New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-14
PUBLIC LAND FRAUDS.
MR.. HITCHCOCKS REPORT.
Rigorous Investigation ia Progress,
No COHgT6SSmen InUOIUed.

washington. Dec. I2-The annual report Of the
Secretary OF the Interior made public to-day re-
,-sv-s the operations az the department AT great
iength The most important and interesting portion
A thar devoted 10 public land frauds While these
s-snds are serious and far reaching Mr. Hitchcock
ssserts. reports az them published in some news
Dapers have been exaggerated Statements that
80 VIII amount TO S5o0e00e or saAoOc Oao and that
several United states Senators and Representatives
were involved n them declared without foun-
cation NJ Hitchcock says:
During ne past year there have been indicted
merit 81 81 States commissioner and three
ssnssiouar mas been removed i from her once
an al arr a@ailng trial by The court
LI-dsr- thc act OF March u is5 all OF N1ic9 nave
feer n are being examined hy Officers Of mis-
department ne methods pursued by these parties
az alleged - have been SUBSTANTIALLY follows:
Fo-sel gntg papers Of fictitious entCynen. al
leeec 10 A'-te see54 executed before the United
fralr of land within me limits Of a forest reserve
ttraasu.r5ed - ths local and Once Within '
u01-a t2eTesTl IT. PROBABLY hnal proof notices on
-rr-.tE saf5-. us ~ ,3is S.leseo 70 nave
;ralsrli .te- = the local land Office. where every
TINS % me fage ot me papers being regular, they
70 iae General Land once al Washington w5ere.
g 4s ste -'O -, aPp s the proof was
are. s-. 0tres alleged 10 have been executed
llSsioF
~ Ie..-s pubic, conveying the land OF
The parties 10 the Conspiracy. would he duly fled
tsrrel tE o1e o. said parties 10 some other person
Or else made q basis for lieu selection under the
s-l.s a1,e been brought n a number Of instances
81 ne federal courts 10 vacate patents ard to re-
store no the public domain the lands acquired 6v
thes' alleged fictitious ontrymer-
The aboT involved in obtaining the evidence 81
t1e@a -orEf1es and conspiracies and in presenting
~ ilg, 70 lnc -eceral grand jury has covered
iae en.lTe une or one % The most cOmpeteCt in
fn-Is @. inns department, who has received in
~ t1- OrcEon. i IS believed that The outcome OF
ser10n 10 me fraudulent practices that seem 10
haze heretofore been much in vogue IL securing
Information has also been received nom the De-
aartaleHt 81 Justice Of The conviction BY the fed
eral court IL me northern district OF California
econ win Tie entry or land under the timber
-aeir kind FOR fifteen years in tfat secttoT u.s. % q
IS aelieved they viii have a wholesome moral ef-
If mis- character Ht any rate it is the 11Tboas
al The department 10 pursue with unhaEe1 zesi
shown ~ have committed frauds against the gov
eminent by qnlawfuly acquiring any portion OF the
public domain
FRAUDS O.: TIE PACIFIC COAST.
Nearly a year ago information reached the de-
partne1r which strongly Indicated that frauds OF
a serious nature mad beer and were being perpe-
Erovn IS tile Forest Reserve Lieu Land Act Of
June = 49, Dy combination OF land Spectators
Cr -he Pacific Coast The Information and fndi-
Gated frauds were Of grave a character that
made. This investigation was begun last January,
and has been conducted by those having charge OF
he actual work with great care and with all pos
Eihe expedition consistent With thOroUg The
Investigation has proceeded step by step. without
iuterrllss-cr. under my personal direction. and
every ceW n Vrongooing has been quietly fol-
lowed IT'S source. with The result that IL is
Confident belief Of those in charge OF the inquiry
TIE guilty. parties VII be appreheEded and
speedily brought 70 5us-lce-
ring thai The matter should be probed to the bot
ton regardless y The apparent influential char
curry has been conducted throughout along these
lines The Work Is nov nearing completion. and
the whole matter viii a. an carly date be in shape
t0r definite and appropriate action against the o.
FE1e several hundred thousand acres Of public
lands are -lnvolvet II the Illegal transactions
brought 70 light. The number Of acres 10 which
PATENTS nave peen oola-rtl ny me perpetrat0rs OF
fhe frauds is comparatively small II Is proper 10
say maj song or ne slale'EeI ts u regard 70 the
papers both IN the East and in the West. more
Or less eA-eEeIaIea ana others are mere s-rI2ses
ne saleletS Wl1ely clrcllafeo - the eject th<lt
Eve Tinted States Senators and a large number o
lands irv9i.a5 would -eah in value 81 cc5 90 or
S3Fl0s without foundation in facr T.
t1s department The details and results Of IL in
vestIEarlCn known only 10 few. and sensa-
heretofore appeared N tae press must be received
Al lie proper tine a full statement viii be made
covering me f-s-is y the c[1tlre lnNestig ellon ana
The whole matter viii be EiE o the pUbl'c: bu-
f0r oo0-s II is not deeC,ed Jed mt tha-
detailed statement Of the facts shorid be given
General Land oI-e were employed during the year
q Investigating alleged fraudulent land entries and
her -res7ssg ~ mega appro8rfstic= Entries tc
me number % 7c3-. in which r. a was charged,
ZION: 81 were held for cancellation or suspended
On special agents reports, and IN III cases hearings
examined and found free from fraud: leaving s341
cases pending July Z Is3.