The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1905-06-03
STEALING STATE TIMBER
MUNSOE MAKES CHARGE
CHARGE
Lewfs Lnmber company 70 BE Prosecuted
~ State Agent yaIus 81 10000 Fees
os Alleged stolen Timber 70 be susd
for.

Moscow, Idaho, May 81. State
Land Commissioner Charles ]. Nun
son. of this place, has filed criminal
complaint against the Lewis Lumber
company of Occur d'Alene and ii IL
said the state land board will also
press q civil claim against IL 10 re-
cover the value Of so, 900 feet Of
white pine and cedar timber cut from
state lands on or near Mica bay on
Lake Occur d'AIene.
Commissioner Munson kept the
facts Of this case secret until they
leaked out from other sources. He
said today: Soon after went to
work as the commissioner 1t came 70
my knowledge that there had been
much state timber cut on and around
Lake Occur d'Alene. Upon inyesti-
eating ! found that such we're the
facts and that more than one person
was guilty OF this offense, but the
only ones that / have taken any
action against, so far as filing any
chsrges are concerned, is the Lewis
Lumber company. The facts are
that this company deliberately went
upon state lands. knowing them 10 be
such, and without owning any ad
| joining timber to IL, picked ont the
choicest white pine and cedar trees
and appropriated them, to the amount
Of about so. 600 feet that / kuow Of.
mostly, believe. 10 the construct ion
work on Mica bay, from which point
the company is building a logging
railroad on the west side of Lake
Occur d'AIene. extending in q south
west direction from Mica bar.
HINTS AT 4 FELONY.
Some Of the timber, have evil
dence TO show, Was used for CONNER
cial purposes. / have been Instructed
By the state land board and Governor
GoodinR TO diligently protect the
states timber from depredations and
vigorously prosecute guilty persons.
besides bringing civil actions "a
COLLECT its value. II il eau be proven
that any person or company cuts tim
Der from state lands and ships tbs
lumber out Of the state il is felony
under the Idaho statutes aud punish
able by Imprisonment in the state
penitsutisry from / to IA years; q
it is not taken from the state. how
ever, the offense lie only a mis-
demeanor.
The only reason that the crimina
case is being held in statu quo 70
the present is because the state Lana
board at Boise has discovered tina
! there had been some Official CORES
pondence between the Morrison ed
mlnlstration and the Lweis Lumbe
company and l am waiting for Their
/ to forward me that correspondence
which might be Of such a eharacte
} &c 20 release the Lewis company froE
, the criminal action. But let that b
as IL may. this company win have t
settle on the basis of at least so, 90
feet.
''The Lewis Lumber company ha
died letters with the department =
Boise In which the managers IN
much fault with me aud my method
: OF getting my information as to wis
6 they have been doing. They admit
after thus abusing mig, that they di
: cut and appropriate logs for COZ
: struction purpose and wanted then
, selves excused from any blame on II
ground that such privileges wei
= usually extended construction con
, panies But we have proof that muC
; timber was not only used in col
i struction work on Mica bay, b.
q some Of il was fioated across the lal
q and may have been shipped out
che state.
1