The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-02-05
DEMENT, WAS DEMENTEn,
OR THE PRESS GANG IS A BAD LOT
OF CITIZENS.
The Utah Surveyor General Seems to Have
Talked Too Much and Then Denied It
Testimony of Several Correspondents
Before the Public Lands Committee.

WASHINGTON CITY, Feb Several
prominent newspapers recently published in
terviews from their Washington correspond
ents with r. $. Dement,, surveyor general OF
Utah, in regard to enormous land frauds
which he had discovered in Utah and in
which government officers and Others were
involved
On Tuesday, before the committee on pub
lie lands of the senate, Dement, denied the
authenticity of the interviews, and in reply
to Secretary Teller said he had no evidence
and had made no discovery that would
throw suspicion on any government official
or member of congress.
- In reply to an inquiry from Governor
Murray asking Mr.. Dement, ii he was re-
sponsibls for connecting him with the pub
locations, Mr.. Dement, replied by telegraph
that "all dispatches purporting to contain
an Interview with me are baseless fabrica-
tions" The correspondents who tele
graphed the interviews to their papers re
quested to be heard in support of their dis
patches, and a meeting of the committee
was called for that purpose Thursday.
Mr. John II. Corwin, of The Chicago
Times, read to the committee the interview
published by his paper on Saturday last, and
testified that it was the substance of a con-
versation which he had with Mr.. De-
ment on Friday. The information was
given by Mr.. Dement, unhesitatingly and
without reserve, but as Mr.. Corwin was
leaving the room Mr. Dement, said that he
would prefer that the matter should not be
used at this time, as it was only part of
the story. Mr.. Corwin, thinking it pretty
good starter" laughed at the idea of not
using it, anil proceeded to write the mat
ter up.
Mr.. William Z. Curtis, correspondent of
The Chicago Inter Ocean, to whom Mr. Cor
win gave the substance of the interview,
| testified that the latter. in referring TO a
statement made by Mr.. Dement, to the effect
that United States senator had receive |
money for aiding the passage OF a c pniis "a
| ton bill said that Mr. Teller's name was
! used
MIR Teller to Mr.. Corwin-Did Mr. De
ment use my name in connection with this
matt,r!
Mr. Corwin-He did yes, sir.
Mr. George G. Balm, reporter for The New
York World, read to Commissioner Sparks
digest of the dispatch sent to The New
York Graphic on the subject, and asked the
| commissioner what he knew about it. Gen
Sparks replied that he knew no such condi-
tion of affairs, that the statements were
probably exaggerated Mr.. Balm saw Mr.
! Dement, later and be dictated dispatch to
the effect that the western land thieves were
| powerfully represented in Washington, their
| object being 10 defeat the confirmation of
| appointeeS, whom they were unable to con-
| troll, and that there We're number of CON
| gressnen and others implicated in the land
frauds
Nj. T. C. Crawford of the New York
| World corrobrated Mr. Bain's testimony so
far as it referred to the Transmission of the
| interview, which was all he knew about it
Mr.. Jules Guthredge of the Chicago Daily
News received a note from Mr. Dement, ask
| ing him To call at thu Harris house last Sun
| day night He did SO, and Mr. Dement,, in
the course of the conversation, declared that
the interviews published We're untrue Mr.
! Dement, requested Mr. Guthredge to intro.
duce him to Mr. c. A. Boynton CT
the Western Associated Press, as he
would like To have him deny the
truth of The Graphic article which had
been telegraphed from New York by the
Associated Press. This Mr. Guthredge did,
and Mr.. Boynton promised to do what he
could i'll the matter M Fred Perry Pow
ers in charge of the Washington bureau of
The Chicago Times, was called and corrob-
GRATED in every detail the testimony given
by Mr. Corwin
Mr.. Dement, had been notified that the
correspondents would be heard Thursday
but he said he had no desire to be present
The testimony Will have an important
bearing upon the confirmation of Mr. De
ment's nom nation, which is pending