Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-03
Binger Hermann Testifies in His
Own Behalf.
REVIEW OF OFFICIAL CAREER
Answers Specific Charge of Destroying
Copybooks.
OF THE PROCEEDINGS
Testimony of Elliott P. Hough, A. W.
II. Cordes and Chief Clerk Whit
tington-Correspondence Read.

The feature of the trial of former
Representative Binger Hermann in
Criminal Court No. I today was the
testimony of the defendant in his
own behalf.
Mr.. Hermann answered practically and
with great attention to detail the specific
charge in the indictment that he de
stroyed thirty-five letter-press copybooks
Of the records of the general land Office
with intent to impair their usefulness"
Mr.. Hermann assumed the witness stand
shortly after II o'clock this morning.
In addition to the direct defense, the at
torneys for Mr.. Hermann continued tfAir
efforts to dfscredit the testimony of wit
nesses for the government by advancing
evidence tending to contradict statements
made in behalf Of the prosecution.
At the opening of the session this morn
ing Attorney Worthington called Elliott p.
Hough, and in direct examination he stated
he was present in the cafe in Portland
Ore, with Irwin Rittenhouse and Chris
Muller one day in 1904, when Binger Her
mann approached their table and asked
about the stenographic notebooks kept by
Rittenhouse and Hough when they acted
as secretaries to the commissioner. For
the government last week Mr.. Rittenhouse
declared Mr. Hough was not present in
the cafe ON the occasion in question.
Asked Direct Question.
Mr.. Hough testified positively about the
incident, declaring Mr.. Hermann asked the
direct question:
bows q
Il told him l had not, but Rittenhouse
stated he thought he had preserved his"
Hough said.
The salient point Of it all, which i'm
pressed the incident upon my memory. was
the wish expressed by Mr.. Hermann that
we had saved all our books. because then
we could show to the world what was in
the destroyed letter-preSs books" the
witness ontinued.
A. w. II. Cordes, former land office
messenger. told of the finding of the old
letter-press books of former Commissioner
Carter. which he turned over to Chief Clerk
Wilmington.
A. w. Wilmington, chief clerk of the land
office, produced records showing the volume
Of the correspondence passing in and out
of the general land Office during Mr.. Her
mann's regime. 1t was stated the statistics
did not include the personal correspondence
of the commissioner. Mr.. Wilmington said
he knew nothing about the personal letter
books of the commissioner, and that he
never had occasion to refer to them.
Review of His Career.
Upon assuming the stand Binger Her
mann gave a brief review of his life and
official career, as follows:
Il was born at Homecoming, Allegany
county, Nd, February 10, 1843. l received
my early education in the rural schools Of
western Maryland and at the Independent
Academy, afterward Irving College. near
Baltimore. At the age of about sixteen
years l removed with my father to south
ern Oregon. / taught the country schools
in that state for several years. l then
too up the study of law, and was admitted
to practice before the supreme court of
Oregon in October 1885, and afterward
engaged actively in the practice Of my
profession. In 1866 l was elected to the
lower house of the state legislature, and
In 1868 l was elected state senator. From
1868 to 1871 l was deputy collector Of in
ternal revenue for southern Oregon. From
1871 to 1873 1 was receiver of public
moneys at the United States land Office at
Roseberg, Ore, under an appointment by
President Grant From 1882 to 1884 1 was
judge advocate, with the rank of colonel
in the Oregon state militia.
In 1884 l was elected representative in
Congress for the state at large, Forty
ninth Congress. being the only representa-
tive in Congress from my state. 1 was SUBJ
sequently elected a member Of the Ffftieth
Fifty-first and Fffty-second Congresses as
representative at large from my state.
After serving in the Fffty-second Congress
the state was divided into two congress, on al
districts, and was then elected represent
alive from the first congressional district
to the Fffty-third and Fffty-fourth Con-
crosses. ..
Almost Immediately following the termi-
nation of my services as member of the
Fifty-fourth Congress 1 was, kindly, or
perhaps, unkindly, appointed by President
MrK n lott nd r,a1 ,f.oir af
the general land office, and continued in
that office until February l. 1903, when re-
signed, having served a longer continuous
period as commissioner than any of my pre-
decessors, except two, who served in the
earlier part of the last century. After re-
signing as commissioner l returned to Ore
gon, and shortly after was nominated for
Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the
death of Thomas H. Tongue, then member
in Congress from the first congressional dis
trict On June ], 1903, 1 was elected men,
Der of Congress to succeed Mr.. Tongue this
being the Fifty-eighth Congress. In 1904
was again nominated and elected a member
of the House, and served my state in that
capacity in the Fifty-ninth Congress. My
term expired March last.
Made Many Friends.
Mr.. Hermann explained that the first day
he took up his duties as commissioner he
was handed letter book marked private"
by Mr.. Hough, who had been assigned as
his stenographer 1t was explained to him,
he said, that it was the usual custom for
the commissioner to use q private letter
book for his personal correspondence.
Mr.. Hermann said that he correspondent
considerably with the members of his fam
lily in Oregon. and that he wrote his son,
Schiller Hermann. many letters. He said
he had departmental business to transact
for his constituents and Oregon friends in
practically every department and every bu-
reau of every department of the govern
ment. He said his mail was always opened
and on his desk when he arrived at the
office, and that very frequently he would
find letters relating to matters in the gen
eral land Office which required In official
answer among his personal letters. These
letters were always sent to the proper d.
visions for reply, and all such replies were
written for him to sign.
Ignorant Of Contents Of Books.
What were the contents Of the de-
stroyed letter books?" Mr.. Worthington
asked after Mr.. Hermann had resumed
the stand at the beginning of the ses-
sion this afternoon.
Il do not know" Mr.. Hermann an
swered MY secretary made up the