The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-04-10

Continuing on the witness stand in his
own defense Former Representative Bin
ger Hermann passed his worst half-hour
since the trial began, near the end Of
yesterdays proceedings. During that
time he was under REORGANIZATION by
District Attorney Baker. and the latter
sprung a decided surprise by Introducing
the following telegram:
July g. 1872
Hon. F. +. Mays. Portland. Greg:
Fifteen patents timberland entries forwarded
R0sebgrg land Office. 1 recommended withdrawal
original strawberry Mountain aud later addition to
Secretary. He has approved same.
BTNGER HERMANN. Commissioner
WAS not this telegram the tip you
promised to give 10 Mays that the Blue
Mountain forest reserve proposition had
gone through?' queried the district at
torney.
NO. sir, q" the defendant declared, there
was no such thing as tip. What told
Nays / also told the world The fact that
had recommended the withdrawal to the
Secretary was published In the Oregon!an.
a newspaper In Portland, July 9.
but was not this telegram the only
news that went out Of the Land Office
that the Secretary had taken favorable
action, and was It not sent four days be-
fore the actual withdrawal Of the lands
from entTy2
May Have Answered Inquiry.
"As far as know. my telegram to f. p.
Mays may have been merely a matter OF
information. and in response 20 d tele-
graphic inquiry from him. He was very
prominent in Oregon affairs and among
those most actively interested in having
the forest reserve created. and my mes
sage TO him may have been inspired by
that fact alone,
Ar. Hermann admitted +. p. Mays was
the only man in Oregon 10 whom he tele-
graphed news of Secretary Hitchcock's
decision. MI Baker then read an ex-
tract from a section Of Hermanns tes-
timOny OF the previous day. In which the
defendant made this statement. 4 want
10 say TO every man on this jury, and 70
the court. that I never, in any way d.
rectIy or indirectly, had any cammunica~
ton with Franklin Pierce Mays upon
any matter connected with the business
of my Office as Commissioner OF the Gen
eraI Land once. nor through any one
else for him..
That statement, then. was false?" said
the district attorney IN his next question.
Il had no recollection Of that telegram
at the time I was tesufying yesterday,
said Mr.. Hermann, and ] have not now
except as my memory has been refreshed
by seeing the original
Tip Was Expected fR Oregon.
s A. d. Puter and other witnesses have
given testimony that the Tip telling OF
the success Of the Blue Mountain PROPOSE
ton in the department in Washington
was expected in Oregon. and they stated
IL was received. Representatives Of the
said late this afternoon that
search through the records OF the Land
Office and elsewhere for the telegram ia
question has been almost continuous
since Mr.. HermaBH's retirement, Feb
ruary l. 1853 II was found only three
days ago.
At the beginning Of his cTOss-eXamina- /
ton Mr. Hermann admitted his son,
Schiller Hermann, made homestead entry
while Mr.. Hermann was Commissioner Of
the Land once. but he declared title for
the land was never issued. In his direct
examination the defendant stated he was
removed from the receiyership of the
Roseburg, Greg, land office in 1873, as the
result Of the accession 10 the Senate by