The Tupelo journal., 1903-12-25
ARREST OF ALLEGED
LAND FRAUD CHIEF
John A. Benson, Said to Be Head
of Conspirators, Arrested.
OTHER ARRESTS TO FOLLOW
Government Officials Assert Rich
San Has SwindIed
the Government Out of 1OO,-
900 Acres OF Land.

OOO Acres of Land.
Washington, Dec. 19.-J. A. Benson, a
wealthy San Francisco real estate OPP
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 mere 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, it being
alleged in the affidavits of Mr.. Burns
n 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
now a clerk in that office, on March
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 Arson S. Taylor,
and as soon as Benson had beer ap-
pretended by Officer Burns he was
taken before Commissioner Taylor.
He wished to have a preliminary hear
ing of his case postponed, and the
date for such hearing was fixed for
December 80,
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.
1t is stated that Secretary Hitchcock
and the special attorneys in the case
have considered it absolutely neces-
sary to the successful working out of
the case that no action be taken with
reference to n 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 mi 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 W 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 vas
taken Immediately after his arrest be-
fore United States Commissioner Tay-
lor a delay of an hour or more &C.
Cured while a lawyer vas sought for
him. Mr.. Benson made a formal plea
of not guilty, and then his attorney
asked that he be released on bail. The
accused offered bail in 1000 in cash,
while government attorneys demanded
bond in the SUI 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 a few days ago
he has continued his bribery. And
what is more, ir another case, some
years ago. when he was out on bonds
he left the country and went to a for
eign country and remained away for
several years.
Bond Fixed at $4,000.
A heated argument followed this
declaration, counsel for the defense
asserting it was improper. Finally
Commissioned Taylor fixed the bond
at S., ZOO, and Mr.. Benson was released
to appear December 80. 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 rea! estate
firm of Benson & Hyde, of San Fran
cisco, and, it is asserted, has ~defrauded
the government out of at least 100, 900
acres of land by various schemes since
the passage of the forest reserve act
in 1897.