Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-28
OREGON LAND FRAUDS
COL. GREENE COMES TO CONSULT
sEcRErARY H1rcHcocK.
Feels Confident That His Two Years
Work Will Convict the
Culprits.

Col Albert Greene, special inspector
of the Office the ecretary of the In
terror, is in VAshin ION for consultation
with Secretary Hitcffeck. Col. Greene is
the special agent of~the department who
has had charge of the collection of evidence
and the preparation of the evidence in the
Oregon land fraud cases. For the past two
years he has been on the Pacific coast
working up the cases against the men who
are alleged to have attempted to defraud
the government out of large tracts of land.
AS result of his efforts a number Of the
alleged swindlers are now under indict-
ment and their trials will be held during
the month Of November in the Oregon
courts.
Col. Greene Discusses His Work.
I'VE believe we have finished up that
land fraud business remarked Col. Greene
today. I'VE have the men responsible IN
der indictment. and 1t is a safe prediction
that there will be some hot news out Of
Portland within the next month or two,
when the trials commence The indict-
ments were brought against certain par
ties who are charged with bringing in false
entrymen for government land You see
there was an immense amount of unsur-
veyed land in Oregon. In the land laws
rights. Any person who settled on this un-
surveyed. land was in the eyes Of the law
a squatter, and when that land should be
surveyed he was entitled to a period Of
ninety days In which to file application for
patent to the land he had formerly occu-
pied. This was called a squatter's right
and NO person but the sQuatter could come
In and take the land during that ninety
days If the time should expire before the
sauatter made his application, why, any
one could file claim to the property. The
law also provides that on application
signed by three persons who are living on
unsurVeyed land. the land will be surveyed
by the government so that the squatters
can describe the portions they desire to
OBTAIN and become regular settlers The
ming OF the application for patent to the
land after 1T has been properly plated is
called the work of entry and the appIi-
cants are called entrymen.
Plan Of the Conspirators.
1T happens that in Oregon there was
vast stretch of forest which was public
land and which was in the forest reserve
Inc conspirators against the government
by employing every Tom, Dick and Harry
they could pick up about the wharves of
Portland and vicinity caused to be made a
number of entries for land in this forest
reserve, after they had secured the survey
OF the land in regular way. the entries be-
ing made, 1t must be understood, under the
squatters' rights section of the law, as
though the entrymen were actual, bona
fde squatters. with right and title to the
land they desired The preliminary work
OF securing possession of the lands was
rushed through the government offices in
oregon and sent to- Washington for the
final issue of the patents Representatives
OF the sW1ndleES came to Washington and
mad their caseSsexpedited, so that within a
snort time after the entries were made the
land patents were issued in due form.
These patents were transferred to third
parCeS In each case, and within a very
short time thereafter the government had
to deal with a number of applications for
exchange of this land for more desira bic
property in other sections under the lieu
land laws. This law it will be understood,
gives persons holding patents in forest re-
serves the right to exchange their holdings
on the same aerea for any other public
land reservation in the country.
1T can be easily seen what a vast
amount Of land must have been secured by
the manipulations of this sharp band, and
just what valuable tracts it was preparing
to get in its possession. But the usual
thing happened One of the members OF
the gang did not think he was getting his
fair share of the profits and gave the thing
away. was sent out and spent two years
in working up the case. I believe we have
now secured sufficient evidence to send all
the people concerned to the penitentfary
The trials will begin in November"
Col. Greene Is an old newspaper man,
having been connected with the Kansas
City papers for many years prior to enter
Ing the government service. He was land
office inspector and chief of a division in
the land Office before receiving his appoint
ment as special agent of the Secretary OF
the Interior. In his present position Col.
Greene acts as a confidential investigator
into all things the head of the Department
of the Interior desires to know about the
workings of his office, whether 1t be in
chasing down criminals or looking up pen