The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1903-12-22
ARRESTED FOR BRIBERY
John A. Benson, Head of Alleged Land
Frauds, Taken Into Custody.
NUMEROUS ARRESTS TO FOLLOW

Benson Is Charged With Bribing In
: terror Department EmpIoye to Sc
cure Report Of Land Fraud lnvesti-
cation.
Washington. Dec. 1s.-yohn A. Ben
son. a wealthy San Francisco real es-
tate operator, charged by the interior
department with being the head OF the
alleged land frauds extending over a
dozen western states and territories
70 which Secretary Hitchcock referred
vigorously and at length in his an
nual report. was arrested here at the
Willard hotel by Secret Service ON
Ger John A. Burns just as he was pre-
pairing TO leave the city for New YORK.
The charge on which the arrest was
made was bribery. 1t being alleged IN
the AFFIDAVIT of Mr.. Burns and In the
warrant that Benson had paid $oOO
TO Woodford D. Harlan, formerly chiei
of the special service division OF the
general land Office, and now a clerk in
that Office. on March Is of this year,
for the purpose of extracting from him
information regarding the inyestiga-
ton Of his operations at that time be-
ing made by the land Office.
The warrant was issued by United
States Commissioner Arson s. ray
lor. and as soon as Benson had been
apprehended by Officer Burns ne was
taken before Commissioner Taylor. he
wished to have a preliminary hearing
of his case postponed, and the date
for such hearing was fixed for Deem
Der 80 He gave $4,000 bail for his APP
pearance on that date. when the gov
eminent attorneys will ask to have
him held for the grand jury.
The statement was made by an ON
Ger Of the government that the infor-
nation obtained regarding the alleged
conspiracy duplicates number OF per-
sons at present employed in the in
terror department at Washington and
elsewhere. Numerous arrests are eX'
pected 10 follow that of Benson IN
short order. and some employees who
NAV not be arrested will be dismissed
from the service. ii is said that Sec
rotary Hitchcock and the special at
torneys in the case have considered it
absolutely necessary TO the successfr
working out of the case that no action
he taken with reference 70 any Of the
other alleged offenders until the prin-
cipals in the case had been appre-
hended.
The government attorneys, Arthur
B. Psgh, who has been the special at
torney for the interior department on
the land frauds. and oliver r. Pagin.
assistant attorney of the department
of Justice. who has been employed on
the cases. stated in askfag for large
hail bond for Benson that he had been
guilty OF bribery during his present
visit TO washington. since the first OF
this week. and IN the interior depart
ment itself. Notwithstanding that be
was fully aware that his connection
with the alleged frauds was fuby
known by the department. The state
ment was made later that Secretary
Hitchcock was so incensed at the ma
grancy OF this alleged offense that he
told the officers to have Benson ar
rested at once, although it had not
been planned to apprehend him at the
present time. Another assertion OF the
government officers is that Benson
came 20 Washington in answer to de-
coy letters, and with the intention OF
bribing people in the land office, who
were in reality setting for the secret
service.