East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-01-02

Immediately transmitted the affidassfz
to Hermann.
Puter and Emma Watson were
taken to Hermann's office by Mitchels
and Puter made several calls there
during the next two or three days
On one of these occasions Mitchell in
troduced Puter to Assistant Land
Commissioner Richards, saying thai
Puter was zone of the most respoEaEE-
BILE citizens of Oregon" Up to this
time no money had been paid by Pu-
ter to secure the expediting of his
claims and they made rather discour-
aging progress.
Hermann met him one day on the
street and told him that 'it was zn
Off" and that the claims would have
to go back to Oregon for further in
vestigation, as there was suspicious
that they were not regular. Puter Wenk
to Mitchell, calling upon him at his
rooms in the Dewey hotel
He told the senator that the Case
was urgent and that something must
be done to prevent the claims being
sent back to oregon. He told Mitch
ell. that he had 5000 at stake anu
that it was Of vital importance 10 Sc
cure patents at once Finally he pun
ed two $1,000 bills out of his pocket
and handed them to the senator, Say
ing. I'VE must have your help. Take
that money and get the clairnS
through to patent" Z
Senator Mitchell, according to the
story, at first demurred. saying thai
the price offered was too much" bat
Puter insisted that he take the blAas
and they were finally pocketed by the
senator. This transaction occurred
March 9, 1902.
Hermann Changes Front: v
A day or two later Puter met Her
mann on the street The land COM
missioner for the first time, held ona
encouragement as to the claims He,
told Puter that perhaps somethiug
might be done about them after an,
and that it might not be necessary In
send them back to Oregon.
Three or four days later the patents
upon the fraudulent claims were is
sued.
There is strong corroborative evI-
dence of this story.
When Frank H. Walgamot, w7aD
was indicted with Puter, McKinleE,
ct al, and who pleaded guilty jnSt
before the case went to the jury.
made his confession to Secret Service
Agent Burns, he said that at one time
he went to Puter and asked him "a,
advance money to him for the ex-
1enses of the trial. Puter replSed
hat he had made much less out o1
he land operations in township HI
han was supposed. and could not zf-
ord to make the desired advance
Puter's Account Book
To support his statement he showed
,ept while in Washington in 1897
nd among other items he called at
ention to entries of the following pay
nents:
$500 to S. B. Ormsby.
Two payments of $500 each to G.
:. Loomis.
One payment of $4,000 to Cap
The last item was dated March ?.
e02.
L. F. Puter in his address to the
lry which convicted his brother, *
y. d. Puter, referred to honest oin
ap Ormsby" and both Mr.. HeneE
nd Mr.. Burns thought at the same
me they had found a clue TO the en-
v in Puter's account book. But they
,und that Ormsby was not in WASH
lgton at the date of the entry and
ley were again in the dark. After
lie trial and conviction Puter made
Ill confession to Mr.. Burns. The Iat-
IT asked him how much he had pai6
ut to secure the patent of claims I'D
'wnship III, and also asked whefh-
. he had kept account of such eT-
enditures.
Puter replied that he had. Burns
len asked about the payment Of
1000 to Cap" Puter replied With n
ugh that that meant capitol"
After much questioning, he finSatS
ated that the $4,000 was paid 10
,nator Mitchell. When asked wrza4
; had done with the account bHSE
which he noted these expenditures,
; replied that it was at Berkeley
Al. At Burns request he wired TO
s wife for the account book and II
rived soon after. 1t was at once
.amined by Mr.. Burns and S1S
und to correspond exactly with an