The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-08-20
Stories of the Secret Service
Continued from Page 2.

Hise. and. therefore at every turn Gov
cred nay tracks as well as 1 knew how
In line with this policy, l even took
roundabout course to Van Hise's office
in Superior street introduced myself
as the Erie party who had written to
him.
Pm glad to meet you Mr.. Hail."
said Van Hise effusively After the
getting down TO business he said:
$50 you are looking for timber lands.
Well, 1 believe 1 can furnish what you
want"
Have you much land of this kind?''
l asked.
Plenty of it.
AT what price,"
THAT depends on the land. If you
are prepared TO take a large tract 1
can probably make yO- a price of 30
cents an acre for land that would suit
your purpose
What arrangements can you make
for time? | have d certain amount of
money. I have sold my 'muley' mill,
and am thinking of buying a portable
circular mill Until 1 decide on this
point 1 don't know just how much l
viii be prepared 10 pay down on the
land
Those matters Gan be arranged TO
suit you. IL you take the land and put
mill on il ] will have nc fear of your
getting away from me without paying
the balance.
Our conversation was of the pleas
ant kind that marks a deal about to
be closed. Van EIise showed me abor-
ate maps Of the Missouri districts in
which he had lands for sale aud
marked off the tract he proposed to
sell me. But I did not close the deal
then. pleading that l wanted a little
time to decide on the style of mill to
use and to arrange other details | told
| W~OnlH n Missouri tn at
the lands and asked for descriptions.
which he cheerfully gave me.
he went further, instructing me To
make myself known TO the clerk of the
Missouri county TO which l was sup
posed TO be going This clerk, he said.
would be glad to show me the land at
his, Van Hise's expense, and would
give me all the information relative to
this and other points 1 might desire.
This bit of accommodation on Van
Hise's part indicated clearly the hold
the leaguers had on certain county Off
Gals and the part The latter played in
the marketing of the stolen goods.
nv plan was to conduct negotia tons
With Lindsay and Van Hise in such a
way taat they would have the deeds
TO the land they We're 10 sell Stedman
and me i'm their respective Offices on
the day the arrests We're to be made
thereby providing fresh evidence to be
was no hitch i'm this plan. Lindsay fol-
lowed up the negotiations opened by
Steoman with the celebrity ordinarily
displayed by man of business anN-
ious to close "A deal i'm which there was
a big profit. Van HiSe was just as eager
and Unsuspecting in his efforts to un-
load $4,000 stolen acres on James
Hail. saw mill operator. The plan was
working smoothly and promised great
results.
Nh .,z,,r,,,,,t 90 ze.,fto1 r- -t..,
at this late date would be OF no interest
10 my readers was enormous. spent
six weeks alone i'm the Washington
land Office Withdrawing papers for eX-
animation and comparison. Frequent
trips were made TO southeast Missouri
Ohio and Pennsylvania the network Of
evidence being filled in with a patch
here and a. patch there
] believe ] neglected To SAY in begin
ming this story that the Communication
to Secretary Schurz which he had
turned over to Chief Brooks and which
was the real starting point Of this his
toric criminal case. had been written by
one Leo Whybark of st. Louis. a former
colleague OF Robert Lindsay. To all
detectives il il well known that many
of the most important cases have their
origin i'm the falling out of thieves
among themselves. Lindsay and Why
bark had split over division OF the
spells. the latter claiming he had been
dOmineeFing in his treatment of sub
oIdinaies. WhybaTk's revenge took the
form Of his letter to the secretary of the
interior. During the investigation
Why bark was of considerable service
to the government. but later was ar
rested as one of the leaguers. His sen
tence. however was never enforced.
this being his reward for his services
TO Uncle sam.
In Cleveland. George Linn. after
whom was named a suburb IinndaIe.
was found 10 ne almost as important a
Lacquer rs Van Hise. John x. COTwin
the notary used by Van Hise and Linn.
was member OF one of the most promi-
uent families In Ohio. but. through his
overindulgeuce in whisky was q pliable
tool in the hands of others John Z.
Gardiner was a banker and a man OF
nigh business standing In the work
of producing false titles the notarial
work was not the least item as all the
papers had to be sworn TO. and it was
necessary to find notaries who not only
would consent 10 take acknowledge
ments they knew to be false but who
could be. trusted to maintain the ut
most secrecy. Two more of these
notaries were Herman Z. Schuster and
John J. Brady, j., OF st. Louis. In all
twenty-five men had been Ora gged into
our net for completely in ore form or
another in this great conspiracy
AT last the time came To strike !
believed Hhat the evidence In all the /
cases was strong enough to convict.
Warrants were sworn out and placed IN |
the hands of deputy United States mar |
arrests were 10 be made. The greatest