Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-11-29


control, and who was acting as such
special agent at Denver when ar
rived there. ! soon learned that Mr.,
O'Brien was a Wyoming man, and that
Mr.. O'Brien was at one time the hon
orable commissioners colleague In the
service OF the state of Wyoming, and
the personal friend of the commissions
or, and that Mr.. O'Brien was In fire.
quent and confidential spondence
with Mr.. Macy chief clerk OF the gen.
eral land Office. | soon also learned that
Mr., O'Brien furthermore corresponded
With Hon. Francis r. Warren, United
States senator for Wyoming. | also
soon discovered that Mr.. O'Brien's opin-
ion guided the opinions of the commits
sioners Office In matters relating to
work in the state Of Colorado. It was
not agreeable 20 Mr.. O'Brien for me to
guide or direct his movements or TO
keep trace OF them, for the reason that
his movements would not compare ia
vorably with the movements of other
agents in Colorado in respect TO the
amount Of work accomplished or the
manner OF doing the same. Mr. O'Brien
was a special fayorite of the commits
sioners office. state this because on
not less than two occasions he was re-
lleved from duty as special agent, car
ryigg a subsistence OF 50 day. and
thereafter detailed to work as a special
agent, carrying subsistence at IS per
day. These special details, with in
creased subsistence OF s. a day COW
cred a period from several weeks to
several months at time.
sENATORsHTP INVOLVED.
Mr.. 0Brlen made repeater requests
to turn these Investigations over to
him. His efforts were strenuous. The
efforts employed are illustrated by the
fact that Mr.. 0Bren informed me
that upon the result of this coal land
investigation depended the election of
United States Senator Clark of Wyom-
ing. and Mr.. OBrien further informed
me that Senator Warren was very
much interested In the election of Sem
ator Clark. That, as Mr.. O'Brien stat
ed to me, he himself was a Wyoming
man, with many friends I'm that state
and that II would afford him the de-
tail to investigate In Wyoming he could
help the election; that II | should go
there myself l would injure the
chances, and Mr. OBrien implied
strongly that | would experience OFF,
cial dlsfavor IL | undertook personal
investigation in that state. Mr.. O'BrIen,
finding that his efforts so used failed TO
turn me from my determination to act
In the matter alone. as determined I'm
the interview with Mr. Smith, induced
Mr. G. l.. Hendershot another special
agent under my charge, stationed at
Pueblo, Colo. to see me in regard TO
this investigation. Mr.. Henderson,
came to see me and in behalf of Mr..
O'Brien. used the same arguments as
referred to above and as were used by
Mr. O'Brien himself, with a further
additional suggestion that II would be
unsafe for me to buck senators and
such big corporations as the Union Pa
cihc Railroad company, and that II
would certainly be better for me TO
turn the Investigation OF the wyoming
cases over 10 Mr. OBrien. Hender-
shots interview had no effect upon
my efforts. ] went on with the nves-
tigation. | secured evidence. sent
the evidence so secured to Washington
to the commissioner of the general land
Office.
In the course of this procedure. up.
on the investigation, was informed
by several persons, among whom |
believe a. j. Smith himself, that Mr..
. Blien had written to Senator War
rem, rejecting upon my duty In the
which | was conducting by virtue of
my office. In january. 1904, acting
upon this information, wrote to Sem
ator Warren, requesting him not 10
PREJUDICE me without giving an oppor-
tunity to be heard. II the Information
reaching me that letters were actually
written TO him against me was true.
To this letter Senator Warren replied
very courteously, later sending an
other letter.
Some time after this second letter I
received request from Senator War
rem to meet him at his hotel In Dem
YER | met the senator at the Oxford
hotel some time In June or MAY, 1904.
the particular date / cannot now state.
but at that interview Senator Warren
made no direct request that I should
not prosecute The investigation from
personal considerations. hut he pointed
out the danger OF making an enemy
OF the Union Pacific Railroad COM
pany In Wyoming elections. and stated
that Senator Clarak's recollection might
be Jeopardlzed II the enmity OF the
Union Pacific Railroad company
should be incurred. | told the sena-
tor that an investigation In Wyoming
which would make disclosures upon
the ground would not take place until
after election. but that ! would in
yestigate the matter to the best of my
ability on the ground In Wyoming as
soon as the election was over.
WAS SENT AWAY.
About three months after my inter-
view with Senator Warren was trans.
ferred from Denver 10 Los Angeles.
Cal, n distance OF about 1900 miles
from the state Of Wyoming and away
from the seat Of my operations This
transfer was made at time when |
had completed all Of my arrangements
and perfected my details 10 institute
end carry on rigid Investigations In
Routt county. Colo, Immediately ad-
Joining the operations supposed 10 be
had In Wyoming and which investi-
cations In Routt county would natural.
~ have led me into the discovery OF
the operations IN the adjoining state
Of Wyoming. After my transfer TO
Los Angeles the contemplated reor-
ganization OF the special agents OF the
land office took place. Several pro-
motions were made. I had headed
the list of the special agents for n1orlt
/ was not promoted. From the time
of my removal from Denver TO Los
Angeles my work was and always has
been criticised, and obstacles were
placed In my way TO obtain efficient
means 70 conduc. and perform the
tasks allotted 20 me as special agent.