The Washington times., 1906-11-20

up the work he had begun. il was not
until the past summer that the Secre-
taTy learned all the phases Of this mat
ter and by that time. when he wanted
10 get the fuli account direct from
Myendorff. Myendorff was ordered away
by the land office 10 Arizona How
ever. he was located and the story
brought back TO Secretary Hitchcock.
Mysterious knowledge.
According 10 this story. the star
Chamber investigation held al Evans
t0n Wyo.. in the Office of the Union
Pacific attorney was 2 most unusual
affair The story is that after the Smith
protest against the original entries OF
these coal lands was sent 20 the land
authorities the Union Pacific people
learned Of its existence How they
learned Of it is one OF the matters on
which raore light may be shed later.
At any rate. the Union Pacinc people
knowing that their claim would be
worthless on such a showing. secured
from the dummies they had Used TO file
on the LANDS relinGuishments of those
filings. These rellnQuishments were
sent to the Land Office without the
knowledge Of Smith, who was never
notified Of this change in the status Of
got busy. and. through a new set OF
dummies, il is charged. they had new
entries OF these same lands made
So when the star chamber case came
up for the secret hearing al Evanston.
il was only necessary for the Union
Pacific people to show that the con-
tested filings had been dismissed There
was nothing left to consider. Every
thing that Smith had attacked had been
given up The hearing promptly de-
rf dad Aoar a rasr .F No -VsHa
because IL attacked filings that had been
annulled
Then the new filings. made by "A ne
set of dummies IN the interests Of the
Union Pacific. We're pressed 10 patent,
Smith knowing nothing whatever Of the
proceeding. The patents were issued
and the Union Pacific nov holds the
lands
I'able chain Of transactions, which at
every step played into the hands of the
Union Pacific, the railroad interests had
undue knowledge from the land auth0ri-
tles OF what was going on. is now under
investigation directly by Secretary
Hitchcock. f. b. Linnen, special and
confidential Inspector for the secretary
OF land affairs, has been called 20
Washington to assist IN this and coll
lateral Inquiries
The transfer OF MyendOrT 10 Cali
fornia after he had hunted up evidence
proving the frauds. was thus reported
10 Secretary Hitchcock by Commission
er Richards. IN a letter dated September
a. 1904:
Under date OF February 3. 190a. Spe-
cial Agent NJ. A. Myendorff was directed
TO repair TO the Evanston district for
the purpose OF an examination Of the
lands involved. and to secure additional
data and information in the field: that
owing 10 temporary duty outside the
state of Colorado and press OF public
business elsewhere. he was unable 20
comply with said Instructions prior to
his recent permanent transfer 10 the
Los Angeles Cal. district"
No Chance to Talk.
Myendorff was given no chance 20 tell
all he had found out about the matter
He was sent away to another field OF
work. and tho explanation made 10 Sec
retary Hitchcock was that press OF
public business elsewhere" necessitated
f.
The information which afyendorn had
gathered about tilesv fraudulent entries
was about the same that Artemas J.
Smith had been trying 10 induce the
land Office TO give some attention to.
Smith in his protest gave an uluminat-
ing list Of cash entries made ~ Union
Pacific GO1t ,ompany'S employees. At
Evanston. ip 1868 and 1904 showing the
date OF entry. number OF certificate. de-
scription of land. remarks, etc
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