The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1905-01-01
INDICTED TOR
TRYINGTODEfRAUD
United States Senator Mitchell
and Congressman Herman
MIXED IN LAND FRAUDS
THEY WILL Be pRosEcurso
JUST The SAME AS ALL oTn.
En- GUILTY oNEs-iN
DicrMTnI3s. 4 oUn!
pRlsE.

BY the Associated Press.
Portland, Oregon. Dee. 9l.-unlted
States Senator MteheIl and Congress.
man Binger Hermann were indicted
today for conspiracy 10 defraud the
United States government Of public
lands.
George sorensou formerly deputy
sheriff Of this county, VAS indicted
for attempting to hribe United states
District Attorney Hall ii an endeavor
70 have him quash the Investigation
and indictment OF certain parties.
THE CHARGES.
The Indictment alleges that Mitchell
ana Hefnhaph ia January. 1909 con
spired together ana with 3. *: d.
PMer and others 10 defband the gov
efnmen; ont of q porf n 0f its pub.
liz lands in township II sonth range
Z east b9 means OF 6frged ana falee
.afridayits and fe-itious persons. ana
hat IN fuFtheHance OF ssfch consblra.
eyaPpler Marrh q 1912. paid Mitchell
$4,000 TO se1afn his Influence with
Hermann, then commissioners OF the
general hand nffco at Washington.
ss,ocs hes Offered.
Il ~ allaHed that. aetinx anon stha
saaggesticn and wishes 0f Mitchell
and influenced by him. knowing the
transactions were unlawful and fel.
inens. Hermann used his power as
commissioner Of The general land of.
Ace. to7ex2sdbta y claims n ssnnship
li@2ss Rfsd had tbqsu p9asastt 10 ls4g@s.t
when he knew them TO be Illegal ana
not according 10 requirements OF khaf
law. The indictment afro alleges
that on March zss 1904. George Soren.
son offered to John Hall, district at
tofney for the aJnited States in Ore
gon, $1,000 With the intent 10 fnffuA
ence Hl.l in lis official capacity
when acting 6al Indictments returned
against Puter. Ct nj. to defrand the
government out OF land In township
II south Q, range Z east
TWO $1,000 Bills For Mitchell.
Meantime Forest superintendent
Loomis reported against the claims.
II IL alleged D large sum waslralsed
70 secure favorable report from gov
ernment agent 0rmsby, that Loou1is
got part OF the money raised. and it Is
claimed wrote a letter asking that
the cases be expedited. Clerk rOgden'a
report that the laws had not been OBJ
served caused Alerrmann to hesitate.
Ppter. it IS claimed. had a conference
with Hermann and again. according
to the allegations. went TO see Mitch
ell.
At this time. the government win
attenlpt to prove. Pater laid twoysf..
000 bills on the table IN front Of the
senator and Il viii also try 70 prove
that he told Mitchell TO take, them
and see what he could do TO help the
lands through The next day, II Is
said, Hermann told Puter he
thought IL would be possible TO put
the lands through. The matter was
turned over 10. w. A. Richards. Herr
nann's assistant. Then 1t Is said. ON
recommendation of Mitchell and Herr
mann, Richards arfo@es the lands to
pass to patent.
Proof Against Them.
The alleged connection OF Mitchell
and Hermann with the alleged con-
spiracy dates back. It Is said. to the
time when Mitchell received a letter
from "a priminent attorney. in Ore
gon." Introducing Puter ss a IRE
sponsible business man of Oregon.
The government wal. II is said, at
tempt TO prove that Puter. Mitchell
and Hermann were well acquainted;
that Puter was an ardent supporter of
Mitchell In the senatorial campaign OF
1898. and that all OF them have been
personally acquainted for years.
Puter IN Washington.
In 1902, the government alleges.
Puter went to Washington on Susl.
ness connected with the ilsi,.s Of III.
The lands were held nm in the general
land office, and Puter went to Wash
ington TO expedite fllem 10 patent.
Puter. the government viii attempt to
prove. secured 4 letter to Mitchell,
though, in fact. according to the gov
eminent, he was already well-known
to the senator Al Washington. Pu-
ter went. 50 evidence win be offered.
to Mitehell's office ana eonyersed
with him In regard 70 having claims
put through to patent as soon as
possible. The government viii al
tempt to prove that Pufer nromlsed 10
make It right with the senator In
event that he could secure tAe good
viii and assistance Of Hermann. The
contends thar after = tax
with fierrmann unen gag missoiner.
and not securing hsssSa - = 'l,;.sn.