The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-11-28

ment for twenty-eight years. and for some
time has been acting agent in charge.
His testimony was a lengthy narration
Of his investigation. which he started
while al Denver. He explained how the
Union Pacific had secured saloon buns
and other men of disreputable character
to file upon coal lands, which We're aft
erwardS pass ed over to the company.
He forwarded their affidavits to Wash
lngtUn, urging the investigation. The
witness said that he had met Judge
Burch in Denver and had again urged
an investigation.
George R Pollock. acting commissioner.
urged against carrying the matter be-
fore the secretary of the interior. At
tOrney Williams secured the attention of
the commission and said:
Il object against this as hearsay. it
being irrelevant and immateTiaI. The
powers of this commission are limited
The Tillman-Gillespipe resolution affords
the commission power to investigate the
ownership of coal and oil lands. Now
the Investigation seems TO be one of the
department of the interior, particularly
of the commissioner of the general land
office. You have no right TO investi-
gate conditions in the. general or anv
needed. but it can't be brought up here.
1 would like TO know by what permits
sion you are doing this
May Enmesh Officials.
Commissioner Clark said: IF witness
intends to show how a monopoly was
formed. the objection is OveTruled.'
Attorney Marchand added: IF this
conspiracy involves the land office par
ties. they must go on record in this
way"
Commissioner Clark continued: If the
act of congress should enmesh land Of
ficials. we cannot avoid it.
Correspondence which has passed be
tween MyendoTff and the land office at
Washington was introduced to show that
the efforts of the witness 10 get an in
vestigatiOn started were futile.
Attorney Williams again came to the
defense of the department.
Il maintain that this commission is
going beyond its authority in prying into
the affairs of the land department. l
move that the entire testimony of this
witness be stricken out, as it is nothing
more than reflection upon his superiors.
This motion and objection was over
ruled.
Attorney Marcband asked the witness
if he would remain in Salt Lake suhiecc
to the pleasure of the commission. Ny
endorff said that he would.
An Unwilling Witness.
Charles Kingston was an unwilling wit
ness. but under questioning described the
methods employed by the Union Pacific
Coal company iii acquiring lands in the
DiamOndville district. The feature of his
testimony had bearing upon the actions
of the general land office when the wit
ness had reported Irregularities. He said
he had testified in a case where title of
coal lands was in dispute. A special agent
sent out by the department also testi-
fled in that case. he said.
Il testified that the land should not
go to homesteaders. but the receiver Of
the land office said that the land was
not coal land, and his testimony was sus-
tanned while mine was oVerruied. [ was
notified that my acting as witness III
this case was grossly improper Nothing
was ever said to the receiver who had
testified"
Colonel p. S. Souers Called
Colonel Percy S. Souers, agent of the
local land office, was the next witness
His testimony vas a description of the
methods employed by the Utah Fuel
company in acquiring land. in which Rob
ert Forester played an important part.
He described cases wherein land was III