The Washington times., 1906-11-29
AGENTS UNABLE
TO STOP STEALS,
ACCUSE OFFICIALS
Claim That Reports Sent
to Washington Were
Ignored.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Nov. %
An astounding story OF fraud and
corruption reaching to the very
heart of the General Land Office Of
the Government, and apparently
permeating its every branch, was
told in detail before the Interstate
Commerce Commission here yester-
day.
Witnesses who are in the employ
of the Land Office, acting upon or
ders issued directly by z. a. Hitch
cock, Secretary of the Interior, took
the stand and told the commission
ers of their fruitless efforts to fight
the System" which powerful in
fuences had built up with a view to
Tobbing the Government.
The tale which these witnesses
told left no doubt in the minds of
the hearers that there were certain
corporations and certain men in
high places who were able to com
pletely control appointments in the
Land Office, and the official acts of
that division of the Government.
Thus far not even the breath of sus-
picion has been east upon Secre-
tary Hitchcock, who is now bending
every effort toward a complete ex-
posure of the guilty parties. Testi-
mony, however, has been of such a
character as to create amaZement
that such things could be done for
years without the complete knowl-
edge of the head of a department.
Apparently. however. Secretary
Hitchcock is doing all in his power
to assist the commission and to
make amends for the corruption
which has apparently existed for
years in the General Land Office.
The name o. Senator Francis F.
Warren of Wyoming was freely used
by the witnesses in the story of
their efforts to stop the wholesale
stealing of public lands.
Amazing Stories of Corruption.
Special Agents Sewers and Meyendorf
told IN detail how they had for more
than three years fruitlessly bOmbarded
the General Land Ofaoa with letters
ana with proofs OF fraud and corruption
IN the acquisition OF public lands
amounting 10 millions of dollars: how
their letters had been ignored; how they
had been transferred and sometimes
suspended for perniCiOus activity. and
how in one case at least through the
influence OF the very corporation which
q is charged has been stealing thous-
ands Of acres OF land. a special agent
was reinstated by the Land ONCE.
So skinfully and completely has Attor-
ney J. T. Marchand marshaled his facts
that many indictments cannot fail to re-
suit from the evidence which IS being
added here. One result OF the testi-
mony will be a presentation TO the
Federal grand jury of evidence upon
which it is hoped to indict p w Spauld-
ing. of Evanston. WyO., attorney for the
Union Pacific Coal Company. upon a
charge of perjury. in a former hearing,
Spaulding swore that he had filed on a
section OF coal land purely as a specula-
ton. Yesterday. under crOss-examlna-
tion by Attorney Marchand. he was
forced TO admit that he secured the coal
lands at the request Of George /. Black
for the benefit of the Union Pacific Coal
Company, for which he received $500 At
that time he was the law partner OF
Judge Cyrus Beard, nov justice OF the
supreme court Of Wyoming. placed
there largely through The influence OF
Senators Warren and Clark.
Called the Wrong Man.
During the morning session a clever
attempt was disclosed To give II. G.
Williams. manager of the Utah Fuel
Company an immunity bath. The at
torney for the fuel company stated to
the commission that Chairman Knapp.
OF the commission. had telcproned
President f. r. jeffrey, president OF the
Utah Fuel Company, in New York ask
ing him to instruct Williams 10 attend
the commissions hearing in salt Lake
City and testify. Williams was on hand
pursuant TO that alleged request, and his
testimony was offered TO the commits
sion. It appeared, however, that Chair
man Knapp had asked for the presence
or ". +. Cotton. treasurer OF the Pleas
ant Valley Coal Company. or quite an
other man, and had been told that
Manager Williams was the one who
knew all about the transaction
We certainly do not intend. declared
Attorney Marchand 20 the commits
sion, "to give Mr.. Williams immunity.
The grand jury is even nov considering
his case.
In this connection also. the commits
sion was asked by Hiram F. Booth,
United States district attorney here, to
excuse a half-dozen witnesses who had
been subpoenaed, upon the ground that