The San Francisco call., 1904-04-14
Land Officer
Admits His
all.

brought out additional testimony in
support OF the Governments charge
that bribery OF Land Department Off
cials was resorted 10 by the defend
ants in order TO procure the improper
advancement and approval of illegal
lieu land selections. William f. Walk,
n the former principal examiner in the
forest reserve division Ct the General
Land Office was on the stand nearly
all day and repeated in greater detail
the story told by him on Tuesday re-
garding the money he claims John A.
Benson paid him for promoting the
Hyde Benson selections. His testimony
was later confirmed py WOcdford ID.
Harlan. Walks former chief in the same
division OF the department, who was
called late in the day and had just
time before the adjournment 10 con-
fess that bribes had also found their
way into his pocket A sensational
feature Of the hearing was Walks dec
laration that he gOt money from Jere-
miah Collins, a land agent at Wash
ingtOn. d. c.. for advancing selections
in which Collins. was interested. Col
Inns name had not been heard before
during the examination.
When Commissioner Heacock opened
court in the morning McEnerney re
called Walk TO the stand and made
y oence Of the day before. 1t was long
and tedious process that brought out
little that was new. The self-confessed
bribe- -taiSer explained the routine OF
investigating the lieu land selections
and admitted his responsibility for see
ing that they were I'm every respect
lawful and in form before recommend
ing them 10 his Superior. the Commits
sioner Of the General Land Office, for
approval. Much time was spent in m
effort TO get from the witness a state
ment that there was nothing improper
In his advancing the Hyde-Benson Sc
lections ahead Of those filed by other
applicants but Walk stuck TO his aver
rnent that the rules forbade the clerks
in the Office 10 do this although. upon
a showing by sufficient reason. IL might
be done by the Land Commissioner.
APPROVES ILLEGAL CLAIMS.
Walk said that many Of the defend
ants selections improperly advanced
by him had later been found 70 be
defective. some in the titles TO the
lands offered in exchange. some IN the
fact that these base lands had been
duplicated in different selections or for
other reason. Then McEnerney turned
20 the alleged money payments, and
, he spectators pricked up their ears.
Did you ever solicit any money from
Berson?"
Yes" the witness answered. IN
the fall OF 1902 I wrote him that / was
hard up and asked for payment Of the
balance due under his agreement 20
pay me 10 cents an acre on the lands
advanced 10 approval out OF their turn.
7 kept no books. but figured that about
1000 acres had gone through in addition
20 what he had paid for. SO that he
owed me S40o AS be had paid me an
amount ranging from $500 20 $4,000. the
total acreage OF the selections which
II ed
ably about 24.000 acres
At this point Joseph 9 Campbell
BensOn's attorney, who had come IL
and taken a seat with his client just
behind McEnerney. suggested that
copy OF Walks letter demanding money
might be found in the record OF the
Benson hearing in New York.
Does Mr.. Campbell represent Hyde
or Dimond2' asked Government COun-
SCI Heney.
I represent a client who is affected
by the testimony here and whom you
are attacking in this proceeding. Hence
] shall later ask the privilege Of cross
examining some OF these Government
witnesses or matters that concern Ben
son"
- 7 shall object to that" Heney said.
We are not trying Benson here,
Commissioner HeacOck remarked. and
I DO not think your request VIII be
proper"
well. well argue that question when
We come 20 it replied Campbell
Continuing, Walk admitted that Ben
son had never asked him TO approve
cases that were defective, and that be
had not agreed TO do anything wrong
IN return for the money except TO for
ward the defendants selections out Of
order. He had given some time out Of
Office hours 10 going over these selec-
lions and writing out approvals Of
them. All his correspondence with the
defendants had been destroyed in the
fall Of 1903. but this was not done to
conceal the relations OF Hyde and Ben
son with the witness All this in an
sver 20 questions by McEnerney and
Wheeler Of counsel for the defense
COMEDY INTERLUDE-
Even a long-drawn technical court
Proceeding sometimes bas its comic
features. and in the midst OF yester
DAYS tedious legal battle the specta-
tors suddenly found themselves laugh
ing over the Collins incident in Walk s
testimony and the repartee OF oOun-
sci that IL provoked. Heney had
asked whether the witness ever re-
ceived money from any one else for
promoting selections out OF their order
and Walk had then told Of an agree
rnent he made in 1900 with Land Agent
jeremiah Collins. Collins refused his
first demand Of the alleged Benson rate
of 10 cents per acre. but finally agreed
10 pay half that rate.
collins had many cases pen5ing.'
Walk continued, and some OF his Sc
lectiOns that i approved out OF order
were for as much as 1000 acres. / can
not say how much he owed me. /
was never paid, because when ] asked
FOR money he said he had not agreed
10 pay anything until all his selections
had been approved. But ] got even
with him by borrowing money from
him and not repaying it,"
This method Of collecting a debt in
terested McEnerney, and when the Dig
attorney got done laughing he p-Obed
into the transaction Answering his
questions Walk added the following in
formation:
THE NOTE TO COLLINS.
After a certain number Of Collins
selections had beeu apn~ovaG I asked