Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1905-01-20
Senator Mitchell's Defense.

The following dispatch from Wash.
ington to the Oregon dailies is self.
explanatory:
The unusual spectacle OF a United
States Senator explaining on the floor
Of the chamber of the Senate charges
made against himself by court of
law in his own state was witnessed in
the Senate today when Senator Mitchell
OF Oregon spoke of the Indictment re.
turned against him by an Oregon grand
jury. The Senator had not previously
appeared in the Senate since the indict
ment was returned, and was received
by his fellowSenators with many evi.
dences OF good will. He was much
affected, his emotion at times being
such that he read the statement with
much difficulty. At the outset tho
Senator declared the charges made
against him, if true, untitled him to
occupy his seat in the Senate. He then
detailed the charges aud said:
" | assert, in the most positive and
unqualified manner, that each and
every one Of those charges. in so far as
they relate to or involve me, is abso-
lutely, unqualifiedly and atrociously
false; and here and now, Indignantly
and defiantly, lenounce their authors,
each and every one OF them, and brand
them publicly as malicious and afro.
cious liars"
Following this general denial with
one more specific, the Senator spoke
substantially as follows:
but | desire to be more specific,
and therefore | further deny, in terms
the most absolute and unqualified
which | am capable of using that
| never, either in the month of Jan.
uary, 1902, in the state of Oregon, or at
any other time or place, unlawfully or
feloniously. or otherwise, conspired
with Binger Hermann, then Commits
sioner OF the Land Office. and S. a. d.
Puter, Horace G.. Mckinley, d. w.
Tarpley, Emma l.. Watson, Salmon B.
Ormsby, Clark e. Loomis and William
II. Davis, or with either or any of them,
or with any person or persons, to de-
fraud the United States out of any
part of its public lands located either
in township II south, range east, in
the state of Oregon, or any other public
lands, either in the state of Oregon or
elsewhere.
II assert, furthermore, in the most
absolute and unqualified manuer, that
any and all statements by any person
or persons to the effect that | ever at
any time or place entered into CON
spiracy with all or any of said persons,
or they or any of them with me, to de-
fraud the United States ont of any part
of its public lands in the state of Ore
gon or elsewhere, either by false or
forged homestead applications, attidav-
its or proofs, are absolutely, unquali
tiedly and atrociously false, and | DEFY
my defamers and challenge them to
produce any evidence other than that
of condemned thieves, folgers and per.
jurers, to sustain any such charges.
" further deny in the most absolute
and unqualified terms that :. A. b.
Pnter did, either in the city OF Wash
iuglon. on March 8, 1902, or at any other
time or place, offer me- or pay to me, or
give me nor did | on March 9, 1902,
in Washington, d c. or ut any other
time or place. accept or receive from
said 8. A. d. Puter the sum of $1,000 or
any ether amount whatever, either in
two $1,000 bills or any other denomina-
tion or amount whatever as an induce
ment to me TO use my influence with
Binger Hermann. then Commissioner
of the General Land Office, to induce
him, AS such Commissioner, to pass to
patent twelve certain homestead Ell.
tries, or any homestead entries what
ever, or for any other purpose
"And | here Indignantly, with all the
force l can command, denounce the
public statement of S. A. d. Puter that
he, on March 8, 1902, at Washington, u.
g., paid me $1,000 in two $1,000 bills. as
wilfully, maliciously, unqualtiedly aud
atrociously false"
Senator Mitchell attacked Francis j.
Honey, attorney for the Government in
tho prosecution of the land frauds,
accusing him Of unprofessional con.
duct. lie charged that tIeney offered
cemency to Puter, Emma l.. Watson
and others if they would make state
ments involving himself (MitchelD aid
Congressman Hermann aud others.
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