The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-06-16
ANOTHER SCANDAL
IN LAND BOARD
Nephi Attorney Makes Charges
Of FayOritism and General
Misconduct.
RUM0R is THAT ]. D.
DIXON IS IMPLICATED
Chairman William J. Lynch Or
ders That the Charges Be
Withheld From Papers.

Charges of favoritism and other mis-
conduct In Office were made against
member of the State land board by At
torney Henry Adams of Nephi at the
June meeting of the board. While Mr..
Adams named no particular individual III
his statement before the board, those
familiar with the facts say that he was
hitting at John De Grey Dixon, who
retired from the board in March.
That Mr Adams had made charges
did not leak out until Friday, and even
now the exact nature OF the charges IS
not known. The land board, however,
is investigating the matter, with the
result that Mr. Dixon. who is now IN
the banking business at Provo, may
have 10 explain his official acts at the
July meeting of the board-not, how
ever. if W. J. Lynch, chairman OF the
board and brotherip- law OF Governor
Cutler, can prevent II.
Lynch Blocks Reporter.
Chairman Lynch prevented copy of
the charges from being made public
Friday A Tribune reporter asked i. Z.
Callister. secretary Of the board, FOR
copy of the statement that Mr.. Adams
had made before the board. it being
known that his statement bad been
taken down by the boards stenog'
| rapher.
| The Tribune should have A copy OF the
matter alluded to, and the stenographer
had started 10 copy il, when Mr. Cal"
lister decided 10 call up Chairman
Lynch and ask his advice as TO the ad-
visibility of publishing II. Those who
know Mr.. Lynch. of course, know what
he would do under the circumsts noes
He told Mr.. Callister not to let the
reporter have Mr.. Adams s remarks. Mr.
/ Callister then made the following state
ment:
"Chairmsp Lynch thinks. and agree
with him. that so long as the board IS
! investigating this matter, IT should not
be made public until the investigation
is completed, -
''But this part OF the minutes Of
the June meeting. and the public is en-
titled to il, - persisted the reporter
"No," replied Senator Calllster,
"this is not a part of the minutes. 1t
is merely memorandum for the use
of the members of the board in lnvestl-
| eating the matter.
Utah County Men Let In.
! II is rumored that Mr., Adams 6
charges arc to the effect that Mr., Dixon
! let certain friends of his ST Provo III
! on the ground floor IN the selection and
purchase of lands IN ,lusb county, and
! that maps and other information from
the State laud Office were taken by M.
Dixon to Provo TO give his friends ad'
vance information,
| Mr. Adams himself was called up at
| Nephi Friday evening. Dut he declined
to discuss the matter, soy'DF that the
matter which he had taken UP before
the land board was still pending; and
that until II was settled he did not
care TO prejudice his case by making
any public statement. IT could not be
learned whether Mr.. Adams is acting
for himself or for a client.
Lynch Backing Dixon,
II is understood chat Chairman Lynch
is preparing 4 coat OF whitewash for his
friend Dixon. regardless of whether Mr.,
Adams suhstantisies mis- charges or not.
| When the State Senate started to in
vestigste the land board last winter,
Mr. Dixon, then member and secre-
tary of the board, was pushed forward
by his colleagues as the chief witness
for the board Mr.. Dixon labored with
might and main to make Harry s. An
derson, then chief clerk OF the board,
scapcpoat for all the aims of omission
and commission charged against the
board. and Mr. Anderson was forced to
resign.
The State Senate. however. declined
| TO stand for inc ScapeGosL proposition,
and refused 10 confirm the reappoint-
ments of Chairman Lynch and w p.
Csndlaud "a members of the board.
Governor Cutler. however. gave them a
recess appointment. Dixon, who by his
own testimony showed that he had full
copnizance Of everything Anderson bad
done, did not ask for - reappointmept.
but retired TO the seclusion of his Provo
bank,
The members of the land board, with
the exception of Mr. Callister, who was
not then q member of the board, are
under personal obligations 20 Mr.. Dixon
for the testimony which ne gave before
the Senate Investigating committee.
Hence the anxiety Of Mr.. Lynch to
suppress Mr.. Adams S charges.