The San Francisco call., 1905-02-02
Federal Grand Jury Returns
True Bill Alleging That
Oregon Senator Accepted
$4,000 From Timber Dealer
PAID TO INFLUENCE
LAND COMMISSIONER
Charge Is Made That in
His Official Capacity He
Aided in Securing Patents
on Fraudulent Affidayits

3 PORTLAND, Or, Feb. Interest in
the land fraud cases was again raised
20 fever heat by the announcement
that the Federal Grand Jury had late
to-day indicted United States. Senator
John H. Mitchell on another charge Of
bribery, and had also indicted State
Senator George c. Brownell. one of the
foremost Republican politicians and
lawyers in this State, on charges of
subornation of perjury.
The indictment against Mitchell al
leges that while a Senator from this
State TO the Federal Congress he ac-
cepted on seven different occasions
sums of money .aggregating $4,000 from
q timber land dealer named Frederick
r. Kribs for services rendered in, 1t is
alleged, inducing Congressman Binger
Hermann, then Commissioner of the
General Land Office at Washington, to
expedite, make special and approve
certain applications for public lands,
and recommend the issuing Of patents
to the lands.
The indictment against Senator
Browhell charges that BrowneI caused
Fred Sievers and John Rowland to
swear falsely that certain field notes in
connection with the survey Of public
lands in Eastern Oregon were true.
Specifically the indictment against
Senator Mitchell recites that Kribs
was engaged in the business of procur-
ing and aiding persons making appli-
cations TO purchase tracts Of land in
the ROSebuYg land district in this
State and also aiding them to secure
the lands by means Of alleged false
statements that they were not apply
ing for them on speculation.
PAID TO USE INFLUENCE.
After going on 10 say that the ser
vices Of Congressman Hermann, as
Commissioner OF the General Land Of
nee. were necessary in having the ap-
plications expedited and having the
patents issued, the indictment says
that Frederick r. Kribs contracted for
The services Of John II. Mitchell and
A II. Tanner, law partners, and agreed
10 pay them for services rendered in
part by Mitchell appearing before and
persuaaing Binger Hermann, Commits
ssioner Of the General Land Office, to
make special, expedite and approve the
appLcatOns and claims and recon-
mend the issuance Of patents upon
them se though they were lawful and
b0na-fide applications and claims The
Indictment states that the United
states Government was directly inter
ested in these latter and that the SER
VICES were TO be performed by Mitchell
y hile a Senator from this State. The
Indictment then makes the charge. that
IN consideration Of these services Kribs
gave Mitchell two checks for $500 each
on ROseburg 0Or.) bank on February
Is, 1902; TWO checks on the same bank
on June IA. 1902, for $1,000 each; one
check on September 20, 1902. for $500:
enc check on January 4, 1904, for $500,
and one check on October s, 1904,
fer 5000
STATE SENATOR INDICTED.
The indictment against Senator
Mitchell involves the same district in
which the forged applications for sur
veys were made. upon which ex-Sur-
VeyOr General Henry Meldrum was
convicted last year. Tt charges that
Brownen entered into conspiracy
with Malcolm. s. McKeon and Rufus
6 Moore, deputy surveyors, and Henry
Meldrum, Surveyor General Of the
United States for the State Of Oregon,
10 defTaud the Government of public
land by procuring surveys TO be made
Of the land in a manner prejudicial
tC the administration of the law; caus-
e1 Fred Sievers and John How
land. aEmen, to take oath before him
as notary public that they had ap-
peared before Brownell in his official
capacity as. a notary on December ID,
1901s and swear TO a final oath of as
sistants in the official field notes. which
stated that the survey had been IN all
respects well and faithfully surveyed
and the corner monuments established
according to law.
The Indictment alleges that Sievers
and E5owland did not make the oath
in good faith and that they so swore
because Brownen had instigated them
10 do so, and that Brownell we'll knew
that the -oaths We're untrue.