Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-02
PUBLIC LAND FRAUDS
OFFICIAL STATEMENT BY THE
SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR.
Number Of Acres to Which Patents
Have Been Illegally Obtained, He
Says, is Comparatively Small.

The Secretary of the Interior has at last
authorized an official statement of the facts
concerning the public land frauds on the
Pacific coast. The Secretary has refrained
from making any statement during the
time that has elapsed since the frauds were
discovered, although, from time to time, he
has given Information relative to the
pre- ogress of the work of placing evidence
against the law breakers in the hands of
the grand juries who are at work investi-
eating the cases. The Secretary will not
make a further statement of the case, he
says, until the investigation Is concluded.
unless something comes up which would
seem to require such action on his part.
The statement follows:
NEARLY year ago information reached
the Secretary of the Interior which strongly
indicated that frauds of serious nature
had been and were being perpetrated
against the government under what Is
known as the forest reserve lieu land act
of June 4. 1897, by combination of land
SPECTATORS on the Pacific coast. The in
formation and indicated frauds were of so
grave a character that the Secretary at
once directed thoro Ugh investigation to
be made. This invs stigation was COM
menced 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 thor
oughness. The investigation has proceeded
step by step, without intermission, under
the Secretary's personal direction, and ev-
cry clew to wrong-doing has been quietly
followed to its source. with the result that
it is the confident belief of those in charge
of the inquiry that the guilty parties will
be apprehended and speedily brought to
justice.
ut has been the discrimination of the
Secretary from the beginning that the mat
ter should be probed to the bottom, regard
- I'D, It'll 1f1r HT
some of the men invoi.ed. and the inquiry
has been conducted throughout along these
lines. The work Is now nearing completion,
and the whole matter at an early date will
be In shape for definite and appropriate
action against the offenders.
Acres illegally Patented.
"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 OBJ
tanned by the perpetrators of the frauds is
comparatively small. It Is proper to say,
also, that some of the statements in regard
to the matter which have appeared in the
newspapers recently, both In the east and
In the west, are more or less exaggerated,
and others are mere surmises. The state
ments widely circula ted to the effect that
hVe United States senf.tors and large
number OF representatives were implicated,
anu eIldt the ldnQS involved would reach
IN value 100000 or 500. 600 600, are with
out foundation in fact SIt can be positively
stated that they did not originate in the In
terror Department The "details and results
OF the investigation are known only to a
lew, and sensational stories based upon
statements which have heretofore appeared
IN the press must be received with due al
lowance. ]-
AT the proper time FULL statement will
De made covering the results of the entire
investigation, and the whole matter will be
given to the public; but for obvious reasons
II Is not deemed expedient that detailed
statement of the facts should be given at
the present time.
The work of the investigation has been
conducted by Arthur B. Pugh assistant at
torney in the Interior Department, and Will,
liam j. Burns Of tse secret service Of the
treasury Department. Mr.. Burns was call
ed into the case last May and since that
time has had entire charge of the secret
service features Of the work. while Mr.
Pugh has attended to it's legal phases The
secretary Of the Interior is highly gratified
with the efficient services rendered by these
officers in this matter"
Secretary Hitchcock was in conference
Saturday with Attorney Pugh and Secret
Service Agent Burns concerning the public
land frauds. 1t is understood that those
two officials will return soon to the scenes
Of their inquiries for the purpose of con-
tinuing their work.