The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-05-13
FERGUSON
is AFTER
HOUSTON
Investigation Not Based Upon
Filed Charges
is NOT YET CONCLUDED
Houston Claims Official Acts
are Straight
is NOT YET CONCLUDED

Guthrie, o. T, May 12.-GovernOr 7. B.
Ferguson and members of the Terrific
rial Board for Leasing School Land, are
making a rigid examination Of matters
relating to the official acts Of Secretary
James J. Houston in the leasing of GER
tain tracts Of school land in the Kiowa.
Comanche and Apache reservation re-
Gently openod to settlement. The investi-
CATION has not been based u3on fled
charges or the presentation OF aTidavits
By individuals, hut has been caused by
numerous street stories relative to ir-
regularitics in the leasing Of particular
tracts Of land.
Governor Ferguson has summoned a
number of persons before HIM who are
supposed to know facts concerning the
matter. Some of these persons tnparted
information to the governor that had
startling eject; and which is causing
him to probe deeper into school land de-
partment affairs The investigation has
not vet been concluded. as there are vet
matters TO be loo5ed into. ard while Mr.
Houston protests that his official actions
have all been straight, yet the question
has been raised that this may not be the
case
II has been stated to Governor Ferguson
that at the time the school land in the
new country was leased, several men
formed a combination to hold leases on
certain valuable tracts Of land, and that
in this matter they were assisted by the
secretary Of the board. 1t is further
stated that when these tracts of land
were disposed OF. the secretary shared In
the profits derived from d:sp0sing Of the
leases TO outside persons. Men supposed
60 be in the combination have been called
before the governor and enough has been
ascertained to make it seem certain that
such a combination was affected and that
the leases were really held by these men
and that they were finally sold to other
parties, but how far the secretary acted
In the matter has not been fully ascer-
tanned. 1t IS stated in this connection
that fictitious names were used on the
records, and also that the names of per
sons were placed on the books who are
not supposed to know that they had ever
been credited with holding leases on new
country school land.
Evidence has been secured showing that
a short time ago a certain sum of money
was sent to the secretary as his share of
the profits in the sale of certain leases.
There have been rumors of other cases,
coo. but this one specific case was re-
ported to the governor
A few nights ago, after it had been as
certained that an investigation was being
made it is known that Secretary Houston
appeared at the home Of Governor Fergu-
son TO talk over school land matters. At
that time he made the charge that one Of
the alleged members of the combination
had, in his belief. been trying 70 work
the school land department in lease mat
ters.. but that ne had not secured suni-
cient evidence to be positive of it. The
governor then asked ii it were not a fact
that a certain sum of money was sent
90 him as his share in profits from the
sale Of leases. and it is alleged that he
replied that sum of money had been
sent to him, but that it had been returned
TO the sender. Mr.. Houston was asked
70 explain why he should be placed in
a position to allow persons to send money
TO him in such a manner The reply is
said to have been that he did not know
why, unless it was that the persons con-
cluded, since he had succeeded in making
some money that it would be well to send
the secretary little sum in a friendly
way. This did not satisfy the governor,
and he proceeded with the investiga-
ton
The governor personally looked over a
number OF leases in the department yes
terday, and his suspicious were aroused
10 some extent over the signatures of va
rious persons unknown to him.
Mr.. Houston and the governor had a
long conference yesterday afternoon rela-
tive TO school land matters. and it is
stated that he further explained why
money was sent to him. The correspond /
ent of the Eagle has 1t that the secretary
stated that two men supposed to be
working together in the lease matter had
made money out OF the sale Of leases. and
that one individual believed that the sec
retary was deriving benefits from the
sale Of these particular leases. and that
TO carry out the alleged deception n sum
OF money was sent TO the secretary and
the ignorant member Of the combine was
told that the proper division had been
made The very fact that Mr.. Houston
acknowledged that money had been sent
him and was returned, further aroused
the suspicious of Governor Ferguson. al
though Mr.. Houston is positive that he
can and viii explain all OF these matters
10 the satisfaction OF the governor.
a story reached the governor yesterday.
coming from source considered relia-