Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1905-01-19
COMING NEAR HOME.
Land Frauds May be unearth-
cd In Wheeler County.
BUTTE CREEK co INVOLVED
Methods OF Company and U. S.
Officials May be lnvestI-
gated.

There has been lul In the land fraud
investigation for awhile but those In
position 10 know predict that the period
Of quiet will soon he followed by devel-
opuents even more startling than those
recorded before the holidays. II IL now
stated that there are more breakers
ahead for Mitchell and Herman aud that
Congressman Williamson will be Indict.
cd with them for alleged crooked work
In the Blue mountain forest reserve.
Local interest In this and Wheeler
counties just now centerS Ia the investi-
cation which Is said TO he started against
the Butte Greek Land. Lumber Il Live
stock Company, Of Fossil. This com.
pany. Of which ex.StAts Senator w. W.
Stlewer ~ president, II. II. Hendricks is
treasurer and G. Il, Zachary 10 general
manager, has been under surveillance of
special agents Of the government for
some time. They had vast acreage Of
government land fenced for their own
use until year ago when they were
forced to open their fences by an In
spector pnt IL is reported here that when
special agent Alexander. Of La Grande,
went To Fossil last week he found the
fences ali mp again. 4, W. Bail, o. d.
BilIs aud ], l.. Combs, Of Fossil, are now
At Portland to testify before the grand
jury regarding the practices OF this com.
pany In regard to public lands. Speak
ingoI this case the Portland Telegram
says:
1T Ia not believed by those who pro.
iess 10 know that the government 10 ai-
ter che officers oi this company, hut
rather the government officials who may
have aided them In any enterprise that
WAS contrary TO the statutes Of the Unit
cd States. This company owns mill vt
Fossil, which is 100 miles southeast Of
The Dales, and Is said TO have acquired
claims by the location Of settlers and
the payment Of small bonus as we'll ~
the expenses Of securing the claim, for
REIMBURSEMENT from the settlers This
Ia matter for the grand jury to deter.
mine, however, and action may be taken
tomorrow or the day after"
Mr.. Hendricks, the treasurer OF the b,
@. l.. l., L. Co., was formerly U. S.
Land Commissioner at Fossil but a little
over wear ago he suddenly discovered
that "a pressure OF other business"
made II expedient for him to resign the
comlnissioneFship II was understood
at the time that the pressure came from
the federal authorities rather than from
his law practice and II has since been
current rumor that al indictment was
found against him at that time hut that
II was kept smothered by some friend
who was In q position TO do so. Lately
some speculative minds have connected
that rumor with the recent summary
dismissal OF District Attorney Hall who
was charged with obstructing justice
and protecting certain people who we're
under suspicion. Comment has also
been heard on the sudden change Of
heart Of Senator Stiewer who up Till
about that time had been q strong anti
Mitchell man but who suddenly became
an ardent supporter of the senior sena-
tor. II is hinted that there may have
been some connection between this flop
OF Stiewer and the reported smothering
OF the indictment against Hendricks.