The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1907-03-15
TELLS OF DEEDS
HERMANN KEEPING BACKRE.
PORTION THE HYDE.BEN.
SON FRAUDS THE
: WORST.
Mitchell Pleaded for Respite and
Got it-Demand for Rssigna-
tion-Tanner Oh Benson
: Case-Other News.

Case-Other Nsws.
Washington, March 12.-The man
who forced Binger Hermann to r.
Jsign the Office of land commissiontr
and who was later responsible for
| his indictment, both In this city and
in Portland, today was the princi.
pal witness against him In the Grim
inal court. Ex-Sscretary Hitch
cock spent an hour on the
stand this afternoon but during
that entire time did not once men !.
tion the destruction of the letter
books for which Hermann is being
tried. His entire testimony was In
tended to show why Hermann was
forced to resign.
j He denounced Hermann's extrav-
agance in authorizing the expendi.
ture of $4,000 in extinguishing a
forest fire in a California reserve,
notwithstanding Hsrmann's expla-
nation that the fire was SO serious
as to require the immediate employ.
ment of 200 or 800 men. He also
condemned Hermann for permitting
clerks in his Office to make copies
I of government maps for sale to out
side parties.
His most serious criticism, how
ever, was in regard to the report of
Special Agent Holsinger, exposing
the operations of the Bsnson-Hyde
land ring. Mr.. Hitchcock testified
that in the latter part Of November
1902, two or three days or week
after the report reached the land Of
fee, he heard of it's existence { be
did not remember how he had heard
it) and Immediately demanded that
Hermann submit the reportte him,
which was done. Hs said be re.
garded it as a great dereliction OF
duty en- the part of the commission
er that he did not acquaint him
{ Hitchcock) withlthe contents OF
the report Immediately upon it's re.
ceipt.
December I3 following, after con-
sullation with the president, he
sent for Hermann and demanded
his resignation. He was not sure
thai in that convert alton he men
toned the Holeinger report, but re-
collected merely having told Her
mann that in general there should
be change in the way things were
going In the land Office.
He had one or two subsequent
conversations with Herman and fin
ally the resignation was brought in
by Senator Mitchell, who, in pre-
senting it, asked that its acceptance
he deferred until after Hermann's
daughter was married. Mitchell
also urged delay "on account of tie
approach ing ser atorial election u
Mr.. Hitchcock did not explain what
was meant by this.
! GAS l r,col!ect It," said Mr..
Hitchcock, ''about January Is,
Senator Mitchell came In, and j
believe l then tod him the matter
of Hermann's resignation bad been
pending for month and, if it was
not forthcoming Immediately, a
dismissal would result"
The Holsinger report vas ther
read to the:jury.
| Oa cross-examination attention
was called to the fact that Hernia 81
three days after the receipt of the
Holsinger report, directed the chiet
.1oi the proper division of the land
Office to suspend action on all ap
! plieations made Ia Hyde's name
| and ordered investigation of the
whole case. This evidence Is i'm.
| portant, for in the opening state.
ment of the prosecution it was
! charged that the Holsinger repor,
j was held by Hermann 50 long with.
1out,action that 1t could, be shown bic
j was covering up frands. Today i,
i was proved that the report was re.
/ ceiyed, BY the land office, November
18. 1902. and on November 21 Her.
mann suspended entries, and order.
ed further investigation of the
charges made by ]. 81. Schneider,
upon whose testimony the report
was based. The report showed on
Its face that it was opened by the
mailing division and referred to the
lproper subordinate officers and did
not go to Hermann direct.
Two letters written by Hermann
to Mr.. Holsinger prior to his report
were introduced to show that Her.
mann had ordered investigation ol
1.-THE charges against Benson and