The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-02-18
MEN ARRA|GNED
FOR LAND FRAUDS
District of Columbia Grand Jury
Gets Busy.
FICTITIOUS NAMES USED
Many Tracts Obtained In Western
States BY False and Fraudulent
Representations to the
Government.

Washington, February 1I.-As a result OF
the investigation of the alleged whole
sale public land frauds in many western
states the grand jury of the District of
Columbia today reported a joint indict-
ment for conspiracy against John A.
Penson, a wealthy real estate operator of
San Francisco; Frederick A. Hyde of San
Francisco, closely identified with PEN
son in land affairs; Henry C. Dimond of
California, an attorney representing PEN
son and Hyde, and Joseph II. Schneider
of Tuscon Arizona, an agent of Penson
and Hyde.
Bench warrants were Immediately is
sued and Schneider was arrested in this
city late this evening by Secret Service
Agent Burns, who has been quietly in
vestigating alleged public land frauds in
number of western states. Schneider
was taken before Justice Bernard late
this evening and the latter fixed his bail
at $4,000 Attorneys Cole and Donaldson,
representing the defendants, asked that
bail be fixed at 5000, while the govern
ment insisted on a $4,000 bond.
Schneider Was a Witness.
Schneider has been a witness before the
grand jury in the cases against the other
defendants Benson has already been
indicted here on a charge of bribery and
is now believed to be in New oYrk, while
Hyde is thought to be in San Francisco
1t is charged that all of the indicted
parties on December 30. 1901, in this city
conspired with other parties, to the
grand jury unknown, to defraud the
United States out of the possession and
title to numerous large tracts Of public
lands of the United States opened, and
lands to be included within forest re-
serves in various states, the conspiracy
being carried out by means of false and
fraudulent practices"
The scheme outlined in the indictment
and alleged to have been practiced In
these transactions. was to obtain school
or other lands by applications assign
ments and purchases in the names of fic-
titious persons, or of persons not really
desiring or qualified to purchase them,
Hyde and Benson paying them small
sums for the lands. The indictment
charges that there were false representa-
tons in all these transactions, and that
the publications, supported by the indict-
ed parties were forged. false and fraud
ulent
Many Tracts Obtained.
In pursuance of this alleged conspiracy
th,Is carried through by dummy appli-
cants, certain unsurveyed tracts in the
OLYMPIA. Washington. land district. con-
tanning 3400 acres selected in the name
of c. w. Clarke. Frederick A. Hyde and
John A. Benson were obtained and other
lands specifically cited were secured. in
Guiding large tracts in the vista and
Vancouver land districts In Washington.
in woodward land district, Oklahoma,
the Cascade forest reserve In Oregon,
the San Francisco land district and the
Carson City. New, land district.
The arrest of the other parties indicted
is expected very soon. me action taken
d,,oses of all the land fraud cases thus
far presented to the local grand jury, but
others may be submitted at any time
and proceedings in other jurisdiction