Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-01-02
MITCHELL DENIES CULT
Oregon Senator Indicted For
Land Frauds Issues State
ment Declaring Innocence
VICTIM OF A CONSPIRACY
Declares the Indictment Must be Based
Upon the Testimony of Self. Con.
Ssssed and Convicted Land Thieves
What the Government Will At.
tempt to Prove.

What the Government Will At
tempt to Prove.
Portland, Ore, Jan. 2.-The Oregon
i'm yesterday printed the following au-
thorized statement by Senator Mitchell
regarding his connection with the al
4 leged land frauds conspiracy:
II am as innocent as "a baby i'm
born Of any completely in any land
frauds in Oregon or elsewhere. l as
1ert in the most positive terms that
the Indictment must be based upon the
testimony of self-confessed and con-
1 victed land thieves and perjurers, who
have been offered immunity in case
they meet the vindictive desire of Sec
Rotary Hitchcock and his agents, who
have by their testimony involved me
and others in the frauds.
"The prosecution officer, Francis j.
Heney, filed the newspapers of the
United States with press dispatches
from Portland ten days before the
9rand jury met to the effect that I
was involved in the land frauds. l
| Immediately left Washington for Port-
! land to answer any charges made a.
gainst me by the grand jury, ane i
wired Heney that l desired the priv
Ilege Of going before the grand jury To
answer any charges against me. On
Ismy arrival in Portland I made a sim
liar request of the foreman of thu
Jury.
Il was told by Mr.. Heney that
could go before the grand jury. Upon
{ my appearance there was told by
! Mr.. Heney that no evidence had been
submitted to the jury against me.
then said that if there was no charge
against me to anwer, I was ready to
submit to an examination. did so for
two hours and half, and answered
promptly all questions, was not ad-
&yised as to what the charge against me
twas. and assured the jury that was
ready and willing to answer amy other
questions which either Heney or any
members of the jury might wish to ask
me. and, especially did desire the
privilege of answering any charges
that might be made against me by amy
Witnesses.
Craving been assured that no such
evidence, up to that date, had been
submitted, I then remained IN PORT
land for four days after that, ana, re-
ceiying no word either from Heney or
the grand jury, the latter being IN
session all the time, / left Portland De-
cember 81 for my place OF duty IN
washington.
"If an indictment has been returned
against rue, / am prepared to meet IT
BEFORE . trial Jury Immediately, and, In
+his connection, I defy the prosecuting
officer to produce against me one par
ticle of evidence worthy OF a NOM
Ant's belief which in amy manner, I'M
properly or criminally, connects me
with any land, frauds, or.wlth any cor
fessed criminals, and shall demand a
trial at the earliest possible moment
ssThat there have been land frauds IN
/ Oregon I do not deny, but, speaking
for 1,cysS.f. do deny in the most posi-
a. Unqualified manner THAI
in any wise, either directly
tly, connected herewith or
NV benefit therefrom."
The Indictment.
etment alleges that on March
George Sorensen, offered 10
all, district attorney for the
Ates in Oregon, the sum OF
intent to influence the said
Hall in his official capacity
e on the indictments return
S. A. D. Putter Horace U.
~ oil to defraud the gov
ut Of land in township III,
ange :, east. The alleged
Of Senator Mitchell and
tive Hermann with the al
piracy, dates back, it is said,
when Mr. Mitchell received
rom 60 prominent attorney
introducing S. A. D. Put
espons,jble business man OF
Lrnment will, it is said, at
owe that Putter and Mitchell
ann were we'll acquainted;
was an ardent supporter OF
the senatorial campaign of
that all of them have been
acquainted for years.
he government alleges Put
10 Washington on business
with the lands of Ill in
vas at that time interested.
were held up in the general
and .Putter thought that it
( benefit to himself and his
go to Washington and see
be done to expedite them
yefore he left Portland the
will try to prove that he
P. Mays and secured from
to Senator Mitchell, tho
cording to the government,
lady ~el known to the SEN
hing at Washington the land
wentlso evidence will be Of
le office of senator Mitchell
rsed with him in regari to
his claims takers from the us
I'd list ard put thru to patent as
oc!! as possible. He told the senator,
is alleged. chat he had already sunk
large arnouI1 t Of maneN in the claims,
,d that Emma L. watson, a hard
orking and honest gin, had also IN
ested in them at his suggestion 1t
las necessary for him to have some
,auence with the commissioners of the
eneral land office to secure recog,