The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-12-01
.AK|NLEY AGAINST N
Land Fraud Fraud Trial Is
Drawing to Close.
EVIDENCE OF A GIRL
Marie Wares Attorney Is Impli.
Gated by testimony Used
Against Mckinley.
JUDGE HAS NOT YET DECIDED
Celebrated Case to Secure the Con.
victlon Of Alleged Defrauders Of
the Government VIII Soon Go
to the Jury.
JUDGE HAS NOT YET DECIDED

Portland. Ore. Nov So.-Today was
the most important In point Of develop
ments OF any in the great land fraud
trial. now on before a jury In the fed
erai court.
The earlier part Of the testimony was
to prove that George A. Howe is a
myth OF the invention Of Horace @.
Mckinley who is regarded by the
prosecution as the prime mover in the
swindles that have attracted the at
tention OF the entire people Of oregon
and of the United States land depart
ment.
Through Mckinley. the prosecution
seeks to show the application of Howe
was made falsely, and that Howe, as a
person interested, does not exist. The
defense attempted to show that the
evidence OF the prosecution to prove
the existence Of Howe is incom-
petent, and the court took the matter
under advisement before passing on
the merits Of the contention that may,
IL sustained, save Mckinley.
One OF the strangest parts Of the
chain Of evidence that has been linked
together by the prosecution in the case
Is that OF one Miss Ida Mccoy, a
stenographer for an abstract company,
who has testified that Mckinley Or
dered the Howe abstract. and that de-
livery OF 1t was made to him. When
the abstract came in. c. A. Hardy, who
Is attorney for Marie Ware, came In
and had the name Of Mckinley, which
was indorsed as the party ordering the
abstract, changed to Howe.
The detailed account Of the earlier
part OF the work Of the court for the
day Is as follows:
The most discriminating testimony
yet adduced In the land fraud trials
was that given at noon today by r.
w. Montague, deputy county clerk of
Linn county, at the time proofs of the
George w. Howe lands were taken,
The testimony of this witness directly
connects Horace @. Mckinley with the
Howe lands and establishes the claim
OF the government, announced several
days ago, that Howe is but one of the
under another name,
Montagues story directly connects
with procuring final proofs
on the seven claims which We're trans
ferred to Howe by seven of the bogus
entrymen and details significant state
ments alleged to have been made to the
witness by Mckinley with reference
to lands In HI.
The government this morning intro
duced an abstract OF title to the Howe
lands, on which the name of Mckinley
appears to have been erased and that
Of Howe written In its place.
More testimony was introduced to-
day to show that such a man as Howe
never appeared before the local land
office. and that all attempts to find him
proved unavailing,
Who is the prominent Oregon attor-
ney who gave to S. A. d. Puter the let
ter Of introduction to United States
senator John H. Mitchell, which caused
the latter to present Puter to Blnger
Hermann, then commissioner of the
general land office at washington? And
why has Senator Mitchell refused to
come to Portland and testify regarding
this and assist the government in prov
Ing that Puter and Mrs. Watson deliv-
cred their affidavits sent to Hermann
with a letter dated March so, 1909?
The query has also arisen as to why
Mitchell has thus far refused
or failed to inform the governments