The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-03-22
CONVICT TELLS Of
BIG LAND FRAUD
A. p. PuTER GIVES IMPORTANT
TESTIMONY IN THE HER
MANN CASE.
GRABS OF LAND GRANTS
Caused DfficuIty---Witness Describes
Efforts to Obtain Patents to
Twelve Homesteads in Cas-
cade Region.

/ Washington, Mar ch 21-A d. Pm
ter who gave his residence as the
Multnomah county jail, Or gon, where
he has served six months of two.
years sentence for land frauds, was a
witness fer the government in tho
Hermann trial here today Mr.. Puter
gave with startling dlrectness The fun
details of the difficulty ard cost which
had attended hiG efforts to obtain pa
tents to Twelve homesteads in the Cas-
cade forest rese We now known as tn
Eleven Seven frauds in Oregon
He said he first rounded I'D" ten
people and made an agreem MT to pay
them $3.50 each 10 make entries to the
claims and turn over the deeds to him
He then saw DR.. Lo9mis. the spec
ial as nj Of The land office in that
state, gave him $500 TO make a favor
able report on the claims and promis /
ed him like amount when the pa
tents should issue. He also endeavor. |
ed to fix things" with Ormsby the
state forester, by giving Ormsbya
$500.
After the Loomis report reached
Washington, Puter learned that some
thing was wrong, and as he knew Mr..
Hermann very well he decided Ia
come at once.
Met Senator Mitchell
Before leaving Oregon he got lat
ter Of Introduction to Senator Mitchell
from Attorney Mayas Of Portland Pa-
ter said he knew Mitchell but asked
Mayas o write a strong letter" ANA
indicate to the senator that Putarl
would nay him well ii fix things I'D
for him. He pres nted the letter 10
the enator on his arrival and also
called on Mr.. Hermann.
Hermann told him that his mat.ers
we're being looked into and indicated
hat things might be going along all
light
Senator Mitchell visited Mr. Her +
mann in ths case, and after several i
gltations II was decided that add. 3
ionn affiday'ts were necessary II p
vas decided to send fer Mrs. Wat =
on. who had made one of the entriea q
nd who was then In Los Angeles. Orl q
,r arrival Puter said he took her at II
nee to Mitchell and sffidayits we're
rawn, Mitchell advised Mrs. Wat. n
on TO call frequently on Hermann in
Mrs Watson called on Hermann @,
everal times in the next the days
utter stating that during these VII r.
S he waited outside. r
IL wa several days after the al
ayits had ben furnished that he cal
on Hermann, who tcld him that his
aims all needed more proof Her
laun advised him to 50 back 70 Ore
On and get his proof At once he -,
illed on Mitchell, VINO also advised lis
le sam way after hearing the sita. m
ion. Puter said he told both Mt sf
lell and Hermann that it WAS uea- 10
ss 10 d. this that the people who a
I'd made the entries were scatt rel TT
I'd it would be usele to t.y to get SCI
'oof from them. eBsides, he said.
rther, that il he did Ct them to J.
,ther they wovld hold him up for ii
ore than he had first paid them. He We
lked the matter over with Mitchell tic
r two hours. as the result Of which wa
itchcll went TO see Hermann that NJ
". tor
$1,000 Bill Appears.
That might he called on Mitchell ami 10
d an ther conference with him. l. th'
IS at this conference. he said thai at
took ont $1,000 bills and laid them for
the table in front of Mitch II say CHI
3 hat this amount represented all fro
at he (PuterD could spend on the !.
inns and get ont whole If he got the mo
tent. He testified that he told
tch u to take the money and get n
2 pa ents. He said that Mitchell u
'k one of the bills and tessel ,t
ar TO Puter. saying that PRter could
afford 10 spend so much Finally
ter testified. Mitchell took both .
Is and kent them ard said tha0 he
uld do what coulG Ue Gone me
called on Hermann that ed
= and then advised Puter to call on le-
D.. This, Puter says. he did AMI Ill
rmarn toll him that he though sio
ngs could be arranged so that the tae
EMS would issue. He said he fa1 ere
en- th matter p PEI. onally. The Cd
ness testified that Mitchell saw wes
mann again the next day. anI
'r that day Puter net Hermann on
street Hermann shook hands
h him. be said stated be had seen 7
chell and that bis patents would hle
issres A d4v a. 81 after tbf. No.
er Saws. he called al Hernaln's =
ce and vas tai-erSto the basement tat.
,s.o -e-,-,-.t - 81, -. ten.