Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-12-03
Federal Office Holders and Not
Cattle Barons La the Most
Danger
COLONEL MosBYs LATEST RAID
Charges of Fraud Against Prominent
Official Being Investigated in Con.
nection With the Nebraska Land
Frauds-cattIe Rarons Stand in With
the People of the State.

Omaha, Neb., Dec. 3.-Federal office
holders and not cattle barons are in tn
greatest danger from Colonel Mosby'
latest raid. Charges of fraud against
prominent official are being investi
gated. If the inquiry brings results TIL,
department of the interior will have
new subject for consideration after TIL,
federal grand jury now sitting in ON
aha has made it's report.
/ The cattle barons themselves will ge
the better of Mosby. There seems Httl,
ooubt of that. 1t is extremely improba.
| bic that any indictments will be voted
/ by the jury either against the cattle
and sheep men who are charged with 6
violation of laws or against the sol
diers' widows who have been accused
OF securing land for the grazers.
| Nebraska is too much in sympathy
with the barons to be easily persuaded
! that a serious violation of laws has
| been committed. The men who have
been appearing before the jury are
among the foremost citizens OF the
state, and there will be no indictments
Colonel Mosby will be defeated in his
attempt.
With regard to the federal office
holders-especially the one under the
most serious suspicion-that is another
matter. There is no particular sympa-
thy with United States officials, and the
accusations in this direction are con-
sidered more capable of proof. Colonel
Mosby himself has gone to Alliance
after additional evidence and will re-
turn today. Thus far he is said to be
far from making good his charges
against the cattlemen and the soldiers
widows In addition he has received an
intimation from Washington that deeus
and not words are received with great
est Joy at headquarters, and Is ADVISED
to conform himself to that suggestion,
a confederate leader and that WIDOWS
1t is unfortunate for the coionei ;
cause that he should be remembered as
a. confederate leader an dthat WIDOWS
of union soldiers should be involved In
his charges That mixes sentiment UP
in the business Immediately, ana me
colonel is listened to with scant court
esq on the subject
Cattlemen appearing before the jury
admit having sought out WIDOWS and
having persuaded them to Tile claims
for homesteads. That the practice OF
fencing government lands has prevents
ed demonstrating is denied Vigorously.
That any contracts were entered lnto
with the women for the purchase of
land after the patent has been secured
is also denied.
The women themselves take the
stand and deny that any such arrange
ments were yade. Agents of the cat
tlemen admit that they went into Iowa
and other states after the widows, but
official reports are said to show that
only IT'S such claims were filed last
year.
Within four days Col. Mosby must
proceed to carry out his threat of tear
ing down fences. The cattlemen who
have received his notices are waiting
for his next move, declaring they VIII
take down their fences when requested
by the proper authority, which is not
Col. Mosby. they say.
During the grand jury investigation
of the charges the cattlemen have en-
deavored to bring President Roosevelt
in and repeat his promise to them that
fences should not be disturbed until
July /, but they have not been permit
ted to testify as to what the president
is alleged to have told them. Just what
new evidence is being prepared is diff
cult to ascertain. Col. Mosby has been
silenced and United States Attorney
Summers refuses to discuss any mat
ter being considered by the grand jury.
II can't discuss a matter under con-
sideration" he said.