The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1900-09-30
ATTOPh[1 (HAldtD WITH bRDtRr
HENRY Asp OF OKLAHOMA MUST
nEET CHARGES.
Ac-csed by the Department by lnflu-
enciDg Indian Agent Sharp, Who
Was Indicted-Many Cattle
Men May be Involved.
Special to the Ardmoreite.

ney Horace Speed to institute, Wltn-
out further delay, criminal proceed
ings against Henry E. Asp, formerly
nations al committeeman of Oklahoma
Territory, and for many years the
western attorney for tie Santa Fe
railroad, located at Guthrie, for the
bribery, by Asp, of Asa Q. sharp
while Indian agent at the Ottoe and
Ponca agency, IN the spring of 1898.
1t will be remembered that in the
spring of that year while Asa c..
Sharp was agent for the Cttoe and
Ponca Indians a scandal arose over
the approval of grazing leases on the
reservation. Mr.. Sharp was openly
charged with demanding money for
the approval of allgrazing contracts,
which charge, however, was denied
by him.
Henry E. Asp later on made an
affidavit which was furnished Ia
special Inspector who was sent
to investigate the matter, that he as
a representative for a number of
CdLlIO nOug Ad0 RdA0 A4k CA al @4COO
for the approval of certain contracts.
Mr.. Asp also asserted that this
amount was demanded by Sharp be-
fore he would approve the leases and
that he, as representative of the
cattlemen, paid the amount as the
only apparent means by which the
leases could be secured.
Asa c. Sharp was indicted by the
federal grand jury of Oklahoma
Territory.
After this occurred it became ap-
parent that in order to con Vict Sharp
Asp's prosecution must also follow.
moved from Office and publicly
branded as ''bribe taker." Mr..
Asp's friends, seeing the predicament
in which he was placed Immediately
Sharp's case, which would have
either resulted in Sharp's conviction
o. his acquittal and exoneration.
Former District Attorney Jesse
WnCA LAO mdtJC4 w 0C
referred to him by Attorney General
Griggs, reported that there was not
sufficient evidence to convict Sharp
and recommended that the case be
nolle prosecuted.
Last June surprise was sprung in
the case. Asa @. Sharp who had up
to that time been trying to avoid
prosecution, suddenly became bold
and demanded that the case should
be Immediately disposed of. Senator
McComas of Maryland and former
Postmaster General Gary of Balti-
more visited the attorney generals
office in July and demanded that the
indictment against Sharp should
either be nolle prosecuted and he
should be exonerated by the govern
ment and appointed to some respon-
sible position, as an evidence that
the government had done him an
injustice, or that prosecution proceed
without further delay. Attorney
General Griggs called upon District
Attorney Horace Speed of Oklahoma
for a report in the case. Mr.. Speed
replied that there seemed to be no
reasonable doubt of the conviction
of both Asp and Sharp, and that he
was ready to proceed with the pros
ecution of both of them. Attorney
General Griggs Immediately notified
Mr.. Speed to prepare the case for
trial at the November term of the
court, and calls have been made on
the department of the interior for
all the information obtainab in the
cases.
AS Mr.. Asp boldly admitted in an
affidavit that he had paid Mr.. Sharp
$1,000 for the approval of the grazing
leases for his clients, his conviction
seems to be almost certain, as under
the federal statutes the br1be giyer
is equally guilty with the bribe
taker.
It is probable that before the case
is disposed of a number of cattlemen
who furnished the money to Mr.. Asp
to bribe Agent Sharp will also be
indicted.
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