Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1886-01-10

4 ttreukas sf nseh Interest 70 Ciaim.
ants 81 Public Lands. 10 lasd
On -ers and 20 At,e~Itag
0Hcrrs
DKPAETMEST OF TIE INTERIOR,

DKPAETMEST OF TIE INTERIOR,
GKsERAL LAND OFFICE.
WAsHSGToS, ID. c., Dec. l5, 1855.
To ReGisters aud Reoe5rsYs and Officers
authorized to take dtfdas.is aad proofs
an public lasl oases.
GESTLKxKs-The large number OF de
fective, irregular and insufficient proofs
presented in public land easss ard the
looseness With which attestin1 Off sers,
tarticoiariy others than Registers and
Receivers, have exercised their fune-
nsns, make II necessary that the fol
lowing directions be carefully complied
with:
/. Ia cases Of final proofs and Of en-
try applications the parties. whether
appilc ants, claimants or witnesses, must
be properly ideLiified before you. At
testing ON sefs including Registers and
heceivers) must certify that the parties
appearing are personally known TO them
or that their ideLtity Is satisfactorily
established. The names of persons
vsuchinR TO identity mast be stated.
Identifying athdavits should be required
IN all cases where necessary.
z ksch question IN final proofs must
be orally asked and answered in the
presence Of the attestinQ officer. Appii-
cations, afhdavits and final proof Qoes-
tlons must be thoroughly explained. so
that there can be no possibility that the
parties will misunderstood the pQrpoft
of their sfhdzvlts or the full meaning
OF the Questions asked or the effect of
their answers. Ready made proofs pre-
sented merely for pro JorHa acknovlede-
Dent without verihcation, cross exam
ination or evidence of identity will not
be considered such proofs as are required
by Law.
8 Officers taking affidsvits asd proofs
must test the accuracy and reliability of
the statements of applicants aRd claim
ants and the credibility and means of
Information Of witnesses by a thorough
cross-examlnation. Questions and an
svers Ia such cross examin atoms will be
reduced to writing and the costs thereof
included IN the costs of writing out the
proofs.
1. Cross ss-exaniustions should be di-
rected to a verihoatIon of the ma eri Al
facts alleged IN the case, and especially
TO the actual facts of residence and other
requirements, the use of the land and
purpose of the entry, and whether the
entry Is made or sought to be per-
feoted for tbs claimants own use and
occupation or for the use and benefit of
others.
s. Registers and Receivers and other
officers must carefully see that parties
and witnesses are swearing TO actual
facts and not to constructions of Law
as to what constitutes facts. This
requirement will be particularly Oh
served IN respect TO facts of alleged
residence.
6. Proofs must be taken on the day
and before the officer named In the ad-
vertisement, and at his Off ,e, and be-
tween the hours of am. and 6 pm.
Proofs taken privately or IN secret, or
otherwise IN substance irreeulsriy, will
not be ACCEPTED.
Z. Prsofs must in all cases be made to
the satisfaction of Registers and Re
oeivers. Proofs that are not satisfactory
must be rejected. Registers and Re
ceivers are authorized to avail themselves
OF all means Of Information In respect
TO the validity of entries and the Interests
IN which they are made, and will not
allow entries which they have good rea-
son to believe collusive, speculative or
otherwise fraudulent.
8. Registers and Receivers must thor
oughly scrutinize ali proofs iaken before
officers other than themselves. They
viii not accept proofs so taken that are
defective or insufficient, and they must
sse that all papers ars complete and
perfect before an entry Is allowed or
the papers transmitted to this office.
This rule will be ipperstively insisted
upon.
3. Registers and Receivers will call
promptly to the attention of special
agents, and report to this Office, all
Gases which IN their opinion need inyes-
tigatiou.
10. Should officers (other than Regis
ters and Receivers) taking azidayits OF
proofs know or have occasion to sus
pect the existence of fraud in connsc-
tion with any cas-. they should at once
report all the facts to the Register asd
Receiver.
IL. Oftisers taking affidayits and testi
mony should call the attent ION of parties
and witnesses to the laws respecting false
aud the penalties therefor, and Inform
them of the purpose OF the Govern
ment to hold all persons to a strict
acoou liability for any statements made
by them.
IL. In no c1se are papers authorized
to be executed in blank. Papers 80
signed or falsely authenticated will he
treated as fraudulent, and the acts Of
an Off ,er misnsing his official sigma
,ure aud seal will not be respected by
shis otfioe. bat the attention Of the
proper Authorities will be- called 10 his
misconduct.
Is Ofsers taking applications. sffi-
dAvits or fnsl proofs, will net be per
United 60 act 40 attorneys IN the case.
II. Attorneys at Law appearing IN land
office proceedings at lscAl offices must
file an appearance stating specifically
whom they represent. Attorneys in
fact must file the written Authority of
their Irinsipals-
MN. A. J. SPARKs, Commissioner.
Approved:
n ~ T.N.p Ga.r~ta,v