Omaha daily bee., 1906-06-16

smoot, in land matters, and Joseph Grow
foreman of the former grand jury, for
bringing mo bills" against George g;
Ware and others-victims OF the United
States federal grand fury.
The federal grand jury concluded its six
weeks work Friday morning by the
submission Of fifteen indictments and six
mo bills" Among the indictments Isl
one of sos pages returned against Bartlett
Richards, William G. Comstock, Thomas
M Huntington. James X. Reed, Fred
Hoyt, Francis M. Wolcott. Ami Todd,
Charles C. Jamison and kquilla Triplett.
Jointly. on thirty countssfor conspiracy to
Idefraud. in which sixty-three entrymen are
implicated; conspiracy to suborn perjury.
eight counts, sixty-three entrymen; con-
spiraey to defraud, one count, in eleven
deelaratory statements; conspiracy to
maintain two Illegal enclosures of public
lands. two counts. 'sxty@three entrymen.
The indictments ailege- the defendants
lconspired with William McElroy Fred
Houghton. Samuel NJ, Mann. James Hull.
Irving d. Hull and others. whose names
are unknown to the jury, Illegally to obtain
title TO $4,000 acres of public lands in
Cherry and Sheridan counties within what
lis known as the Spade ranch, overton
ranch and Char ranch.
Largest Ever Returned.
This is the largest indictment ever re-
turned In the history of the land fraud in
lvcstigations These investigations were be-
gun under the direction OF the general land
IOffice and Department of Justice in Novem-
ber 1905. under the immediate charge OF
iLucien G. Wheeler of the United States
secret service department in which from
fifteen 10 forty secret service men have
been specially employed at different inter
walls. over 900 witnesses were summoned
in the cases and the matter has been
under consideration by the grand jury for
lover five weeks. The secret service officials
have been constantly assisted in the legal
lend OF the investigations by Special AS
sistant District Attorney S. r. Rush, and
this is but one Of forty land cases that have
been under investigation by the present
grand jury.
The two principal defendants in the case
| w. C, Comstock and Bartlett Richards
entered a plea OF guilty last November for
maintaining illegal enclosures OF over
10000 acres Of public lands and were sen.
fenced to six hours In the custody Of tn,
United States marshal and 10 pay fine
Of $500 each The carrying out OF this sen
tence SO tar as regards the custody feature
resulted in the dismissal OF United state,
Marshal T. L. Mathews ana the subse
quent dismissal from Office OF United State.
District Attorney Baxter for laxity in tn,
prosecution Of the case. through which 81
light sentence was impOssd.
All Present But Richards.
All OF the defendants in the foregoin,
case except Bartlett Richards were presen
at court in person or by attorney Fri
day morning and gave bond Of $500 eacl
for their appearance before the Unite,
States district court for trial on Novembe
r. 1901. Bartlett Richards Is now I'm Eu
rope being IN feeble health. but bond wa
given for him.
Indictments were returned against PERI,
o. Yeast OF Hyannis, for illegally enclos
ing 5000 acres Of public lands within IN
North Platte Forest reserve aud for per
jury and conspiracy 40. defraud in the matte