Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1904-07-07
RICHARDS CONFIRMS
EXPOSE OF FRAUDS
Officer in Charge OF Opening
Says The Tribune Was JUS
titled in Publication.
WILL DEFEAT GRAFTERs

6onesteel Is Disappointed Because Only
1900 Are There-crowd at Yank.
ton Is Reported at About
Same Number.
Especial Staff Correspondence of Sioux
City Tribune
Bonesteel, S. d., July Limited
who arrived last night to take charge
of the opening of the Rosebud reserva-
ton, not only confirms the expose of a
scheme to defraud homestcaders, first
published in The Tribune. but an
nounced n plan that he has prepared
for the special purpose of protecting
homesteaders against this fraud.
Commissioner Richards granted the
representative of The Tribune the only
interview he has given concerning the
Rosebud opening. denying an audience
to all others. He stated that he had
read the report, first published I'm The
Tribune, that a number of swindlers
who operated i'm the Oklahoma opening
had arrived at Bonesteel and Yanllton.
for the purpose of instituting. through
dupes, fake contests against home
steads, and thus forcing the settlers to
pay to have the contests withdrawn.
Commissioner Richards said he did not
doubt the truth of the report and stated
that he had already taken steps to cir
cumvent these grafters.
On board his special car yesterday
afternoon, Commissioner Richards gave
The Tribune positive statement con-
cerping the contest graft likely to
break out when the filing begins in Au-
gust. Mr. Richards said;
Papers Were Justified.
"-fhe papers were justified i'll printing
the report that - clans of graftcrs
were assembling.
People of Yankton and Ronesteel
you'd have been justified i'm forming
vigilance committees. There will be Il
great many Fraudulent contests.
Il read the reports i'm the Chicago
papers on my way in from Denver yes
terday and determined ON Il course of
action.
"A circular has been prepared and
will be out before filing time. This
will lay down the law which will shnt
out the grafters
when man has filed OF Il piece OF
land the registrar and receiver Will
make out the papers at once and send
them to Washington within n few
hours after they have filed. Contests
will not be considered after the papers
are gone.
Has Another Coup.
"If there is q great deal OF trouble,
we will rule that person contrasting
the right of an entryr.n to file Will
have to show grounds for the contest
before the registrar and receiver at
once. He will decide tl,eIi and there
whether there is ground for n contest
or not The decision of the registrar
and receiver may be made final Usual
~ we would allow. AN appeal To the
general land office. but il the grafters
commence filing contests against en-
try1nen by the wholesale no appeal will
be allowed
Mr.. Richards says he will he COM
piete master of ceremonies, though he
expects no trouble. He has the power
to close up any of the registration Of
fees and move them TO amy other point
he chooses. When asked about the
proclamation of the president. he said:
We'll I wrote the thing and Mr..
Roosevelt signed it. He would be Will
ing to sign an amendment if wired it
to him and few hours later l would
have the signed amendment
Richards Strengthened Things.
Many things were speedily settled
when General Land Commissioner G.
X. Richards arrived in Bonestecl from
Denver last evening. The notares re-
ceived 81 set back. anyone guilty of
charging exhorbitant prices and those
who are here 10 get the lay of the
ground before filing contests l., August.
We're warned by the commissioner in
very simple statement.
Notaries will be allowed 70 charge
% cents and no more. More than that,
Mr.. Richards says he will shut UP the
first registration office he hears of To-
Gated in a city where exorbitant prices
are charged. Prices for everything are
all right In Bonesteel.
Granted an Interview.
Commissioner Richards arrived in
Bonesteel last evening at Z o'clock,
coming from Omaha In Captain Bid
wells private car in which We're Jacob
III. Gable, travelling agent of the Chi
cago & Northwestern railroad and a
representative of The Tribune. MI
Richards at once Joined Inspector John
McPhall, VINO with company of clerks
came here Sunday in the first Pullman
ever seen in this country. The seven
clerks are S. M. Williams. S. w. Nor
ton, Jno. O'Conneil. J. w. Murphy, j. ID
Sheehan, j. w. Harbough and r. Sphinx
When Inspector McPhall informed
Commissioner Richards that the 200
notares here wanted to charge 81 for
making out the registration papers and
placing their seal on them. Mr.. Rich
ards said:
Gave an Ultin,atuaa.
"They can't charge 81 under any cir
cumstances. l Won't stand for such a
charge. Twenty-Five cents is a limit
fixed by rule of the general land office
and they can make money enough al
that.
six notaries can do all the work
there Is to do, and If any six OF the 200
I am told are here agree on the 25 cent
charge that will be enough. We will
put the other fellows out of business
by not issuing any papers to them. Nc
aff1dayits will be taken by the clerks
which are not printed on the regular
form, printed by the government.
eff this does not stop the notary
trouble. I shall wire for some of the
clerks to come over from Chamberlain
or up from Fairfax, and they will swear
those who wish TO register and nc
notaries will be allowed to do business
at any of the registration cities who
will not make the affidavits for q
cents.
Will Make Money Anyway.
I'm Oklahoma we We're compelled Il
make such a ruling. for notaries were
charging from s2.5O to s4 After the
ruling a large number of them CONES
money, making $50 and $40 per day
and only charged 10 cents for signing
the papers and attaching the seal"
Speaking of the way the crowd will
be handled at Boncsteel Commissioner
Richardson said this morning:
Our force can register all who have
accumulated here in two lays-aftci
that At viii b.. rn,,, NJ, -. iyal,.