The Lewiston teller. (Lewiston, Idaho) 1900-1905, 1903-10-02

| addition to the valuable land mentioned,
an equal amount of winter grazing lands
along the Snake and Salmon rivers that
| / have advised the board to release.
This land. though it is eagerly sought
after for grazing purposes at an annual
rental of I2H cents per acre, is not, in
| my opinion, of sufficient value to retain
We wish to fill the states land grants
with the best lands obtainable.
After the selections had been made the
Land Board discovered that the notice of
withdrawal for survey had been illegally
published by a previous democratic ad
ministration, and therefore the land of
all bona fide settlers at the time of filing
the township plats were promptly re-
leased.
Mr. Harbaugh (who, by the way is
Kentucky democrat) secured an agree
ment for a fee from the settlers whose
rights were at first in dispute, to act as
their representative to secure relinquish-
ments from the state. 1t as charged
that he claimed to have ''stand in"
with the writer and with the Land Board
and had intimated that he would use
money to secure releases. The friendly
letters from the Governor and myself
| with which he is said to have been
armed, were merely courteous acknow-
Judgments of the receipt of commupica-
tions from him and the usual assurance
that they would be given careful
attention.
From all accounts, however, he must
have made much capital out of the fact
of his brief acquaintance with me and of
an alleged acquaintance with Governor
Morrison, and displayed the letters in a
way to convince the settlers that he was
able to secure their Accomplishments.
He is also said to have warned the set
tiers against employing Grangeville law
yers. Out of revenge for this latter piece
of impertinence. a democratic lawyer of
that place had him arrested on charge
of attempted bribery of the State Land
DodIu. OOHC HttcCH VI tWCulf eCtttCIS
were subpoenaed, but after examining
tour or FIVE without bringing out any
evidence, the county attorney dismissed
the suit. The same attorney then had
warrants issued by Jas. De Haven. U. S.
Comm ssioner at Grangeville, for the
arrest of Goldsmith and Harbsugh for al,
legged perjury in making non mineral
afidavits. This attorney had no clients
who were in any way affected by the
selections and his activity can be at
tributed merely 10 the fact that he had
nothing else to do, the insurance agent
(Harbaugh) having corraled the fees
from settlers that he had been expecting
, to receive. By the way, Harbaugh's
fee (about $3.50 in money and notes) is a
conditional one. and the III ,ney was
placed OIL deposit with Grangeville
merchant, PAYABLE 10 him on condition
that the accomplishments were secured
through his efforts and infuene. So far
as l know, the money has not been
handed over to him, and il the terms OF
the contract between Harbaugh and the
settlers is as stated ii is extremely doubt
ful if he ever will receive 1t.
The grounds for Goldsmiths arrest
were that there were mineral lands with
! in the townships on which he had placed
blanket filings. The dismissal of the
cases is certain, it being simply piece OF
spite work. One OF his selection lists
had to be Withdrawn from the Lewiston
land office for correction after he had left
the city, aud being in Boise at the time,
authorized County Treasurer Hastings
by wire to act as selecting agent and
refile the list In his search for some
the to make the necessary non mineral
affidavit, he ran across Mr.. Harbangh al
the land Office, who, knowing the coun
try, as a matter of accommodation made
the affidavit for which he was afterward
arrested. This furnishes the grounds or
which the opposition is constantly re
ferring to him as estate land selector.'
James DeHaven, who. under his title
of U. S. Commissioner, wrote an oper
letter to Governor Morrison in which he
attempts to prove that was a partner o
Harbaugh in the latter's alleged graft
1 and also in an authorized interview say
in effect that stated to him that use,
my position to help work the graft, is al
limpecunious individual for whom hav'
much sympathy. He lives alone an.
ekes out bare existence from the smal
fees that come TO him as commissioner
AS rule the income aud importance o
the Office is about equal TO that OF
notary public. He had expected to ge
"a great many filings from prospective
settlers in these townships, aud the dis
appointment over the States action i
selecting the land has embittered hir
greatly. To make the matter wors
Harbaugh stee.ed all his clients to a riya