The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-03-29
THESE PUBLIC LAND FRAUDS

a Washington special opens up the
controversy over the lands that were
said to be taken by Governor Craw
ford. The information comes from
the general land Office and points out
the fact that in all probability all OF
the lands taken by the governor and
lived upon by three young men NIL
be Cancelled and the land will revert
to the government for settlement.
Congressmn Mann. of Illinois, on
March i, delivered an address in the
house OF representatives, on public
land frauds, and in the course CT his
statement referred to the Ease of
Governor Crawford, and the unsuc-
cessful effort made to indict him by
the federal grand jury at Sioux Falls
The congressman quotes from d
letter written by the United States
district attorney to the attorney
general and the following statement
from Congressman Mann appears
in the Congressional Record s'that.the
case had been presented to the grand
jury and that an Indictment failed
by a snail margin, and THAI in his
opinion the party implicated and his
.missaries personally saw members
OF the grand jury and defeated the
Indictment. He also stated that
the evidence was clear and positive
but expressed the opinion that it
would be doubtful about securing.
an indictment because of the politi-
cal prominence and influence of the
accused. He was not only not in.
dicted, but, following almost i'm
m%ediately the action of the grand
jury in failing to indict him, he
was nominated.f for governor OF the
state and was subsequently elected,
ana IS today the governor OF South
Dakota In connection with the
:. congressman's I. statement are pub
.lished sworn statements made by
Thomas Thompson and Henry C..
Lampe, both of Huron. whom adj
mitted that they went into Wal
worth county in 1909 and filed OH
land at the .instigation of Mr.. Craw-
ford, and that they received 800 for
their right and were paid all ex-
penseS in making the trip out to the
lands, and both young men said
thatsthey had no intention of making
their home on the land. Thompson
signed and swole to his statement,
but.ssLampe, although swearing to
the statement declined to sign it.
These statements, were secured
through the inspector M. D. Nc
sEniry, who was acting under the
orders of w. a. Richards, the COM
missioner of the general land office.
At the time this investigation
was started it was the opening Of
the campaign in this state and bitter
: denunciaton was made against the
stalwarts for the alleged efforts made
to besmirch the character of Mr..
Crawford, he and his friends alleging
that there was nothing in it, and
that it was made for the purpose of
defeating him for the nomination
Of governor. Since the statement
am from Washington Governor
Crawford declares that ''tlle whole
thing is a bluff, political buncomb,
and a low attempt to destroy a
political rival by d%isgruntled mem
bers of the old regime and when the
time comes | will show them up, for
their own acts will be the means of
their downfall"
Secretary Garfield of the DEPART
ment o! the interior, says that the
time for criminal prosecution has
expired, but that the communication
proofs upon which tie investigation
was started are now.under suspension
and can be Cancelled.
Since the investigation has again
come into prominence it ought to
be completed. and if the governor
is innocent then it ought to be o
established. 1t is due the people
of this state that it should he done.
The prophetic words OF John Alex