The San Francisco call., 1904-04-07
AN AFFIDAVIT FACTORY.

What was the practice in Hyde's office with
regard to having the Notary's turat put on
Most of them were sent out in the hands of
an office boy TO Notary and came back with
his jurat on them. This was common prac-
tice ] both Hyde and Schneider send out
bundles of affdavits to be completed In this
way. Sometimes L was sent to take them to
the Notary. The applicants pres
ent when the Notary put his jurat their afi-
davits. The Notary commonly employed for
this work was Henry p Tricou These afhda-
Wits were in applications for California school
lands. Most of the applications which Stein
secured for Hyde were brought to the office al
ready signed, but not sworn to. Some of the
negroes whom Scott. the tanitor. got to sign
swore TO their applications before Notary
Did you know II was perjury to swear out
l did not know ii then. wrote at Hyde S
dctation many letters to officials of the de-
partment and also many others, in which the
names of the person addressed were not given
These latter letters began simply with the
words, Dear Sir" Hence they were known
in the office as the dear sir letters. They
always related to pending in the Land
ONCE but as rule we did not know to whom
they were mailed by HYDE. Once, however
I saw him address such a letter to j. J..
Barnes whom from the contents of the letter.
i assumed to be Government official.
MONEY TO PUBLIC OFFICERS.
Among the State and Federal officers who
frequented Hyde's office and consulted with
him behind the closed doors of his private Of
flee were r F. Allen then Forest Superin-
tendent and Special Agent Prior, both of the
veyor General of California, and his son and
deputy. Frank Wright.
Did you ever. by direction OF Hyde fnclose
money to Government land officials?
Yes; often. Some few sent IT back. The
money was sent to the registers and receivers
of the different land offices throughout the
state The first time / inclosed the money--it
was generally S2-I thought Hyde would want
ii mentioned in the letter | was writing for
him TO the official. and SO inserted this sem
tence: You will find 81 inclosed' But Hyde
made me rewrite the letter, leaving this out.
He said the money was their perquisite.
We got daily advices from the Surveyor Cen
erals office at Sacramento regarding applica-
tions filed there for State school lands.
ACCOMMODATING the selections OF lieu lands
a non-mineral affidavit had to be fled These
affdavits were signed in blank in the office
and when needed they would be filed out and
sent over to the notary fct his jurat. l
&c Bunner and A. Barifen. surveyors sign
many of these affidavts
Have you any Ill feeling toward Hyde?
None whatever. l have always felt very
kindly toward him.
McEnerney then took the witness in
hand. and the following questions were
asked and answered.:
What was the subject of the letters con-
tanning money!
Land selections.
Did you ever write to receivers OF the local
land offices for plats al 81 each?
No: Miss Farwell may have done so. | never
did.
which Hyde ordered you to strike out the
cannot recall 1t exactly but the letter did
not refer to any money transaction. All these
letters were official. ana intended to be filed
in the land offices.
How often was the So sent?
Generally whenever letters were written to
the registers and receivers
HYDE PLANNED RESERVES.
Heney took just one more turn at