East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1906-07-11

The Oregon land fraud cases will
be the center of attraction in the
northwest for the next six months.
Deputy United States Attorney Gener-
al Francis J. Heney, who, with W. c.
Bristol. United States attorney for Or
egon, will prosecute the cases, is now
in Portland ready to begin the trials.
Judge Hunt. of Helena, has also
reached Portland and the legal mill
Is ready for the grinding
A number of the indicted land
thieves had hoped that public inter-
est in the land frauds would wane.
and that the cases against them
would never be brought to trial.
However, they have been disappointed
for all have been notified to appear
for trial.
This grist includes about a score of
indictments and involves in the neigh
horhood of 100 persons ranging from
representative TO Congressman Bing-
er Hermann to include State Senator
Franklin p. Mays. State Senator Geo.
c. Rrovnell, Mayor William p. Davis,
of Albany, Ore, ex-Surveyor General
of Oregon Henry Meldrum, now under
sentence on another charge: ex-United
states District Attorney John II. Hail;
Harry Rees. a cashiered army officer;
eX-Receivcr of the General Land Of
flee James II. Booth. Rev. stephen w.
Turrell and & host of others not well
known outside of their respective
communities.
The indictments charge Conspiracy
to defraud the government OF public
! land, conspiracy to suborn perjury,
conspiracy to intlmidate government
officials and witnesses, and conspiracy
| to Influence actions of the federal
grand jury.
One Bold Fraud Attempted.
| The most important indictment Is
known as the "Blue mountain case. -
This is alleged to have been a con-
| spiracy of almost incredible magni-
! tude and to have contemplated alleg-
ed def-auding schemes in Colorado
and other states of the Union besides
Oregon.
The indictment in effect charge.
a conspiracy to have forest reserve
Il
range located in northeastern Oregon
and also to acquire possession of arid
lands in eastern Oregon.
According to the indictment it wa!
the intention to have a forest reserve
located and Just before the order with
drawing the territory from entry al
attempt was to be made to rush loca
tors into the country thus establish
ing n base for scrip which could b,
exchanged for large tracts locate,
J elsewhere.
The indictment asserts that thi
plan fell through hecause a railroa,
was surveyed through the intende,
reserve and large tracts of land wa
located upon by outsiders before tn
= alleged consplrators could perfect thei
rians, This alleged scheme is said I,
: have embraced about 100000 acres O
land. The Blue mountain indictmen
involves among others. Representa-
tive Hermann and Senator Mays
Other eastern Oregon indictments al
: lcge attempts to secure large holding
of grazing lands. Several of the I'm
e dictments allege conspiracy to secur
I land I'm the coast counties while sti
others affect land in southern Ore
gon.
$ The "11-.' Gases.
There are also several Indictment
. still pending in the how notoriou
t "11-7" district of the Cascade fore
J. reserve. This was the site of fraud
( of 5. A. d. Puter, Horace McKinle,
{ Marie Ware, Mrs. Emma L. watso
= and others, and where the governmer
n secured the first convictions.
f The defendants who figure in IN
"11-7" indictments now pending, 6
n well as Representative Hermann
e Mayor Davis and two governmer
e agents.
: charge Of subcrnation of perjur
: is made against Senator Browner1.
being alleged he induced two witness,
to appear before the grand jury, an
swear falsely during the land frauC
Investigations.
The Indictment in which Hall ar
Rees figure is one charging n conspi
. acy to levy blackmail on Mr.. Hene
with the alleged purpose Of ultimate
forcing him to discontinue the lar
:, fraud prosecutions.