The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-03-30
Government Has Selected Spe-
ciaI Prosecutors to Take
Charge of the Work.
THEIR HEADQUARTERS
WILL BE In DENVER
Colorado and Wyoming Land
Cases to Be Thoroughly Scru-
tinized; Local Cases.

According to recent announcement,
thorough investigation of land frauds
by the Government is about to begin,
under the personal direction Of Special
ATTORNEY General NJ. G. Burch, whose
headquarters for some time past have
been at Denver, and Special Attorney
General s. Il. Rush of Omaha These
two gentlemen have been comforting at
Omaha aud preparing an aggressive
legal campaign for the purpose of fer
rctting out and prosecuting yiolators Of
Federal laws in the matter Of fraudu
lent coal, timber and mineral laud en-
tries.
1t also has been stated that the
efforts of these Government prosecutors
Will be directed especially to Colorado
and Wyoming. and that there will be
some sensational disclosures made in
the cause Of these Investigations. 1t
has been known fer a long time that
fraud and conspiracy were prominent
factors in the making Of coal timber
and mineral entries in many Western
States.
Wide Latitude.
The activities of the gentlemen above
named are. 1t appears, not to be con
fined TO the States of Colorado and
Wyoming. In certain circles the won
der has been that the Government has
so long delayed making an investigation
of these alleged frauds, That tho Gov
ernment has determined upon an ag-
gressive line of prosecution against
these land conspirators not only in Colo
RADIO and Wyoming, but in all the
Western States. is indicated by the
authority vested in Special Assistant
Attorney. General NJ c. Burch and the
preparations he has already made to
expose and bring to justice the parties
guilty OF fraud in acquiring title TO the
coal, timber and mineral lands.
The assistants chosen by Mr.. Burch
in addition TO Mr.. Rush of Omaha in
clude Ernest Knaebel Denver; f. A.
Maynard. Salt Lake; T.. III. Long, Du.
range, Colo, and II. H. Schwartz of
his headquarters in Denver, and Will
direct the Investigations from that city.
Over the Same Ground,
These Investigations will cover the
ground already investigated, provided
the former Investigations were not
fruitful Of satisfactory results, The
recent investigation of alleged coal land
frauds in this city resulted in indict
meuts being found against prominent
men in this State and Colorado. Now
that the Government has selected a spe
cial corps of men to assist IN making
these Investigations, it is more than
likely that every section of the West
viii be probcd TO the core.
it is Just possible that the invcstiga
tion will be continued here before the
Federal grand jury which convenes in
Salt Lake on April s. In this connec,
ton, it is not an unreasonable predic
ton that the methods whereby certain
companies secured large tracts of min
eral-bearing lands in the vicinity of
the Uintah Indian reservation will be
investigated by the Government.
H. H. Schwartz s Appointment.
1t is reported from Washington that
H. II. Schwartz has been appointed
chief of the field service division of the
General Land Office. 1t is expected that
in company with Gen. Burch he will
initiate the proceedings IN each State.
Demurrers have been filed to the in
dictments which were framed by the
Utah Federal grand jury at the octo-
Der, 1906, term. Arguments on these
dcmurrers will be heard by the court
on Tuesday, April 9, Under these con.
ditions it is scarcely to be expected
that the cases will be reached for trial
before the next fall term of court
1t is evident by the way the Govern
ment is going into these investi cations
that the charge of dummies being
used in securing title to coal lands,
filings on coal lands as agricultural
lands, and other means employed in the
evasion of United States laws, Will be
investigated TO the very bottom,