Omaha daily bee., 1905-01-01
CHARGE IS CONSPIRACY TO OEFHAUD
They Are Accused of Being Implicated in
Oregon Land Steal.
lsTRlcT ATTORNEY HALL ls REMOVED
Federal Officer Endorsed by Mitchell and
Hermann is Out of Office.
WASHINGTON OFFICIALS WILL NOT TALK
Charge Made that the Attorney Was
Trying 60 shield Certain PrOmi-
nent Persons Accused
of Crime.

PORTLAND, Ore, Dec. 31.-United States
Senator John II. Mitchell, Representative
in Congress Binger Hermann and George
Sorenson, formerly a deputy sherih OF
Multnomah county, were jointly indicted
today by the federal grand jury.
The indictment alleges that John H.
Mitchell and Binger Hermann did, in Janu-
airy, 1902, unlawfully and feloniousiy con-
spire together and with S. a. ID. Puter
Horace G. Mckinley, N. w Tarpley, Emma
l.. Watson, Salmon b. Ormsby. Clark E.
Loomis, William II. Davis and others, TO
defraud the government of the United
States out of portion of its lands stu
ated in township II south, range east
by means Of forged and false aftidavits
and fictitious persons, and that in the
furtherance of such conspiracy S. A. D.
Puter did, on March 9, 1902. pay to John
H. Mitchell the sum of 5000 to secure his
influence with Binger Hermann, then COM
missioner of the general land office at
Washington 1t also alleges that, acting
upon the suggestion and the wish of Sena-
tor Mitchell and Influenced by him, know
ing that the transactions were unlawful
and felonious, Binger hermann used his
power as commissioner of the general land
office to expedite twelve claims in town
ship IL. range T. and had them passed to
patent when he knew them to be Illegal
and not according to the requirements of
the law.
Attempt TO Bribe District Attorney.
The Indictment alleges that on March Is,
1904. George Sorenson offered to John II.
Hail. district attorney for the United States
in Oregon the sum of 5000 with intent to
influence the said John II. Hall in his ofll-
cial capacity when acting on the indict-
ments returned against s. A. d. Puter.
Horace G.. Mckinley ct al, to defraud the
government out OF land in township south,
of range I, east. The alleged connection of
Senator Mitchell and Representative Her
mann with the alleged conspiracy dates
back, it is said, to the time when MIR.
Mitchell received the letter from "a prom
inent attorney in Oregon" introducing s. A.
D. Puter as responsible business man OF
Oregon"
The government will, 1t is said attempt
to prove that Puter and Mitchell and Her
mann were we'll acquainted that Puter was
an ardent supporter of Mitchell in the sens
torlal campaign of 1898 and that all of them
have been personally acquainted for years.
In 1902, the government alleges, Puter
went to Washington on business connected
with the lands of III, in which he was at
that time Interested The lands were held
up in the general land office and Puter
thought that it would be of benefit to him
self and his fellows to go to Washington
and see what could be done to expedite
them to patent.
Before he left Portland the government
will attempt to prove that he went to W.
P. Mays and secured from him letter to
Senator Mitchell though in fact according
to the government, he was already well
known to the senator. Arriving at Wash
ington the land speculator went, so evil
dence will be offered, to the office of Sem
ator Mitchell and conversed with him in
regard to having his claims taken from the
suspended list and put through to patent
as soon as possible. He told the senator
II is alleged, that he had already sunk a
large amount of money in the claims and
that Emma l.. Watson, hard-working and
honest girl, had also invested in them at
his suggestion. 1t was necessary for him
to have some influence with the commits
sioner of the general land office to secure
favorable recognition OF his claims and he
therefore would like to have the help of
Senator Mitchell.
The government will attempt to prove
that he promised to make 1T right with the
senator in the event that he could secure
the good will and assistance Of Mr.. Her
mann. The government contends that Mr..
Puter then went to see Binger Hermann.
then commissioner, and talked the matter
over with him. Hermann, ii is alleged. did
not see that anything could be done to the
lands. unless some action would be taken
which would make the transaction of rec
ord in the office Puter then got into a
hack, 1t is alleged, and went to the hotel
of Senator Mitchell. the Dewey house, and
told him of the alleged conversation with
Binger Hermann. The famous Puter- Wat
son affidavits according to the government,
were then made in the hotel OF the sem
ator, and It Is alleged that Senator Mitch
ell dictated the papers to his own stenog-
rapher and had them delivered to Mr.. Puter
as finished. The affidavts, which 1t is as
serted told OF the settlement of the land
and Its cultivation, and the character OF
the persons making the filings, were then,
so the government will attempt TO prove,
taken to Mr.. Hermann, who, II Is alleged,
took them under consideration.
On March 6, 1902 the government alleges
Mr. Hermann wrote letter to Senator
Mitchell, stating that he had expedited the
claims as per his request This is the let
ter which was introduced in the first trial,
and over the Identification Of which both
Senator Mitchell and Mr. Hermann were
in doubt. The letter which Commissioner
W. A Richards made his trip to Portland
from Washington TO identify. This letter
said that Mr.. Hermann had expedited the
claims and that the clerk of the division
would take the claims under consideration.
This, II is understood, was done, and on the
following day the clerk recommended that
they be returned TO the local land office
at Oregon City for further proof and in
Vestigation. The clerk recommended. II Is
stated. that the entries seemed to be fraud
ulent and not according TO law. These were
the Davis lands, In which. Il is alleged, w.
~ Davis Of Albany and others were inter-
ested
Loomis was then forest superintendent,
according to the government In the mean
time d. w. Tarpley went to Davis and got
him 70 raise 800 each from fourteen men
for favorable report from the government