The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-06-02
HITCHCOCK
MAY CARRY
IT THROUGH
Legislative BoodIers Not Out
of Danger Yet
SPECIAL AGENTS TALKEDOF
Who Would Come From
. Washington for the Work

Guthrie, o. T., June IA searching in
vestigation of legislative affairs, in an
effort to secure substantial evidence rel
atsve to the charges of "boodling" in the
last territorial legislature is a possibil-
ity in Oklahoma, in the near future The
failure of the Logan county grand Jury.
at It's last session. to ''pry" up matters
connected with the last legislature. has
not been particularly pleasing to men who
are interested in clean legislation, and
thus the attempt to probe deeper into
doodle" charges.
The investigation now talked of is to
come from a different source than i'm
pelled the former investigation. 1t is
stated upon good authority that in all
likelihood agents of the interior depart
ment at Washington Will he sent here to
make full investigation and to present
such evidence as may be secured to an
other grand jury.
1t is known that Secretary Z. a. Hitch
cock, of the interior department. is in
favor of such an investigation. and is now
considering whether it is advisable or
not to send men here for the purpose
above stated. BY sending special agents
to Oklahoma is practically the only
method by which the interior department
can take hand in the legislative affair.
After evidence has been secured il will
be up to the agents TO present ii to the
grand jury in such a manner that indict-
ments can be returned. Men who have
carefully watched the legislative proceed
ings express the belief that something
specific can be found which in turn may
cause certain legislators to leave the ter
ritory for an indefinite period.
Secretary Hitchcock bac OOt 6pDp0dpd
upon territorial officials for Information
relative TO the doings of the legislature.
That he has had specific information there
can be no question. or he would not favor
a close investigation by men of his de-
partment. Where the information comes
from is not definitely known, but II is
supposed that men who have been dealing
with the interior department in the mat
ter OF Indian land leases furnished some
of the information now in his possession.
If such is the case. the cattlemen, owing
to the fact that the quarantine bill was
up last winter, can evidently give testi-
mony that was not drawn out at the in
vestigation made by the grand jury.
Governor Ferguson. when approached
about the matter today. stated that he
had nothing to give out concerning the
talked of investigation. He would not say
what his ideas are in this connection,
but it is generally believed that the COVER
nor favors an exhaustive investigation.
regardless of the source from which such
an investigation may result.
Senator John 2. Hickam, of Perkins,
was in the city today. and stated in re-
Spouse to a question that he had no in
formation concerning the investigation by
the interior department officials. Per
sonally," said he, Il would like to see an
investigation by the interior department,
for believe that there is meat in the
accusation that there was 'boodling' in
the last legislature" 1t will be remem-
bered that Senator Hickam is the man
who caused the grand jury investigation,
and he regretted very much that nothing
definite was ascertained at that time.