New-York tribune., 1904-10-03
PUBLIC LAND FRAUDS.
HCTTVELY PROSECUTED.
Task of Unearthing Them on Pacific
Coast One of Difficulty.
90 II ERInrNE srREAr-I

u
washington. Oct. 2.-Sec-etary Hitchcock has
Authorized the following comprehensive state
naent in regard 20 the prosecution ana present
conditions OF ths public land frauds Oh the Pa
clfc Coast.
Charges are being r77ade and freely circulated
hy the opponents of the administration 10 the
eject thai the investigation OF the land frauds
by the Interior Department Is no. being seri-
olslv and diligently conducted: that criminal
,.~,ear4Ifio,s connected with the Investigation
a. Dot being pressed with such vigor as 10 man
fest q determination 70 bring Ehe guilty parties
20 speedy Justice and that an afr OF secrecy per
vades Tie department. making il difficult TO OBJ
gain information as 10 the progress ard present
status OF the work
in fscr The investigation has been in the hands
Of competent officers Of the government from the
beginning and has been conducted, under the
direction OF the Secretary Of the Interior. with
cUEI.reSs. the prosecutions, where indictments
have been found. have been and are being Wig
oroUsly pressed. aid at no time has there been
srv attempt deprive the public OF the fullest
information as 70 the progress or status OF such
prosecutions. or as 10 any matter IN connection
herewith.
The leading spirits in the fraudulent transac-
Vlons brought 10 light are mostly men who have
occupied positions OF influence ana nigh stand
:ng both socially and politically, and many OF
them arc men o. large wealth They have
thrown many obstacles in The way. which have
required lime, patience. constant effort, deter
lniHstiCn ard courage or the part OF those har-
Ing charge o. the investigation TO overcome
OF season 20 rhvsrt the purpose Of the investi-
CATION, and ID control its results favorably 10
Themselves.
--bese diiBculr!es have been successfully met
ard overcome. and The tactics resOrted 10 by the
parties cr:minally involved. and by their friends.
have been CirCumvented and defeated a. all
uointF The determination Of the Secretary Of
fhe Interior has been from the beginning that
sna investigation should be thorough and COM
pere. ana nothing has been left undone 10 ac-
c0nuliSh such result The fraudulent opera
IONS have been carried on chiefly IN the States
HTTH E1
confined TO those States. In many instances the
oonspirators have reached out into other States.
Their schemes were oroaaiy ana GeepLv ialu
and the task % unearthing them has been one OF
great difficulty.
while orly about eighteen months have
elapsed since the investigation was begun, the
practical results thus far attained are both
gratifying and encouraging. They may be
summed Up as follows:
INDICTMENT OF CONsPIRAToRs.
First-The Indictment in February. 1905. in
the District of Columbia. of Frederick A HYDE
John A Benson aid Henry r DIInond- OF san
Francisco. and Joost II. Schneider, OF Tucson.
sAriz- under Section >. 40 OF the Revised Stat
ures for conspiracy 10 defraud the United States
Of large Quantities OF lis public lands. and the
Indictment in December 1902. IN the District OF
Columbia. Of said John A Benson for bribery OF
public officials in connection with such con-
Epiracy The reading spirits IN this conspiracy
ere Frederick A. Hyde and John A. Benson.
md their scheme 10 defraud the government was
of gigantic proportions. II involved an atteihpL
10 secure titles TO hundreds Of thousands Of
acres Of the public lands OF the United states in
the various public land States and in the Terri
tories Of Arizona and New-MeXico. under the
provisions OF the act OF Congress approved June
4 1897 co Stats 36l. IN exchange FOR State
school lands living within the limits of United
states forest reserves established in the States
Of California and Oregon. the titles 70 which
school lands were acquired hy and on behalf OF
said Hyde and Benson IN violation of the laws
of said States relating 10 the disposal OF school
lands. and in grossly Illegal and fraudulent
manner. ny means Of false and forged applica-
Ti0ls. afidavits ard other documents required
10y the laws OF said states 70 he executed and
fled iE connection with the purchase Of school
laIsds tbsrahv resderins such titles false
fraudueut and worthless, and by making and
-, utlng 70 be made false and forged relin-
quishments 70 the United States OF such false.
fraudulent and worthless titles. and by selecting
other lands belonging 10 the United States out
side Of forest reserves in exchange for the titles
mus fraudulently obtained and relinquished 70
the United States
;h'ags. that the owner OF lands within forest
leser'S may relinQulsh the same the United
states and select other lands n lieu thereof out
EiDe oI FOREST reserves. Briefly stated. the OBJ
Jecf of ne conspiracy was 70 obtain good titles
from The United States FOR It's public lands out
eloe or Forest reserves IN exchange for false.
frauculenr and worthless titles 10 school lands
secured oy The oonspirators from said States
wit1in forest reserves While hundreds Of thou
sands OF acres OF the public lands we're involved
~ the scheme. only a small portion thereof
less than forty thousand acres-had been pat
entea al the time Of the discovery OF the fraud
- VL--S oL ne interior by the Sec
retary's direction the further issuing OF patents
1ls'' lllr Seie-LCIlS ana entries
meciately stopped and al such selections and
entries were suspended. which suspension still
remains IA force. The government S. therefore.
~ no danger of further loss Of its public lands
through the said scheme.
FRAUDULENT BUSINESS BROKEN Up.
The fraudulent business of the conspira tors
has been completely broken up. and their nefari-
Gus practices are now AZ end The defend
ants ~ these indictments We're Immediately ar
rested, one-JOhn A. BeUson-in the state Of
York. tWo-Frederick A Hyde and Henry
p Dimond-in the State Of California and the
iourth-JOost H Schueider-in the District of
Columbia The last named is now held under
heavy bail for his appearance FOR trial Pro
ceedirgs under Section lOl4 Of the Revised
statutes were al once Instituted in the States or
california and Ner--Gurk 10 secure the removal
~ the defendants arrested in those States to the
District - Columbia for trial These proceed
lngs have been diligently prosecuted. and, in
taliornla, have resulted IL decisions by both
mo I nlted States District and Circuit courts OF
lie Noriher, District Of California, sustaining
lhe conspiracy Indictment and ordering the de-
1enaantS Hyde and Dimond removed 70 the Dis
tlrt or Columbia for trial They have appealed
70 the Supreme Court Of the United States and
- = TIE purpose Of The EOv er1E1ent 10 secure in
Iaat court an advancement Of the case the
ooeK@l and hearing OF the appeals at the
Fatilest possible date. The defendants under
Aeafy nal 70 answer The decision of the Supreme