The Teapot Dome Scandal

The Teapot Dome Scandal 1. What was the Teapot Dome Early in the Harding administration Scandal? Secretary of the Interior Albert B. Fall convinced Secretary of the Navy Edwin Denby to transfer government oil reserves at Elk Hill, California and Teapot Dome, Wyoming, to the Department of the 2. Explain the role each of the Interior. Secretary Fall thus gained control following played in the Teapot of the both oil fields. He promptly leased Dome scandal: Elk Hill to the Pan-American Petroleum and Transport Company and Teapot Dome to Albert B. Fall the Mammoth Oil Company. The fields were leased without competitive bidding from other companies. Edwin L. Doheny, Sr. was the head of Pan-American and Edwin Denby Harry F. Sinclair led the Mammoth Oil combine. In January, 1923, Fall resigned from the cabinet in order to take a senior position in Sinclair’s oil company. E. L. Doheny, Sr. A Congressional investigation later proved that the Sinclair group had given Secretary Fall over $300,000. Sinclair also had given Fall a herd of cattle for a ranch E. L. Doheny, Jr. the secretary was building in New Mexico. Furthermore, the investigation established that Doheny had given Fall an unsecured, interest-free loan of $100,000 to help Harry Sinclair finish the ranch. The money had been delivered to the secretary of the interior in a black leather satchel transported by Doheny’s son, probably giving rise to the term “bag man”. 3. Where is Elk Hill located and to The Teapot Dome scandal was the most whom was it leased? famous scandal in the Harding administration. Probably it was a factor that contributed to the President’s premature death. Albert Fall spent nearly six years 4. Explain what happened to each testifying before congressional of the following after the Teapot committees while trying to hold off various Dome scandal was discovered: federal and local prosecutors. Finally, in 1929, the former interior secretary was Fall convicted on charges of accepting a bribe from Doheny and was sentenced to a year in the New Mexico State Prison. He Denby became the first cabinet member ever to be sent to prison. After serving ten months he was released, a broken man. E. L. Doheny, Sr. He spent the last years of his life in obscurity. Sinclair Navy Secretary Denby was eventually forced to resign in disgrace, the unwitting victim of Fall’s manipulations. Sinclair eventually went to jail for contempt of court and jury tampering. Doheny was acquitted of giving the bribe that had sent Fall to prison.