The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-14

or afidavits made before them, some of
which cases have been reported for proper
proceedings against the guilty parties.
Fourteen convictions have been secured
during the year for frauds committed in
connection with soldiers additional assign
ments: The maximum penalties inflicted
were Imprisonment for seven years and
fine of l400. A great reduction is notice
able In the percentage Of fraudulent cases
of soldiers additional homestead locations.
During the past year there have been
indicted and arrested in the State of Ore
gon, charged with forgery and conspiracy
to defraud the government, a United States
commissioner and three others, the first be-
ing a woman. The United States commits
sioner has been removed from her office,
and all are awaiting trial by the court.
1T is alleged that several hundred entries
and final proofs were made before this
commissioner under the act OF March ii,
1902 GO Stat L., 1907, all of which have been
or are being examined by officers of this
department. The methods pursued by these
parties are alleged to have been substantial
ly as follows:
Forged entry papers of fictitious entry
men, alleged to have been executed before
the United States commissioner, alleging
settlement on a tract of land within the
limits of a forest reserve prior to the
creation Of such reserve. would be transmit
thereafter, probably, final proof notices on
said entry would issue, and after the period
of publication required, forged proofs, al
legged to have been executed before this
commissioner, would be transmitted TO the
local land office, where, everything on the
face of the papers being regular. they would
be forwarded by the register and receiver
to the General Land Office at Washington,
where no intimation of fraud appearing.
the proof was approved and patent on the
entry issued. Thereafter, forged deeds al
legged to have been executed by the fic-
titious entrymen before this commissioner
or a notary public. conveying the land
to one of the parties to the conspiracy.
would bel duly filed for record, and there
after the land would be transferred by one
of said parties to some other person. or
else made a basis for lieu selection under
the act of June 4, 1897
SUITS AND CONVICTIONS.
"Suits have been brought in a number Of
instances in the federal courts to vacate
patents and to restore to the public domain
the lands acquired by these alleged ficti-
tious entrymen. Information has been re-
ceived from the Department of Justice Of
the conviction by the Federal Court In the
Northern district of California of three per-
sons for subornation of perjury in connec-
ton with the entry Of land under the tim
Der and stone act.
These convictions II is alleged, are the
first of their kind for fifteen years in that
section. and it is believed they will have a
wholesome moral effect toward stopping
the fraudulent transactions OF this charac-
ter. AT any rate, 1t is the purpose of the
department to pursue with unflagging zeal
until justice Is melted out to them, all per-
sons shown tn have committed frauds
against the government by unlawfully ac-
curing any portion Of the public domain.
Nearly a year ago information reached
the department which strongly indicated
that frauds of a serious nature had been
and were being perpetrated against the
government under what is known the
forest reserve lieu land act OF June 4, 1897,
by a combination of land spectators on
the Pacific coast The information and in
dictated frauds were of so grave a character
that i at once directed a thorough investi-
cation to be made. This investigation was
commenced last January and has been con-
Quoted by those having charge of the actual
work with great care and with all possible
expedition consistent with thoroughness.
The investigation has proceeded step by
step, without intermission, under my per-
sonal direction, and every clew TO wrong
doing has been quietly followed to its
source, with the result that IL Is the con-
fident belief OF those in charge of the in
quiry that the guilty parties will be appre-
hended and speedily brought TO justice.
1T has been my determination from the
beginning that the matter should be probed
TO the bottom regardless Of the apparent
influential character of some of the men
involved, and the inquiry has been con-
Quoted throughout along these lines. The
work Is now nearing completion, and the
whole matter will at an early date be In
shape for definite and appropriate action
while several hundred thousand acres
of public lands are involved In the Illegal
transactions brought TO light, the number of
acres to which patents have been obtained
by the perpetrators Of the frauds Is COM
paratively small. 1t Is proper to say also
that some OF the statements In regard to the
matter which have recently appeared In
newspapers. both In the East and I'm the
Nest: are more or less exaggerated and
widely Stipulated to the eject that five