Los Angeles herald., 1905-01-01
IND|CTS SENATOR
AND CONGRESSMAN
MITCHELL AND HERMANN ARE
ACCUSED OF FRAUD
SAYS $1,000 BRIBE PASSED
Deputy Sheriff Is Also. implicated
With Statesmen in Oregon Land
Steals Now Under
investigation
BY Associated press.

Investigation
BY Associated Press
PORTLAND, Ore, Dec. 3t.-Unitet
states Senator John II. Mitchell Rep.
resentative in Congress Binger Her.
mann and George Sorenson, formerly c
deputy sheriff Of Multnomah county
were Jointly indicted today by the fed
eral grand jury.
The indictment alleges that John II
Mitchell and Binger Hermann did ir
January, 1902, unlawfully and felon-
iously conspire together and with each
other and with S. A. ID. Puter, Horace
G. Mckinley, N. w. Tarpley, Emma L.
Watson Salmon b. Ormsby, Clark e.
Loomis and William E. Davis and
others to defraud the government OF
the United States out of a portion of
its public lands situated in township
IL south, of range east, by means of
forged and false affidavits and ficti-
tious persons and that in furtherance
of such conspiracy S. A. d. Puter did
on March Q, 1902, pay to John H. Mitch
ell the sum of $4,000 to secure his infiu-
missioner of the general land office in
Washington.
1t alleges that acting upon the sug-
gestion and the wish of Senator Mitch
ell and influenced by him, knowing that
the transactions were unlawful and fell
onious, Binger Hermann used his power
as commissioner of the general land
office to expedite twelve claims in town
ship III, and had them passed to pat
ent when he knew them to be illegal
and not according to the requirements
of the law.
Tried to Bribe Hall
The indictment also alleges that on
March 2S, 1904, George Sorenson offered
to John Hall, district attorney for the
United States in Oregon, the sum of
$4,000 with intent to influence said John
Hall in his capacity when acting upon
indictments returned against s. A. D.
Puter, Horace II. Mckinley. ct al. to
defraud the government out of land in
q
The alleged connection of Senator
Mitchell and Representative Hermann
with the alleged conspiracy dates back
it is said to the time when Mr. Mitch
ell received the letter from "a prom
inent attorney in Oregon" introducing
S. A. d. Puter as a responsible bus
mess man of Oregon
Before he left Portland, the gov
ernment will attempt to prove, that he
went to F. P. Mays and secured from
him a letter to Senator Mitchell
though in fact, according to the gov
ernment, he was already well acquaint-
ed with the senator.
He told the senator, it is alleged,
that he had already sunk a large
amount of money in the claims and
that Emma L. Watson, hard work
ing and honest girl, had also invested
in them at his suggestion
Sought MitcheIl's Influence
1t was necessary Tor him to have
some influence with the commissioner
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 govern
ment will attempt to prove that he
promised to make it right with the sem
ator in the event that he could Sc
cure the good will and assistance of
Mr.. Hermann.
The government contends that Mr..
Puter then went to see Binger Her
office, and talked the matter over with
him. Hermann, it is alleged, did not
see that anything could be done to the
lands unless some action would be
taken which would make the transac-
ton of record in the office.
Puter then got into hack, it is al
legged, and went to the hotel of Sem
ator Mitchell. the Dewey house, and
told him of the alleged conversation
with Commissioner Hermann.
The famous Puter- Watson affdavits.
according to the government. were
then made in the hotel of the senator
and it alleges that Senator Mitehel
dictated the alleged papers to his own
and had them delivered
tc Mr. Puter as soon as finished
Hermann Acts Promptly
On March 6, 1902. the government al
leges, Mr.. Hermann wrote a letter to
Senator Mitchell. stating that he had
expedited the claims as per his request.
This is the letter which was introduced
in the first trial and over the identifca-
ton of which both Senator Mitchell and
Mr.. Hermann We're in doubt. 1t is also
the letter which Commissioner w. A.
Richards made his trip to Portland
from Washington to identify.
The clerk in charge of the case rec
they be returned to the local
land office at Oregon City for further
proof and investigation, as the entries
to be fraudulent and not ac-
"a Ioxxr nshaoa xxra,.a tho nox,fe.