Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1905-02-16

partment at W ashlngtOn.
Harry G. Robertson, private secre
tary to Mit"hell, was placed on the wit
ness stand and interrogated regarding
mis- connection with the agreements il
force between Mitchell and his partner
Tanner. Robertson stated he had ha(
conversation with Mitchell in Wash
ington February 3. just before Robert
sons departure for this city to appear
as witness before the federal granc
jury. Robertson stated that Mitchell
told him Tanner had appeared before
the grand jury and testified 10 the or.
ignal agreement which provided all
fees earned before the departments at
Washington should belong to Judge
Tanner and the fees earned before the
Supreme Co urt of the United States be
longed to Mitchell Robertson then
continued: II knew it was not a gen.
uine agreement and was fairly amazed
and looded at him, suppose, for min
ute before he spoke again. He told me
be had had conversation with Tanner
when here in Dece mber and they had
come to the conclusion that any means
was justifiab!e to beat the assault being
made on them.' Mitchell allowed
Robertson to infer that the new agree
ment had been drawn up and signed by
Tanner and himself.
Tanners son, Albert H., Jr., testified
that during Mitcht ll's visit in Portland
est December. he prepared on type
writer q new agreement between his
father and Mitchell. as confessed to by
his father.
Judge Tanner made the following
statement to q representative OF the As
sociated Press: "No one knows the
torture l have endured since January
81, when made the statement before
the grand jury concerning the date OF
the co-partnership agreement betweea
and myself. The last straw
came, however, when 1 learned the fed.
eral grand jury was preparing to lndict
my son, who had written the agree
ment between Mitchell and myself. on
the typewriter. for perjury, and when
learned that agents of the government
we're in possession of facts proving the
document was not signed March S, 1901,
~ had been sworn 10. but that it bad
been prepared and signed last Decem
Der." Judge, do you expect to testi-
y against MITCHELL" was asked. |
Yes. expect to be called as a wit
hess in the case against Senator
and will tell the whole truth
'egarding the business OF the firm with
,ut regard to conse quences."
Following close upon the sensational
estimonv of Senator Mitchell's law
partner. Judge Tanner. and Harry C.
Robertson, Mitchsil's private secretary,
oday. came the announcement that the
ederal grand jury had returned an in.
lictment against Congressman Will
hanson, DR.. Van Gesner, Wiliamson's
'artner in the sheep business, and
iarion r. Biggs, United States Land
Prineville. The indict-
nent alleges that on June so, 1902, the
ccused persons conspired 10 obtain 100
ersons to file applications for public
ands in Crook county and swear the
and was for their own use, when &C.
ording to the indictment, they were
DR. the benefit of the firm of Gesner &
who desired the lands for
heep grazing.
Among the papers brought by Nit {
hel's secretary, Harry G.. Robertson, {
ON Washington, is one from Mitchell ,
, Judge Albert III. Tanner, dealing {
nth the partnership agreements. The