Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-02-02
MIR. DEMENT'S INTERVIEW.
He Makes an Explanation To-day Be.
fore a Senate COMMITTEES.

The Senate committee on public lands this
morning examined Mr.. R. s. Dement,, of ILL.,
nois, surveyor general of Utah, in regard to the
| alleged interviews that have appeared in print
with him. Senator Teller, of the committee,
questioned Mr.. Dement, in detail with regard to
the alleged interview which appeared as q
Washington special to the New York Graphic,
and was telegraphed by the associated press
from New York. Mr.. Dement, declared that he
had never made to any newspaper man. nor to
anybody else, statements such as those quoted;
nor had he given utterance to anything that
would warrant such publication. He had never
employed detectives to trace frauds in
He had never said that fifty per
cent of the land entries in Utah were fraudu-
cred anything that would warrant such state
ment He had not discovered any evidence
that would inplicate government officials or
eX-Otdclals either In Utah or elsewhere in land
frauds. He denied emphaticaliy in detail the
other portions of the interview to the effect that
the Mormons had sent money to Washington
to influence legislation and had brbed MEM
bers OF Congress-. He had not discovered any
thing that would lead him to believe that the
Mormons had sent money here.
NO EVIDENCE OF FRAUD.
eff you know OF any frauds or have any
ground Of suspicion of frauds in land matters or
in relation to the Mormons involving govern
ment OFFICIALS, past or present, please state it,
said Mr.. Teller.
such evidence nor had he discovered anything
that would throw suspicion upon any Officials
or members of Congress. He pronounced the
Interview in question and all others, with the
exception of a few words dictated to a World
reporter by him, which appeared prior to yes
terday afternoon, as unauthorized and unwar-
ranted. he said that he did authorize what
appeared in THE STAR and the Critic OF this
city yesterday. He then at the request of the
committee read the authorized interviews
which were published yesterday
MI. Dement, produced a copy of note writ
ten by him on the Both ult to Mr. Boynton,
manager of the Western Associated Press in
view that day telegrapbed from New York pro-
nounced it untrue and unauthorized, and asked
that his denial be published. His letter was
sent to New York, but was not published. lie
did not register here, as he wanted to complete
his business at the land office before seeing any
body. MIR. Dement, positively denied that he
had ever used to anybody expressions which
could possibly warrant the statements attribu-
ted to him. He said that he did dictate a few
words to World reporter, declaring his desire
to avoid interviews, etc. That while he was
talking with Gen. Sparks, at the latters hotel
Mr.. Crawford, correspondent of the World. was
introduced; that Crawford said, IL am glad to
meet you. 1 want to explain about that inter-
view;" that Crawford added that Mr. Balm
who had interviewed Dement,, was very much
mortified, as he sent only what Dement, had
dictated, but either in transmission or in the
office all the statements of fraud, etc., which
had been attributed TO Dement, were added,
and the whole appeared as an interview with a
World reporter.
"Mr. Crawford" continued Mr.. Dement,,
"made that statement in the presence of Gen.
Sparks"
Mr.. DEMENT'S THEORY
The witness said he had a theory as to the
false and unauthorized publications, which he
had mentioned friend to Gen. Logan. He
believed the object was to render him ridicu-
lOuS and tnture him, but as he had no proof the
committee decided not to ask his theory His
denial was emphatic and sweeping.