Los Angeles, Aug. 28 (AP) —

A suit against E. L. Doheny and
the directors of the Pan-American
Petroleum Transport company by
etockholders of the latter corpor-
ation who allege that the share-
holders were the real losers in
the Elk Hills naval oil reserve
leasing scandal, was on file here
today.

The complaint, filed yesterday
in behalf of Frank H. Kunkel of
Cincinnati, and other sharehold-
ers, declares that the stockhold-
ers lost $10,000,000 as the result
of the cancellation of the fraud-
ulent lease. It asks that Doheny
and the board of directors be com-
pelled to render an accounting.

The $100,000 which was de-
livered to Albert B_ Fall, former
secretary of the interior, by E. L.
Doheny. jr., in the much discus-
sed “little black satchel,’’ was de-
clared in the suit to have been
the rightful property of the stock-
holders. An -aceounting of this
exchange, which the complaint
branded as a bribe, was demand-
ed,

The lease, which was negotiat-
ed in behalf of the government by
Fall, was cancelled by a decision
of the United States supreme
court after the Pan-American had
spent several million dollars to-
ward developing the Elk Hills,
Calif., oil reserve and on the
building of oil storage tanks at
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Kunkel’s complaint sets forth
that neither he nor any of the
plaintiff stockholders had = any
hand in the leasing negotiations.
Some time ago, aceording to the
suit, demand was made upon the
board of directors of the company
for the accounting but nothing
was done about it.

The suit demands that Doheny
personally be compelled to reim-
burse the stockholders for the al-
leged losses.
 
 

+ Los Angeles, Aug. .28-—(A.P.)—
Edward -L.; Doheny and directars of
the Pan-American: Petraleum and
Transport company, today faced &
DI of complaint:demanding an &
count-of * $10,000,000 steckholders
allege-they lost In the fraudulent
lease of the “Elk ‘Hilla naval oll re-
serve.” ee

Tha complaint, filed in behalé of
Frank H. Kunkel, Cincinnati, .and
other ‘sharoholders, declares’ the loxs
resulted from tha cancellation af the
leane by A‘décldibh’ “at the” United
States’ Shbréme court after the com-
pany BpOht ‘several millian dol-
lars inthe davelapment of the field.

The lease was negotiated for the
government by Albert B, Fall, then
secretary of the inierlar. .... ‘

The $100,000 dollvored to Fall-by
E. L. Doheny, Jr., in the much dls-
cuased “litle black axtchel” was de
clared In.the sult {a have been given
by the stockholders and used as ‘8
bribe’. .An accounting of bis x:

 

 

 
 ehangé also ia asked. |

Kunkel sete forth in the complaint
that neither he nor any. of. the plain-
tit! stockholders had ady Enowledge
of the. negotiatfane and ‘describes
Doheny'a conduct of the deal az 8
“traud not only, againat..the United
States but also against the Pan-Am-
eri company and ita .atockhold-
ers": Dobeny fe charged with dom-
inating the affaira. of, the company
when the lease was signed, »

‘The complaint ‘further deciares
that aince then ‘Doheny bas dlsposed
of bls’ cohtralling | interest inthe
eompanyto the Pan-American East-
ern Petroleum company which Is a)-
leged to be cantralled by the Btand-
ard Ol company af Indiana.

The sult demands that Doheny
personally be campelied,” to relm-
burs {he ‘atockhalders for the alles:
ed losses,” BSA .

Dohany retused to comment on the
complaint, declaring he wauld. sub-
mit it to Als attorneys before making
eee aaa meen gmk

    

 
 