The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-03-21
HERMANN
 LAND FRAUD Puter Sells of The Bribery. c OF TWELVE PATENTS Save 5 enator Mitchell Two Thou
 sand Dollar Bills. After Long HagslinE Was Told That He Would Be Able to Secure Homesteads in Cascade
 Forest.

Washing ton, March 20.-A. D. Puter, who gave his residence as the Multno- nah County jail, Oregon, where he has served six months on a two years sen- tence for land frauds. was a witness for the government in the Hermann trial here today.
 Mir. Puter gave with startling di- rectness the full details of the difficult ties and cost which attended his efforts to obtain patents to twelve homesteads in the Cascade forest reserve now known as the Eleven Seven" frauds in Oregon.
 He said he first rounded up" ten people and made an agreement to pay them $150 each to make entries to the claims and turn over the deeds to him. He then saw Dr. Loopnts, the special agent of the land office in that State, gave him $500 to make a favorable re- port on the claims and promised him a like amount when the patents should issue. He also endeavored to fix things" with ormsby. the State Forest CT, by giving Ormsbys son $500.
 After the Loomis report reached Washington, Puter learned that some thing was wrong, and as he knew Mir Hermann very well, he decided to come at once. Before leaving Oregon he got a letter of introduction to Sem ator Mitchell from Attorney Mayas of Portland. Puter said he knew Mitch ell but asked Mayas to write a strong letter" and indicate to the Senator that Puter would pay him well to ''fix things up" for him. He presented the letter to the Senator. on his arrival and also called on MT. Hermann Mir. Hermann told him that his matters were being looked into, and indicated that things might be going along all right.
 Mitchell Visited Hermann.
 xytef fr In the case and after several consuIta- tions 1t was decided that additional af- fidavits were necessary. It was decid- ed to send for Mrs. Watson, who had made one of the entries, and who was then in Los Angeles On her arrival Puter said he took her at once to Mitchell and afidavits were drawn. Mitchell advised Mrs. Watson to call frequently on Hermann.
 Mrs. watson called on Hermann sev-s er'aI times in the next three days, Puter stating that during these visits he waited outside. It was about four days after the afldavits had been furnished that he called on Hermann. who told him that his claims all needed more proof. Hermann advised him to go back to oregon and get his proof. He at once called on Mitchell, who also ad- vised the same way after hearing the situation Puter said he told both Mitchell and Hermann that 1t was use- less to do this, that the people who had made the entries were scattered. and 1t would be useless to try to get proof from them; beside, he said further, that if he did get them together they would hold him up for more than he had first paid them. He talked the matter over with Mitchell for two hours. as the result of which Mitchell went to see Hermann that day.
 nj hn nn had another conference with him. It was at this conference. he said, that ne took out two 1000 bills and laid them on the table in front of Mitchell say ing that this amount represented all that he (Puter) could spend on the claims and get out whole if he got the patents.
 Took Bills and Kept Them.
 He testified that he told Mitchell to take the money and get the patents. He said that Mitchell took one of the bills and tossed it over to Puter, say ing that Puter could not afford to spend so much. Finally, Puter testi- fled, Mitchell took both bills and kept them. and said he would see what could be done. Mitchell called on Hermann that day, and then advised Puter to call on him. This Puter says he did. and Herman told him that he thought things could be arranged so that the patents would issue.
 He said he had taken the matter up personally, The witness testified that Mitchell saw Hermann again the next day and later that day Puter met | Hermann on the street. Hermann shook hands with him he said, stated he had | seen Mitchell. and that his patents would be issued. A day or so after | this, Putner says. he called at Her mann's office and was taken to the | basement of the General Land Ohice, | where an old lady was at work making | out his patents. He said he took the | train for the West at once and upon | reaching Portland. after stopping for | a short time at home in Berkeley. Cal found the patents waiting for him Ills | total expense. Mir. Puter said, had | been $7,000 or $s,000.
 At this point in the story court ad- journed for the day.