The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-02-16
WESTERN LAND FRAUDS
DISTRICT FEDERAL GRAND
 JURY HEARS EVIDENCE.
Real Estate Men, Government ofa- cials in Washington and Special Land Agents Will Be Indict-
 ed It is Thought.
Advertiser Bureau,
 Colorado Building, vxyavhSn1tan Tah 1S

Colorado Building,
 Washington, Feb. 16.
 The trial of the postofice cases and other events of absorbing moment to the public have all but obscured interest in developments respecting corruption l., another department of the government which would otherwise be sensational enough to form a subject of National concern.
 For theepast ten days or two weeks the Federal grand jury of the District or Colombia has been hearing testimony cn the Western land frauds. From the evi- dence thus far submitted it is practically certain that indictments will be had against several minor officers in the Gen. eral Land Office of the Interior Depart mept, several special land agents in the field, a member of the California Leg islature and a banker and attorney cf San Francisco.
 The charges will be bribing Government officers and obtaining public lands in vio- lation of the statutes. The grand jury will likely be engaged upon the inquiSi- tion a month longer. Subpoenas nave been issued to bring a number ot West ern people to Washington. 1t Is suspect ed that the frauds will involve s former high officer in the Land Office along wtsh several prominent and influential persons of the Pacific Coast who, 1t is alleged. have become rich through many years of graft and stealing. Those who are advised or the gran0 jury's business insist that the land frauds will exceed in magnitude those or the PostofIice Department. They are more extensive in their ramifications, In the number of notable people involved, i'll their duration and in the amount oi money lost by the Government.
 Most of the evidence heard by the grand iurv has been submitted by special agent of the Land Office who has turned States evidence in order to save himscI For years he confesses he was part oi | A corrupt ring which operated both III San Francisco and washington. He has revealed everything from the time of his bribery and downfall up to the discoveries l by the Government that rotten con, dition of affairs existed in the Lano Office His confession forms an interest,
 ing story of a wonderfully qeveIopeo scheme to defraud, of ctrHer messages containing advance inforttA tiRnsof the nIans of the Government bSta9s sent from tbe Land Ohlce to the reaasestate ring in San Francisco, of ingenious measure adopted by the grafters to get the names of dummy claimants, of the nnal suspl- cion of the Government and the discovery of the fraud. The greater part of the irregularities were in connection with the establish ment of forest reserves. The ring had its machinery in fine working order when It came to scooping the choice tracts Of land that the authorities at Washington had decided should be set aside for for est reserves The dealings covered frauds in other directions. but this was the speciality of the grafters. They re- ceiyed advance information from Wasn- ington of contemplated reservations They always had enough time to prepare claims to pre-empt the entire claim to Oe withdrawn As soon as the official pa- pers. directing the establishment or the reserve, were sent from the Land Of- flee to the President for his signature a cipher notice of this fact was flashed from Washington to San Francisco. I'm mediately the real estate ring would filc claims for the land in question with the local Land Commissioner. About two days later the announcement would be made that the President had ordered the establishment of another forest reserve Then 1t would be found that the entire area had been taken up only few days previously in the name of lot or ull- known persons. A corrupt notary public assisted the promoters to realize on the fraudulent claims. In the first place ne l certified to the legality of the claims 0i the dummies and later on would testit9 l to the assignment of tho claims to tlie l members of the real estate firms and tc | a coterie of other business men who were | in on the deal The Government issued