The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-10-03
BIG LAND FRAUDS
ARE DONE WITH.
Secretary of Interior Effectively
Answers Critics in Statement
.'z Just Issued. y

w aSh1ngtOn, oct. 3.-SecfeCafy OF the
Interior Hitchcock has given out the
tain charges regarding the method of
conducting the investigation into land
frauds on the Pacific coast, and regard
ing the steps taken by him to bring
the guilty parties to justice:
? These charges are utterly without foun-
dalton in fact. 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 the
utmost possible speed consistent with
thoroness; the prosecutions, where In
dictments have been found, have been and
are being vigorously pressed; and at no
time has there been. any attempt to de-
prive the public Of the fullest Informal
ton as to the progress or status of such
prosecutions, or as to any matter ip con-
nection Herewith. -,.--s-
The leading spirits in the fraudulent
transactions brought to light are mostly
men who have occupied positions of in
fuence and high standing, both socially
and politically, and many Of them are
men of large wealth.. They have thrown
many obstacles in the way, which have
required time, patience, constant effort,
determination and courage on the part
of those having charge of the investiga-
tion,. to overcome. These difficulties have
been successfully met and overcome, and
the tactics resorted to by the parties Grim
inally involved. and by their friends, have
been circumvented and defeated at all
points.
Leaders Are Indicated.
The practical results thus far attained
are both gratifying and encouraging. They
may. be summed up as follows:
First-The Indictments in February,
1908, in the District Of Columbia, Of Fred
erick A. Hyde, John A. Benson and Henry
| P. Dimond of San, Francisco, Cal, and
Joost' H. Schneider Of Tucson, Ariz., under
| section 5440 of the revised statutes, for
conspiracy, to ,defraud the United States
| Of large quantities of it's public lands, and
the Indictment in, December, 1902, in the
District of Columbia, Of John A. Benson
| for bribery of public officials in connec-
ton with such conspiracy.
| While hundreds OF thousands of acres
of public lands were involved in the
scheme only a small portion thereof-less
than 10000 acres-had been patented al
the time Of the discovery of the fraud by
the secretary of the Interior BY the sec.
retary's direction, the further issuing Of
patents upon the selections and entries
involved was Immediately stopped and al
| such selections and entries suspended
which suspension still remains in force.
Further Danger Eliminated.
The government is therefore, in M
danger of further loss Gifts public land:
thru the saida scheme. The >fraudulen
business of the, conspirators has beer
completely broken up and their nefari
GUS practices are now. at an end.
l. The defendants in. these Indictment
Ewere Immediately arrested. Proceeding
under section 1014 of the revised statute:
were at once instituted in the states O.
To1Sf - W
removal Of the defendants arrested il
those states to the District Of Columbia
for trial. These proceedings have bee,
diligently prosecuted and in Californi;
have resulted in decisions by both tn
United States district and circuit court
of the northern district Of California
sustaining the conspiracy indictment an,
ordering the defendants Hyde and Di
Fmdnd emoved Is the District OF C6rum
bia for trial g*They have appealed to tn
supreme court Of, the United States an
it is the purpose Of the government to Sc
cure in that court an advancement c
the case ION the docket and hearing c
the appeal at the earliest possible date
The defendants are under heavy bail
answer the decision Of the circuit cou1
when finally rendered. Upon the indict
ment for bribery, John A. Benson ha
also been held for removal to the Dis
| trlct or COlumbla Tor trial. and he ha
lappealed to the supreme court. Upon tn
conspiracy indictment removal proceed
ings are still pending against Benson i
= New York, with the expectation thu
!. they win be concluded at an early dat
with like favorable results.
The. statement then refers to, indic1
ments found in the state of Orego
+ against Horace G.. Mckinley, Stephe
y A. Putter, Marie L. Ware, Emma /
, Watson, Guy Huff, Maude Witt, +
= Watgamot, Harry G. Barr, Dan w. Ia
. pley, Charles Cunningham, Asa Ra,
. burn, Dallas O'Hara, Glen H. SalinI,
p Shelley Jones, Mark Shakleford, Kat
= James and Henry Meldrum.
Continuing the statement says:
q In the prosecutions, Charles Cunning
e ham, Asa Rayburn, Dallas O'Hara, Gle
t H. Sailing and Shelley Jones have pleade
d guilty, and sentence has been impose
g upon all except O'Hara and Jones. TT
e other cases were set for trial at the M
n term, 1904, Of the federal court at Por
Q land, Ore, but owing to the fact that OF
L of the principal witnesses of the COVER
y ment had absconded the cases had to
y continued and are now set for trial
= the November term, 1904, Of the cou1
~ The absconding witness has been a
rested. -...
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