The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-09
TO QUIT TONIGHT.
Federal Grand Jury Nearly
Ready to Adjourn.
Twelve More Indictments viii
Be Returned.
ARE ALL FOR FENCING.
GraVer OfFenses VIII Be Con-
sidered Later.
Scene VIII Be Shifted to Kansas
City.
ARE ALL FOR FENCING.
Missing Witnesses Appear Be.
fore the Jury Today.

At noon today it was the plan OF
the federal grand jury which has been
in session this week investigating land
frauds in Kansas, to file tonight with
the court the remaining number of
indictments which are now ready.
twelve in number, and then adjourn
permanently.
THAT does not mean, however,
said E. D. McKeever, assistant United
States attorney, that the work ID
completed. We are hardly started
yet. The grand jury which meets in
Kansas City in January will continue
the investigation. There is a long
fight ahead for us yet"
Unless some unforeseen contingency
arises late this afternoon the adjourn
ment Will take place at O'Clock this
evening. Twelve indictments were
ready at noon, and possibly two or
three may be prepared this afternoon.
This is hardly likely, however.
The six witnesses it was feared yes
terday had left the country, but who
did not come because they were not
summoned until yesterday, appeared
this morning and they were at once
taken before the jury to give their
testimony. 1t has to deal with one Of
the most sensational features of the
investigation, the indictments for
which, if any are finally made up, are
to be saved UP for the Kansas City
jury. Some more links in the chain
of the evidence must be supplied, as
in some of the other fraud cases now
under the limelight.
The majority of the twelve indict-
mentS to be returned tonight are for
illegal fencing. Three are against Of
ticials, and two for false entries The
latter have some criminal features Of
unusual character. Mr.. McKeever
said this morning that he would make
nothing public concerning any Of
these for the present. They will
simply be placed on file with Judge
Pollock, and probably be carried over
to the Kansas City jury for further
use.
Il VIII be very hard to summarize to
any extent the work of the jury which
has been in session this week a great
deal has been done. Probably twenty
five or thirty indictments will have
been returned. OF this number at
least twenty are for Illegal enclosing Of
government land. This feature Of the
investigation was principal with the
jury this week. That particular viola
| ton of the law is the source and incep-
ton of the whole land fraud story.
More fragrant -ofeuSes have grown out
of it. That was the story in the north
west and it is proving to be the story
in Kansas. Illegal fencing has led to
fraudulent entries. In the latter Off
cials are implicated, because they are
supposed to have looked on with wink
ing eyes. Some are accused of having
gone farther Their cases have just
commenced. and they are due for q
merciless threshing. Some big results
have been expected right along, and
now the officials behind the investiga-
ton feel more certain than ever that a
housecleaning may be indulged in.
All of the government officials in
charge of the grand jury refuse to
make statements. ''I am glad that
these witnesses have come" said Mr.
NcKeever. s'They are among the most
important that have. Upon the evi-
dence they give much will depend. We
are getting right into the thick of the
fight. We could give out plenty of in
formation that would be extraordinar-
lily interesting, but it would not be wise
at this time. I do not know how soon
the public win know of our operations
That depends entirely on how our
present lines of investigation pan out.
But we are not through yet" he con-
cluded with a significant smiles~ Eve
are not through yet by a long. long
ways. The fight is only well started"
The reason of the transfer of the in
vestigation to the Kansas City jury is
to give the officials a chance to catch
their breath, and gather up some odds
and ends which are needed to make
certain phases of the evidence COM
plete. Colonel Green is going slowly
and cautiously in his fight, but he is
making the dragnet tight at all places.