The St. Louis Republic., 1903-10-29
Mitchell and Fulton of Oregon
Deny All knowledge Of
Gigantic Land Frauds.
CALL TO SEE HITCHCOCK.
Admit They Were ThompsOn's
Political Backers. but Declare
They Want to See Him Go
TO Prison if Guilty.
The Republic Bureau.
ltth St. and PENNSYLVANIA Ave.


Washington. oct. 2S.-The indictment in
Oregon OF Asa b. Thompson and his dis
missal from his post as receiver Of the
United States Land Office at La Grande
in that State. on the charge Of bribery. in
connection with the alleged gigantic land
frauds that have been under investigation
for some time by the Interior Depart
menL. is now known TO be but the first
OF series OF prosecutions Of the dis
missals in the far West.
II is said the investigation OF the In
terror Department involves several men
high III public life. who are not connected
with the department. and sensational dis
closures are expected at any time.
Secretary Hitchcock to-day. for the first
time. consented TO discuss the land frauds.
He said.
There are others besides Thompson
who will be suspended or discharged. but
I do not look for wholesale decapitations.
Our investigation is nearly complete. and
as We complete one case we turn # over
TO the officials Of the Department Of Jus
tlce. who will take it into the courts.
In short time I snail be ready TO
tUrn over the full report TO the Depart
ment OF Justice. This report will not be
made public. but l will make public
short statement taking the public into
our conference.
I'VE have kept this matter secret. not
for three or four months but FOR the last
nine months, and we did IL because pub
tice- There is a conspiracy. no doubt, and
some public officials are in il: but il Is
a gross e&aggeration to say these frauds
are the greatest in the history OF the de
partment. There have been other frauds
ana they come up periodically, and we
must ferret them out.
EXTENT OF FRAUDS
EXAGGERATED.
in the present frauds I should say
about 1000 Oo0 acres of timber land are
involved. and as that land is valued at
from A.25 to $40 an acre. you can see how
idle the statement is that sums aggre-
eating S2U.0O0o0J or thereabOuts are in
Senators Mitchell and Fulton Of Oregon.
Emo have been mentioned as ThOmpson'S
political hackers. had Il long conference
with Secretary Hitchcock this morning.
1t IS true we were the political back
ers OF thompson said Senator Fulton
atter the conference. but that makes no
difference. 1 had an iukling Of affairs
while In Oregon. and have had talk with
the District Attorney there As far as
\, thompson is concerned he viii now have
TO tight his own way. l. he is guilty my
colleague and l want him sent to the
PenitentiaTy. and We told Secretary
Hitchcock so. We also told him he has
our full support i'm the policy he is pur-
suing. and we want him to clean the ras-
Gals out"
Senator Fulton declared the stories OF
the land frauds greatly exaggerated
Il don't think you will find many pub
lie officials involved he said. 1T is true
there is conspiracy. but Il is principally
among private citizens. aided and abetted
by few officials perhaps. who resort 20
all sorts Of schemes TO get hold Of the
public domain. But I do not believe
officials are largely involved nor will il
run up into the millions as some of the
papers have asserted"
Secretary Hitchcock confirmed these
Senators statements relative to the sup
port they had promised him. He said he
would not now select successor 10
Thompson. but would leave the Office open
until the case had been decided in the
courts.