Omaha daily bee., 1906-01-18
MORE OF LANBERr'S OFFERS
Further Testimony Of Wares Aocompli.,
Paying for Land Filing Claims
FORMER oMsaAS MAKES FLAT CONFESSION
Max N. Lents says Lambert wsraed
Hirn Business was Pernicious
srd Secrecy Essential
to safety.

Frank Lambert told me he would give
me t150 for my first homestead and $50 for
the three additional quarters when proved
up. Up TO this time l had not carefully
read the fling papers. but when 1 die I
said to him, II 1 should try to prove up
on these papers / have signed by your d.
rection It would land me in the peniten-
tary then told him would have moth
ing further TO do with the business. then
gave him notice that / would drop the
matter. and did relinquish my claim back
20 the government"
Such was the statement Of Max M. Lentz.
formerly OF Omaha. but now at the Grand
Island Soldiers home and one OF the par
ties who filed on lands within the L. B. !.
ranch enclosure at the instigation of Welsh
and Lambert
The first witness called wednesday morn,
ing in the federal court trial Of Rev. q. G.
Ware was Sanford b. Brown, who was put
under rigid eross-examination. His tes-
tiInony in chief was not shaken. He said
he knew nothing OF the homestead laws,
but supposed he had right to dispose OF il
after Ming and that he would not have
made the filings Unless he had been as
sured OF being paid $50 per quarter when
he proved up. He never intended to go on
to tho land TO live.
siEned Lease In Blank.
Max NJ. Lentz was the next witness. His
hrst dealings were through Harry welsh.
In making the ninety -nine-year lease he
signed the lease In blank and that was the
last he ever saw of the lease. He had not
received his 81 for the lease. nor any other
sum Of money. All expenses were paid by
Welsh and Lambert. Lambert told him at
the time ne made his additional fling that
he xvffr - Mr.
would pay him the $3.50 when he proved up.
He said:
AT the time the papers were made out
| did not have my glasses with me. and
signed them without knowing their exact
contents. But aferward when cid read
the papers was satisfied / would be COM
hitting penitentiary offense to go on
and so threw up the contract The con-
ditions were that we were TO transfer the
land over to the land and cattle company"
In his cross-exainination Mr.. Lentz said
Why. certainly it was the understand
ing l would deed the land over TO the cattle
company. l supposed we had rights TO DO
50 as old soldiers. did not understand
was swearing to a false statement In
the matter Of proving up Lambert said
he could get men from Illinois to prove
up on the three quarters for 500. This
Noo OCAofo Hhu IuhQc the dooll1Oudl tI-
try. After IL was found we were going
to throw UP the agreement Lambert came
to Grand Island and said to me: Keep
your mouths shut about the land matter.
II is a crooked business then said to
him; Then, On you. why do you want to
mix me UP in this business? He said fur
Their that in proving up on the additional
filings we needn't bother about it, as they
would furnish all the witnesses and do
everything
Refused to Relinquish Land.
John J. Bum was the last witness of the
morning His evidence was substantially
the same as the previous witnesses, ex-
cept that he was one Of the men who
cut loose from the cattle company and
refused to relinquish the land. He went
back TO Mullen several times and went out
on his land, rebuilt his shanty. put a floor
in 1t and was trying to prove up on the
land now. The last he saw OF Lambert
was about a year ago. Afterward, when
he went to Mullen. Lambert had gone to
Oregon and he had talked to a Mr.. Kramer
at the Mullen bank about closing I'D the
land Transaction as the representative OF
the cattle company. The money for re-
pAiring the shaeks had been furnished by
D. niue and was a part of the proceeds
knnN III Didc SlSAnleu 10 nave received
from Ware. Both witness and Blue had
given notice to the cattle company tina,
they had quit with them and were now
going on their own hook.
wares Foreman Testins..
Foreman Henry d. Hoffgard OF the u
b. |. ranch was the only witness OF
"Wednesday afternoon that gave any evi
dence outside the routine stories tol9 b,
the old soldiers from the Grand IslanC
Home. Hoffgand said:
Il was foreman of the L. B. l. ranci
for about one and one-half years. osorg,
q. Ware Ii the president of the ranch com
psny and received all my directions from
him. He ordinarily came down to tn
ranch house four or 1--WE times year. Tn
ranch headquarters are at what is known
as the d. X ranch. The leases of Blue
Bum and Brown, with some fifteen others
were given 20 me by Mr.. Ware a yea
ago in January. returned the the
leases to the parties named, and aave tn
other fifteen still in my possession at tn
ranch house. Mr-<Ware said to me tina