Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-10-21

expense OF $4,000 70 satisfy the poilf-
teal enmities OF my superiors. AS a
matter Of fact. about $1,000 had been
spent mp TO that time. The strongest
political forces in the state were being
pushed TO their utmost capacity TO bring
about the release Of Lindsay. especially.
and the bitterest Of feuds were fomerted.
After the 10th OF September. 1881.
when the word flashed across the land
that the shot fred by Guiteau on the
railway platform at Washington had
proved fatal. a prominent government
Official said 20 me:
NOW that Garfield is dead there is
little chance or conyicting the land
leaguers."
This statement was made on the as
sumption that President Arthur was
friendly TO the Grant element: but this
turned out To be an erroneous surmise.
In answer 20 il I said.
The republican party cannot afford
70 stand sponsor for these men"
Fully as ! realized the strength of the
political movement IN favor of the
criminals l was. scarcely prepared for
the sudden turn which affairs took.
The cases had been brought in the
United States court Suddenly 10 be-
came whispered about that the fed
eral law governing land patents had
been construed in such a way as TO re-
lease the conspirators. This construc-
ton was TO the following effect: That
land patent once issued was valid so
far as the government was concerned
without reference to the manner in
which it had been obtained-in other
words. II the fraud was not discovered
before the patent was issued il could not
be used to nullify the patent nor punish
the guilty.
Here was pretty how'd ye-do. After
years hard work had revealed a crime
involving the clear theft Of from 6O00.-
600 to 100000 acres of valuable land
from the government and thousands OF
individuals had been robbed. the pro-
motors of the plot were 60 be restored
70 liberty aud their former places in
society because a judge claimed 20 have
discovered n possible construction of
the federal law that would attain this
result There was no claim that the
land le2guers had not committed the
acts With which they stood charged. but
their friends claimed-and unfortunate
ly they found ready support among gov
eminent oficials-that the discovery Of
this technicality justified the dismis-
sal Of the cases.
My position was that merely OF the Of
hcer who had been largely instrumental
IN planning and carrying out the inves-
tgation at the orders Of my superiors
But was determined that the criminals
should not escape IL 10 was I'm my power
20 prevent. ] had seen all the august
power OF government arrayed AGAINST
malefactors whose crimes had been in
intestinal compared with that OF these
kid-gloved eonspirators. and % me il
seemed violation of every tenet of
eternal right 20 allow these men TO 10
free because they were strong in the
councils of tLeir political party.
was also convinced that the judge in
question was in error legally. and IN
support OF my view had letter written
10y Assistant Secretary OF state Bell 10
John Sherman. secretary Of tho treas
ury, calling attention TO section 5tO2 of
the statutes, which provided that any
person stealing or destroying any pa.
per, record or document from any fed.
eral ONCE could be fined and imprisoned
This section covered fully the thefts OF
land patents. Besides. &c had been held
by the supreme court that the actual de-
livery OF patent. as with deed. was
necessary to pass title.
SO far as Che use OF their technicaIit,-
was concerned the defendants eaincd
their point ON the construction re-
ferred o. the eases were allowed 60 die
IN the federal court by the iudce who
had made the strange construction of
the law
There was but one recourse. In tho
preparation or the big crime numerous
individual orenses against state laws
had been committed. such as rorccrv
perjury and obtaining money under
false pretenses- We might find justice
IN these state courts This was sup-
gestet, but my superiors in WASHINGTON
doubted the probability OF our being
able TO convict ia the state courts on The
theory that they were even more. sub
Ject 20 influence than the federal courts
Most fortunately there came TO the
rescue OF Justice at this critical moment
man With splendid fighting ability and
a deep sense % duty Circuit Attorney
Harris. Of ST. Louis. He possessed In a
marked degree the qualifications that
TIE federal prosecutors lacked. With
him went over the evidence. He leaned
into the breach with q vim that was re-
frcshing. He was invulnerable TO no.
litical or other influences and soon
mastered and marshaled for use the
great mass Of evidence.
In the meantime q touch OF romance
had been added TO the drear details Of
the case in Cleveland. In the Office Of
Orlando Van Hise there had been en-
ployed clerk named Mary A. John
son. Her sister had married George
Linn. another member OF the ring. She
was also no-ary public, and had taken
many fraudulent acknowledgements for
her employer The government had in
tended 10 use Mary johnson as a witness
against Van Hise, but Cupid took a hand
soon after the arrest and Van Hise and
the girl were married. thus giving the