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Fond du Lac (WUconiin) Commonwealth Reporter, Tuesday, December 14, 1965?age 25Doheny Acquitted 01 Conspiracy, Bribery Charges But Tragedy Mars His Fabulous Career As Oil Executive(Coil, lrom J'j 24) ent was a devoted Catholic as well as a wealthy man, and said he wanted to make certain none ol the juics weie Ku Klux Klan membets who would be prejudiced against him. 'lo counteract this, go\-einment attorneys challenged three Catholics dunng the jury selection.Testifying for Doheny weie former Adm. J. K. Robison, who said Doheny's contract ga\e naval protection to the U S. from the menace of Japan; Denby, who lepeated that the leases weie his full responsibility, Mrs Doheny, who explained the note from Fall, Ned Doheny, telling of delivery of 5100,000 from hishank amount* anH flnhpnvmospheie of a court of justice ” He then took five hours to praise Doheny. Fairs law-cr. in summation, admitted Fall lied only to protect Doheny. who couldn’t find the whole note he had signed forthe $100,000.On Dec. 16. 1926 the jury returned the verdict—-not guiltv. Fall, Mrs Fall, and their daughter wept. Doheny and his son’s wife also wept, as d*d, Mrs. Doheny, who was ill in her hotel room “My prayers have been answered,” she saidA former Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels, called the verdict “the worst thing that has happened to free people since Runnvmede ” Rutkett and to lecommend that he go to a sanitarium, heard the shots Young Doheny and his wife, married in 1914, were the parents of four sons and a daughterWhen he heard of the tiage-dy, the elder Doheny. 73, collapsed m a state ol shock and his condition at one time was described as “critical ”Attend Fairs T rialIn October, howevei. Doheny and his wife were in the courtroom when the ailing Fall went on trial for bribery. Public sentiment was not with Fall. It was pointed out that he had been on a committee to deteinune the seriousness of President Wilson’s condition while Wilson was lecove^tamed in the name of Doheny’s son, and how it w'as given to Fall in Washington after being carried there in a little black satchel. The prosecutor said he would prove the money was a bribe to get additional oilleases*1 VI f tnrvn'k t*1 n 4- u A 1 . ^ ___ 1.1. . t t . IHogan, however, retuted his caseHe noted that the monev was simply a loan to an old and trusted friend, so Fall could secure his ranch properly in New Mexico. Doheny’sson, Hogan stressed, was involved only as a matter of convenience for his father. And for the first time itwas emphasized that the money came from young Doheny's account because the elder Doheny's total at Blairstatements about patriotism having motivated his actions in regard to the Elk Hills lease, and wept again at reference to his son The prosecution berated him as a-schemer, wrapped in the American flag by his lawyersOn March 22, 1930, the jury of nine men and three w'omenreturned their verdict after-deliberating only an hour.Doheny was cleat ed of giving a bribe that Fall had beenconvicted of taking Cheersand applause filled the court-100m and then, arm-in-arm with tears in their eyes, Mr. and Mrs. Doheny went to each juror.“Thank you,” they said, “and God bless you.”Doheny and his wife knew,of coui sc, that acquittal alsomeant that they had clearedthe name of their dead son,who also had been accused.And this, perhaps, was theirgreatest joy, now that the longyea is of nightmare had finally ended.When Mr. and Mrs. Doheny iclurncd to Los Angeles eight days later they were greeted by 500 people, including em* ployes, naval officers, clergymen, and judges. They were cheered when they stepped ofl (Con. on Pg. 28, Col. 1)lllpl IS0UTHT0WNSHOPPING CENTERJustsavCharoe
Newspaper Details
Fond Du Lac Commonwealth Reporter
Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin, US
Tue, Dec 14, 1965
Page 17
Full Page
Clipped by
Debbie R.
NA, 29 Jan 2022
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