The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1905-02-08
FOR A MESS OF P0TAGE
SALEM MEN SWEAR FALSELY
FOR SMALL SUM- B 3
Attemptssto Secure Big Tracts Of
( School land-Governor Gets
Confession-Puter Paid in
Cash-Other News.

Salem, Feb. 2.-S..A. D. Puter,
convicted of conspiracy to detraud
the government in timber-land
cases. and under Indictment On
further charges, was caught today
| in attempt to secure title to 3200l
acres of state school land in viala-
tion of law, and the state land board
has $4,000 Of his good money and
evidence sufficient to show the
fraudulent nature of the transac-
ton.
Basil Wagner, of this city, pro-
cured the men to make theapplica-
tion for the land. AS each filed his
application he told Clerk Brown
that Wagner would call for the cer-
tificate of sale.
Applications to purchase school
land near Klamath Falls were fled
by nine residents of Salem who
swore that they wanted the land
for their own use and benefit, and
had made no contract, expressed or
implied, to convey the land to any
other person. No certificates Of
sale were issued, but Clerk G. G.
Brown called the attention of the
state land board to the suspicious
applications and an investigation
resulted.
One of the applicants was taken
before the governor, where he was
Ielosely cross-questioned, until he
ADMITTED that he had made the ap-s
1plication at the instance Of an agent
4 of Puter and made the initial pay
ment with a bank draft furnished
by Puter.
Governor Chamberlain immedi-
ate ly called special meeting of
the state lapd-board to consider the
matter, and Puter appeared before
the board. He asked leave to with
draw the applications and receive
his drafts, but the land board re-
fused 10 recognize his right to have
the money returned.
l The drafts will be returned only
to the pers ons who deposited them,
and when these men appear they
will be brought upon the carpet and
questioned as to the truth of their
shdavits. Whether the $4,000 will
eventually be returned or will be
held by the board as forfeited re-
mains 20 be determined.
Twenty dollars apiece was the
price Puter was to pay the men for
their services in making the appli-
cations, securing certificates and
assigning the same to Puter or per.
sons whom he should name. II
the men desired they could retain
a one-tenth interest in the land in
stead of receiving the $40, but SO
. far as learned the men took the
3 money rather than the one-tenth in.
terest.
This one Of many illegal trans.
actions was discovered by Clerk G..
G.. Brown. Several days ago ap.
plications for $40 acres of land were
| offered signed by Maud Coffin and
her mother, and sworn to before 8
Portland notary. Brown was sus
picious and sent back word that the
! applicants would have to appear be-
, fore him to make the ahdavits
Today the nine applicants mention
| ed above appeared to apply for the
land which Puter had tried to ge
through Coffin, and other lands II
! the same vicinity. They appeared
| one or two at time. and each tend
! cred draft on Ladd & Bush
bank for 5000 as first payment or
| $50 acres Of land. ...D
| There was nothing in this part o
| the transaction to show the hand o
| Puter, though Brown suspected tha
! the famous land dealer was back o
| the whole business. When Randi
l appeared and made his affidavit, b
| was escortee to the governors ofic
| and put through a sweatbox.
L The story Randle told aad after
ward put in the form of sworl
| statement was that two or thre
| days ago Basil Wagner, of this city
| approached him and asked him
| he did not want to buy some stat
| land, Wagner offered to furnis
| the money and give him one
| tenth interest in the land or pa
= him 500 for the one tenth interes
" Wagner told him the transactio
| was all right. and he went into Il
| After presenting the applicatio
| and depositing the darft furnishe
| by Wagner, he signed blank a:
| signment, convey ing his interest
| the certificate of sale, which had nj