Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-04-19
No Connection Between ii and
Case OF Meyer ct al, Says
Judge Burch.
RUlCk'S VISIT TO WASHINGTON
Special Asst. Atty. Gen. Says It's
Wrong to Draw Any Conclusions
Against Senator BOrah.
Department of Justices Policy is 10
Hew 10 the Line and Ia Take
No Part In Politics,

Denver, April 19.-Judge NJ. C, Burch.
special assistant United States attorney
general who has just returned from
Boise, Ida. in an interview with a rep,
resen5ative OF the Associated Press to-
day denied that there is ANY connection
between the land frauds investigation
in Idaho and the prosecution of the
Western Federation Of Miners on the
charge oi completely in the assasslna-
ton Of former Gov Frank Steunenberg
OF Idaho,
Sensational reports going tho rounds
OF the western newspapers concerning
the Idaho conditions should be very
largely discounted said Judge Burch-
THE timber lands Investigations III that
state are not new. For nearly four
years these Investigations have been gov
ing on In northern Idaho. and 1 was In
strumSntal in sending both a special att
torney and special examiner Of the
department of justice there at the start.
1T requires some time to- pry on the lid
which ordinarily covers such transact
uons and such was Jhe case there, but
nearly u year ago some of the guilty
parties were indicted and convicted III
southern Idaho the alleged frauds were
much more recent and the officers OF
the departments of Justice and OF thv
interior have neither urged forward nor
retarded their operations by reason OF
the pending Otfenses alleged against the
three officials Of the Miners federation
In that state. and statements TO such
effect are without foundation.
The visit of Dist. Atty. Ruicl5 to
Washington is mere ordinary occur
renee, 1T being the custom to call dis
trlct attorneys there for report and
la lOiNh As.tau rtt11ea atffofolG
concerning affairs In thelr districts,
especially when any litigation is on
calculated 20 call for unusual assist
ance or pptlay of more than ordinary
funds The attorney general is al
WAYS in control of any case. either
civil or criminal. and would not think
OF overriding the action OF grand
jury revlew OF Its action between
indictment and the trial of the par
ties indicted nor 20 forestall y proper
inquiry into the probable guilt or IN
noCence OF parties accused and not yet
Indicted, The courts are so entirely
above and beyond the reach 81 the
Influence OF the department OF Justice
or any executive department o9 the
government that it is extremely belit-
thing TO federal grand juries as 10 their
dignity or power to in tim ate. as has
been done. that there Is any necessity
to so TO Washington and explain what
they have or have not done In Gbedt-
ence to the call or request OF any
executive officer from the president
down, Only Congress has the right
to inquire into their conduct and then
only by reason OF formal charge pre-
ferred and by Impeachment proceed
ings. j know personally that no such
call has been made on Judge Beatty.
1T is equally unfair 20 draw any con-
illusions on the other hand against
Senator BOrah. It was commonly UNI
a IL. In herr
murder case as special attorney for 1he
prosecution before he was elected to
the senate IT Is. / think, conceded he
has ted In a general way in his ca
pacity as attorney for the Barber Lum
Der company, which company Is al
legged, In connection with others, TO
have been engaged In Illegally obtain
Ing lumber lands near Boise. But that
does not presuppose, nor Is 1t In itself
the slightest evidence. he had amy part
In procuring lands or conspirinG 10 do
so.
1T has been, 10 my knowledge. and 1
have every reason 30 believe IT. VIII be
the policy OF the department or justice
in idaho 10 heW strn lgllt 10 the line ana
to Keep its administration there ahso-
1utely free from ENHANCEMENT aitilee
with the prosecution OF defense OF Moy-
er, Haywood and pettlbone, and 10
avoid any possible interference IN eHy
manner by political influence on one
side or Il disposition 10 aid the accused
men on the other. and il the subjccet is
even considered by the attorney gen
eral or other executive officials. | am
satisfied st win be strictly uions t7a
line Of how best to punish the omendcEi
OF the federal laws and recover Inndl
wrongfnly obtained from the govern
ment, aud not In any wise while DOING
so to engage IN The trial OF the alleged
offenders against the state OF ldaho-
GOVERNMENT BEGINS SUIT.
Boise, ldaho April 1Q,-The govern
nient yesterday flied suit IN the United
States circuit court here TO set aside
alb patients Involving 10000 acres or
timber Hand IN Boise county against 1he
Barber Lumber company. The proper
is rs worth over million dollars
Fraud is alleged In securing tale 10
the lands. Government special agents
have been conducting an inYestlsatioNi
for nearly a year The first result OF
ther work WAS tho recent finding OF
several indictments by the federal
grand jury,