Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1903-12-25
ARREST Or ALLEGED
LAND FRAUD Chief
John A. Benson, Said to Be Head
of Conspirators, Arrested.
OTHER ARRESTS TO FOLLOW
Government OficiaIs Assert Rich
San Franciscan Has swindIed
the Government Out Of 10O,-
900 Acres of Land.

Washington, Dec. 19.-J. A. Benson, a
wealthy San Francisco real estate op.
orator, charged by the interior depart
ment with being the head Of the al.
legged land frauds extending over a
dozen western states and territories,
to which Secretary Hitchcock referred
vigorously and at length in his annual
report, was arrested here Friday at
the Willard hotel by Secret Service
Officer John A. Burns just as he was
preparing to leave the city for New
York. The charge on which the ar.
rest was made was bribery, 1t being
alleged in the affidavits of Mr.. Burns
and in the warrant that Benson had
paid $500 to Woodford d. Harlan, for
merly chief of the special service
division Of the general land Office, and
Is of this year, for the purpose Of ex-
| tracing from him information regard
| ing the investigation of his operations
at that time being made by the land
Office.
The warrant was issued by United
States Commissioner Anson s. Taylor,
and as soon as Benson had been ap-
pretended by Officer Burns he was
taken before Commissioner Taylor.
He wished to have preliminary hear.
ing Of his case postponed, and the
date for such hearing was fixed for
December 90
| More Arrests to Follow.
The statement was made by an Off.
Ger of the government Friday night
that the information obtained regard
ing the alleged conspiracy duplicates
a number of persons at present en-
ployed in the interior department at
Washington and elsewhere. Numer.
Gus arrests are expected to follow
| that of Benson in short order, and
some employees who may not be arrest
ed will be dismissed from the service.
It is stated that Secretary Hitchcock
and the special attorneys in the case
have considered 1t absolutely neces-
sary to the successful working out of
the case that no action be taken with
reference to any of the other alleged
offenders until the principals in the
case have been apprehended. Benson
came to Washington in answer to de-
coy letters and with the intention of
bribing people in the land Office who
were in reality acting for the secret
service.
Allowed to Examine Reports.
The information on which the war.
rant was issued stated in brief that
Mr.. Harlan, in his capacity as chief
of the special service division of the
general land office, had charge of the
investigation of the land frauds, send
ing out special agents in suspected
cases of frauds and receiving the
reports of such agents on the cases,
and that Benson had paid to him the
sum of $500 in return for being al.
lowed to examine the reports of the
special agents In his own case.
Taken by Surprise.
Mr.. Benson is said to have been
taken entirely by surprise in his ar
rest, although he has known that the
government has been investigating the
alleged land frauds. He had no law
yer in Washington, and when he was
taken Immediately after his arrest be-
fore United States Commissioner Tay-
lor delay Of an hour or more oc-
Cured while lawyer was sought for
him. Mr.. Benson made formal plea
Of not guilty, and then his attorney
asked that he be released on bail The
accused offered bail in $4,000 in cash,
while government attorneys demanded
bond in the sum of $4,000, Attorney
Pagin, for the government, saying:
, This man was at the head OF a
great land fraud conspiracy extending
over several western states He has
bribed officers of the United States In
: the west and in the district. Since
he came to this city few days ago
he has continued his bribery. And
what is more, in another case, some
years~ago when he was out on bonds
he left the ceuntry and went to for
eign country and~Semained away for
several years.
Bond Fixed at s5,OcO
A heated argument followed %nla
declaration, counsel for the defense
asserting it was improper Finally
Commissioner Taylor fixed the bond
at $4,000. and MIR. Benson was released
1 | 70 amman nacamher 20 when a pre.
: liminary hearing will take place. The
! accused declined to make any state
: ment further than to say he would
appear when wanted. Mr.. Benson Is
!. the senior member of the real estate
firm of Benson & Hyde, Of San Fran
. cisco, and, 1t is asserted, has defrauded
> the government out of at least 100000
acres of land by various schemes since
| the passage of the forest reserve act