The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-18
Aged Senator Mitchell De-
 nOunCes His Accusers
SHOWED GREAT EMOTION
Characterizes Attacks on Ills lnteu- rlty as Absolutely, Uquallfedly and Atroclously False and Brands
 Them as Malicious Lies.

Washington. January 17.-The unusual spectacle of a United States Senator ex- plaining on the floor of the Senate charges made against himself In a court Of law in his own state was witnessed In the Senate today when Senator Nit ehell of Oregon spoke of the recent in dictment returned against him by an Ore gon grand jury. The Senator had not previously appeared in the Senate since the indictment was returned, and he was received by his fellow Senators with many evidences of good will He was much affected, his emotion al times being such that he read his statement with great difficulty.
 Mir. Hepburn concluded his speech on the statehood bill and MT Stone gave no- tice of a speech tomorrow on his resolu- tion for an investigation of charges of corruption in the campaigns of 1896 and 1904
 Senator Mitchell at the outset declared that the charges made against him If true unfitted him to occupy his seat in the Senate. He then Cetailetd the charges and said:
 "I resent most positively and in unquaI- flied manner that each and everyone of these charges insofar as they relate to and Involve me are absolutely, unqualifi- edly and atrociously false and I here and now indignantly and defiantly de- nounce their authors and each and ev- cry one of them. and brand them publicly as malicious and a-rocious lies"
 Following this general denial with one more specific the Senator spoke sub stantially as follows:
 But I desire to- be more specific, and therefore 1 further deny. in terms the most absolute and unqualified of which l am capable of using, that I ever, either ir the month of January, 1902. In tha state of Oregon, or at any other time or place unlawfully or feoniously, or other wise consplred with Binger Hermann. then commissioner of the general land office and s. A. D. Puter, Horace G. Me Kinley, D. W. Tarpiey, Emma L. Wat son, Salmon B. Ormsby, Clark E. Loomis and William H. Davis. or with either or any of them, or with any other person or persons to defraud the United States out of any part of It's public lands, To- coted either in townshipsil south of range east In the state of Oregon or any other public lands either in the state of Oregon or elsewhere.
 Did Noa Enter Conspiracy.
 q assert, furthermore, in the most ab- solutely and unqualified manner. that any and all statements by any person or per sons to the effect that 1 ever, at any time or place, entered into a conspiracy with all or any of said persons, or they. or any of them, with me, to defraud the United States out of any part of its pub lie lands in the state of Oregon or else where, either by false or forged home stead applications, affidaylts or proofs. are absolutely, unqualifiedly and atro- ciously false, and | defy my defamers and challenge them to produce any evil dence, other than that of condemned thieves, forgers and perjurers, to sustain any such charges.
 "I further deny in the most absolute and unqualified terms, that said S. A. D. Puter did, either in the city of Washing ton on March g, 1902. or at any other time or place, offer me, or pay to or give me nor did I on March 9. 1902, in Washington. b. C., or at any other time or place, ac- cept or receive from said S. A D. Puter-- the sum of 5000 any other denomina- tion or amount whatever as an induce ment to use my influence with Binger Hermann, then commissioner of the gem eral land office. to induce him, as such commissioner to pass to patent twelve certain homestead entries, or any home stead entries whatever, or for any other purpose
 Denounces PuteTs Statement.
 And 1 here indignantly, and with all the force l can command, denounce the public statement of S. A. D. Puter that he on March 9, 1902. at Washington. D. C.. paid me 5000 in two $l0O0 bills as wilfully, maliciousy, unqualifiedly and atrociously false"
 The Senator then said he thought 1t proper that he should state precisely what connection he ever had with Puter and the lands In question and some of the cir cnmstances connected with the actions of the grand jury and the publications in the press regarding the charges.
 He said that about March 1 or ?, 1902. Puter called on him in Washington with letter of introduction from Hon. F. F. Mays, prominent attorney of Portland, Ore. and for many years district attor- ney of the Oregon district. Puter had with him a woman whom he introduced as Mrs. E. l.. Watson. a widow and a citizen of Oregon, who had invested some thing over ss0OO in twelve homesteads af- ter the entrymen had received their cer- tificates. The woman had obtained the greater part of this money by mortgag- ing other lands secured by notes coming due. She couldn't raise the money to meet these notes until she had received patents for the twelve homesteads she had purchased Puter had acted as agent for the woman. and she was blaming him, Puter said, as he had assured her when she made the purchases the pat ents to the lands would be issued, in the regular course of business. Puter asked if the Senator could aid him in getting them advanced for early consideration. The Senator said he told Puter certainly he would help him in the event he found the cases in condition to be taken up.
 Had No Suspicion of Wrong.
 "I had not, O course. the slightest sus- pioion," said Senator Mitchell. that there was anything wrong about the homestead entries or any of them"
 At the land office. the Senator con- tinued, they -'ere told that the field representatives in the cases were all in. and the cases were ready for examna- ton in their regular order but that 1t would be some considerable time be- ~~~~~~>~~~~-----~-~~~~~-