The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1903-10-31
LAND FRAUDS.
HITCHCOCK SAYS A MILLION
ACRES AREIN THE GRAFT
IN OREGON.

Adults That Officials of the Lind
Department Are Ir volved-Ds-
nial of Mitchell and Fulton
That They Are in the
... Cons piracy.
Washington, D. c., Oct. 2S,-
Secretary Hitchcock for the first
time consedted TO an interview to-
day on the Or 6 ~ land fraud-. Hs
said: "There are Others besides
Asa B. Thomp on, who Sill be dis.
missed from the reeeiversbip of the
lani Office at La Grande, who will
be suspended or discharged, but L
don't Iock for whole sale decapita-
tion. Our investigation is nearly
conn Ieted aud as we complete one
case we turn it over to the officials
OF the d, partment of justice, who
will tax, il into the courts. In a
ehort time we will take the full re-
port over 10 the department of JUS
t1ca. which will! Tot be made pun
lie. but We will take the public in
to our con 6deuce by making short
s'a ,emenl. We kept the matter Sc
CRIT fer the list Line N 'ntbs he
cause publicity would have foiled
Justice. here is conspiracy no
doubt and come public officials are
10 it, but it il gross exaegeration to-
say these frauds are the greatest in
she his. ory If the department.
There have been oths RS, which arise
periodically, but they must be fer
Feted out. In the present frauds [
should say about 1000 acres of
timber lard are involved at 81 IS
tos$2.50 per acre.
Senator Mitchell and Fulton of
Oregnn, who are mentioned as
ThumpsoE's political baekers, had
long conference with Secretary
Hitchcock his morning. Af'er the
meeting S mater Fulton said:
''It is true we were Thom psons
hackers, but that makes NO d IF r
.nce. | rad an inkllng of ths af-
fairs while in Oregon and discussed
the matter with the district attor-
nsy there. Thompson will have to
fight 'stown way. If guilty, my
colleague aud | waut him ssnt to
The reni'en iary, and we so told
Secretary H tchcock. We al o told
him hs bas our full support in the
ro.icy he is pursuing. We, want
him to clean The rascals out. I DO
MT think We viii find many public
officials involved. True, there is a
~corapiracy, but it is principally
samvi. 6 private citizsns, aided and
sabptted hv a few. officials, perhaps,
awho resort 10 I'll sorts of schemes
ito obtain public l4nds. / don't
believe, however, that the officials
are largely volved, nor viii 1t rui
info millions"
Secretary Hitchcock later con
'firmed the statement relative 10 the
support the senators promised him.
Soae..cr Mitchell and Fulton de-
noSnced IS Gnxarranted falsehoods
the following statements appearing
in today's Washington telegrams to
the New York SUI.
ALTHOUGH official confirmation
cannot be obtained here it is prac-
ticsl!y certain that The department.
under investigation viii involve
Uniled States senators Mitchell and
Fulton ard Representative Will
liams n of Oregon, who composed
delegation that recommended
Thomp5op's appointment at La
Grande.
..It is known that tbs secretary's
feeling toward these men has be-
come very bitter since Investigation
was started aud it is more than
possible that he will ask President
Roosevelt not to consider any re-
CONNIE ndation that they may make
for a succee sor to Thompson"
B,ah senators called on Hitch-
cock today bo expressed dssirs
to have the L. Grande office opened
for business as soon rs 20 sible.
At Secretary Hitchcock's sugges-
ton Senators Mitchell and Fulton
telegraphed District Attorney Hail.
sas follows:
while The secretary has sus-
pended Thompson, he does not
think that he should be absolutely
removed until he bas had an op.
portunity to defend himself on tri'
al. Toe secretary, therefore, re-
quested Us to ascertain from ynu
whether the trial could be expedit
ed and about how soon you think
the case can be tried. Kindly con
eult with Judge BelIinger and ad
wise US by wire at earliest p'sslol'
moment.