Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1903-12-25
HARRINGTON IS HELD
Bound Over to Federal Grand Jury on
Charge of Impersonating a Gov
ernment officer.

impersonating an officer OF the United
States, was given a preliminary hear
ing before Acting Commissioner Har-
DIV Holman Saturday afternoon, and
at the close of the examination Of the
Governments witnesses was bound
over to appear before the Federal
grand jury. His bond was fixed al
$1,000.
Harrington was arrested at the in
stance of Special Inspector A. h.
Green, and the principal charge
against him is that by impersonating
an officer Of the United States he in
duced A. II. Dodd, a clergyman OF
Falls CITY, to relinquish his home
stead and thereby defrauded him out
of 1850. Evidence was introduced to
the effect that Harrington has told
people in Dallas and Falls City that
he is Deputy Inspector and that he
is receiving salary OF $50 per month
and expenses.
A number of citizens appeared as
witnesses for the government and
Commissioner Holman considered the
evidence sufficient to hold the prison
er over to the United States grand
iury. The prosecution was conducted
by United States District Attorney
John FL. Hall. ]. N. Hart, Of Dallas,
appeared in the defendants behalf !,
The circuit court room was well
filled with spectators during the trial,
which lasted the greater part OF the
afternoon. A large number OF people
from Falls City we're in attendance,
among them being many holders OF
homesfeads and men interested in
timber lands.
Rev, a. I'll. Dodd, Of Falls City, was
the first witness called. He told OF the
part played by Harrington in induc-
ING him to relinquish his homestead
for the sum of $3.50, and said he had
never thought Of giving it up until
Harrington advised him to do so. He
was doing the best he could to comply
with the homestead law as he under
stood It. and did not think he would
be contested until after he had talked
with Harrington and was told thaG ne
could not hold the claim. lie then
asked Harrington to get him $25O Ior
the REIMBURSEMENT, and Harrington
rot it, The witness testified upon
cross-examination that Harrington
said he was acting as an inspector,
and was being paid for his services,
but could not remember that ne sald
he was acting for the Government;, a.,
w. P. Holman, of Dallas, testllled
that Harrington came into the store
where he is employed one evening
and told him that he Harrington
was a Government inspector, and SAID
that when he found a man clerklng
in a store he could not report him as
complying with the homestead law.
Robert j. MacBride, Of Dallas, te9s-
titled that some time last July he
asked Harrington if he was employed
nv the Government; Harrington re-
pIied that he was said he was an in
snector and was receiving $50 per
month and expenses said MacBride
was not complying with the nome
stead law.
Zimri Hinshaw, Of Falls City, te5ti-
fed that Harrington told him that ne
was getting $75 per month and expen-
ses said Harrington never told MIN
in SO many words that he was Gov
ernment inspector, bit that was what
witness understood from Harring-
ton d talk; said Harrington told him
that some of the people back in there
couldn't hold their claims, because
thev didn't live on them Harrington
said he would have to get after Al
Stump and Isabel Riddell because
they weren't living up to the home
stead laws. Upon cross-examlnatlon
by Mr.. Hart, witness said he could
not swear that Harrington had ever
said he was in the employ OF the Gov
ernment.
Ferris A. Lucas testified that he is
a resident Of Lincoln county, and that
his occupation is that of holding down
q homestead; that some time in the
middle of the Summer, Harrington
talked to him about his homestead,
and said "You can't hold down that
claim" Witness said he talked to
Harrington and got his confidence,
and Harrington told him that he had
a good position; that there were mat
teTs up here to be inquired into, and
that he was getting $75 month and
expenses and the promise OF a raise
that he was the best inspector in Ore
pon. Witness said he warned Har-
Tington that Government officer had
no right to speculate, and that Har-
rington replied that he had not been
speculating; that the 5000 represented
two claims instead Of one. Upon
cross-examination Mr.. Lucas testified
that Harrington said Patterson told
him he was the best inspector he had
ever had, because he could ferret out
things without kicking up any muss.
B. +. Beezley, Of Falls City, said he
had seen letters from Inspectors Pat
terson and Hobbs to Harrington ask
ing Harrington to do certain things
in connection with homestead matters
and instructing him how to proceed
A. r. Green, special Inspector OF the
Land Office, testified that Harrington
is not connected with the Land De
partment; that he telegraphed to the
Secretary of the Interior asking IL
Harrington was Government officer,
and that the Secretary replied that no
such person is in the Governments
employ. The Commissioner Of the
General Land Office had also answer
ed his telegram to the same effect.
William Butt, of Dallas, who pur-
chased the REIMBURSEMENT to the
Dodd claim, testified that he paid 5000
for it.
The prosecution rested their case
here, and Mr.. Hall moved that nc
further testimony be taken and that
the prisoner be held over TO the Fed
eral Grand Jury. After hearing the
argument OF counsel on both sides OF
the case, Commissioner Holman
bound Harrington over in the sum OF
$1,000. The prisoner promptly fur
nished bail, and was released from
custody.
The special session of the Oregon
Tegislature ended Wednesday night