The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-10-28
Secretary of Interior Says
Others Will Be SuS-
pended, But Does Not
Look for Wholesale
DecapitationS.
Oregon Senators Admit
They We're Thonp-
sons BackerS, But If
He Is Guilty They
Want Him Punished.

The indictment IN Oregon of Asa B.
Thompson. and his dismissal from his
post as receiver of the United States
Land Ofice 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 Department.
is now known to be but the first OF
series OF prosecutions and dismissals in
the Far West
II Is said the investigation OF the In
terror Department involves several men
high in public life who are not con-
nected with the department. and SEN
sational disclosures are expected at any
time.
Secretary Hitchcock Talks.
Secretary Hitchcock this morning.. for
the arst time. consented 20 an Interview
on the land frauds He said:
There are others Besides Thompson
who will be suspended or discharged,
but l do not look for wholesale decapi-
tations. Cur investigation Is nearly COM
plete and as We complete one case va
turn II over to the officials OF the De-
partment OF Justice. who will take It
into the courts In a short time. shall
be ready TO turn the full report over
10 the Department Of Justice. This re-
port Will not be made public. but I win
make public a short statement. taking
the public into our confidence
We have kept this ms>-er secret. not
for three or four months but for the last
Zine months. and we did il because pub
licity would have foiled the ends of
Justice There is a conspiracy. no doubt.
and some public officials are in 1t. bat
il is gross exaggeration to say these
frauds are the greatest In the history OF
the department There have been other
frauds and they come up periodically
and we must ferret them out
In the present frauds. / should say
about 1.O0o.o0o acres OF timber lands are
involved. and. as that land is valued at
from SIS 10 $50 an acre. you can see
how idle the statement is that sums
asgregatias S2o.eoo,oo0 or thereabout ara
involved"
Statement of Senators.
Senators Mitchell and Fulton OF Ore
gon, who have been mentioned as
thompson 5 political hackers. had a long
conference with Mr.. Hitchcock this
morning
1t is true we were the political back
ers of Thompson said Senator Fulton.
after the conference. but that makes
no difference. 1 had an inlEling of az
! fairs while in Oregon, and have he'd a
talk with the district attorney there
AS far as Thompson is concerned. he
will now have to fight his own way. II
he is guilty. my colleague and 1 want
him sent 10 the penitentiary, and we
told Secretary Hitchcock so. We also
told him he has our fun support in the
policy he is pursuing. and We want him
to clean the rascals out
Stories Exaggerated.
Senator Fulton declared stories OF the
land frauds are greatly exaggerated.
I don't think you will find many pub
lie officials involved. he said 1T Is
true there is conspiracy. but IL is prin-
cipally among private citizens. aided and
abetted by a few officials perhaps who
r. sort to all sorts Of schemes 10 get
hold OF the public domain. But 7 &c
not believe officials are largely involved, I,
nor will it run uD into the millions. as
some OF the papers have asserted
Secretary Hitchcock confirmed these
Senator's statements relative TO the sur
port they had promised him He said
he would not now select a successor TO
Thompson. but would leave the oaiee
open until the case has been decided IN
the courts