Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1903-12-23
PUBLIC LAND FRAUDS.
Wealthy San Francisco Real Estate
Dealer Trapped by Secret
Service Men,

Washington, D. c., Dec 19.-John A.
Benson, wealthy San Francisco real
estate operator, charged by the interior
department with being the head Of the
alleged land frauds extending over q
dozen western states and territories, to
which Secretary Hitchcock referred Wig
orously in his annual report, was arrest
ed yesterday at the Willard hotel by
Secret Service Officer John A. Burns.
The charge is bribery, it being alleged
that Benson paid $500 to Woodford D.
Harlan, formerly chief Of the special
service division Of the general land office
and now clerk in that office, March 10
OF this year to extract from him lnfor-
nation regarding the investigation being
made by the land Office.
Information obtained regarding the al
legged land conspiracy duplicates num-
Der Of persons employed in the interior
department, 1t is said. Numerous arrests
are to follow that of Benson.
Brides Again When Trapped.
Arthur B. Pugh, special attorney for
the interior department in the land fraud
inquiry, and Oliver Pagin, assistant at
torney Of the department Of justice, IL
asking for a large bail bond for Benson,
said he had been guilty Of bribery during
his present visit to Washington. This
had been committed since last Monday
in the interior department itself, although
Benson was fully aware that his connec-
ton with the frauds was fully known by
the department. The statement was
made later that Secretary Hitchcock was
SO incensed at the fagrancy of this Of
Benson arrested at once, although it had
not been planned to apprehend him at
present.
Another assertion of the government Of
fcers is that Benson came to Washing
ton in answer to decoy letters and with
the intention Of bribing people in the land
office, who were in reality acting for the
secret service.
Benson Released on Bail.
:. The warrant was. issued by United
States Commissioner Arson S. Taylor
and as soon as Benson had been appre-
hended he was taken before Commission
er Taylor. The date for his hearing was
fixed at December 80 and he gave $4,000
bail.
The warrant charges that Benson in
bribing W. D. Harlan tried to get him
to reveal the reports of certain subordi-
mates Of Harlan concerning the investiga-
ton Of the conduct Of Benson and his as
Sociates in making fraudulent selections
and entries Of public lands Of the United
States in lieu Of lands owned by them
within the limits Of forest reserves there
tofore established in California and Ore
gon and IN committing trespass in the
said public lands" 1t is said Harlan
took the money and allowed Benson to
see the reports.
Charges Wholesale Frauds.
Attorney Pagin for the government
said to the court: "This man was at the
head of great land fraud conspiracy ex-
tending 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 country and
went to foreign country and remained
away for several years."
Mr.. Benson Is the senior member of
the real estate firm Of Benson & Hyde Of
San Francisco, and, it is asserted, has de-
frauded the government out of at least
100000 acres of land since the passage Of
the forest reserve act in 1897. That act
provides that the owner Of land which is
wanted by the government for a forest
reserve shall be allowed to select in place
Of it other public land.
1t is alleged Benson obtained advance
information as to the land that would be
wanted by the government for forest re-
serves and by means Of fraudulent entries
or by purchase immense tracts Of such
lands were obtained and afterward ex-
changed for valuable public lands. The
information alleges that frauds were per-
petrated as to lands in Washington, Ore
gon, California, Montana, Idaho, Nevada,
Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, North Dako-
ia, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas,
Minnesota. Arizona and New Mexico.