering in October, 1927. These two offenses were by-products of the larger charge of conspiracy to defraud the U. S. in the leasing of the Teapot Dome naval oil reserves, on which Oilman Sinclair was acquitted last year.