The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1907-04-10
Binger Hermann Is Put
by His Own Words.
in THE LIMELIGHT'
Of a MerciIess Cross examination He
Is Shown to Have Given Con-
siderable False Testimony.

Washington, April 10.--Interest in
the trial of Binger.. Hermann, for de-
stroyinS public records, received a
decided impetus when the defendant.
who had been testifying in his own be-
half for the past Ave days, was put
under cross-examination Tuesday.
After saying positively that no
members Of his family had acquired
public lands during his administra.
tion, Mr.. Hermann qualified the state
ment later by admitting that his son
Schiller had made q homestead entry
to which title had not yet been ac-
quired that Schiller had purchased
three such entries before patent had
issued TO the claimants, and that these
purchases had been acquired for $3,-
300 by the defendant to relieve Schil-
ler's embarrassed financial condition.
Mr.. Hermann admitted that he had
acquired 10000 acres of public lands
In Oregon when he was receiver of
public moneys at the Roseburg land
Office. This, he maintained. was not
the cause OF his losing that position.
The records of these transactions as
we'll as those relating to the claims
purchased by Schiller we're made ex.
hibits In the case. In the latter mat.
ter Mr.. Hermann had written direct
ing the patents to be mailed to his
son.
United States Attorney Bakers
next move was to produce the copy OF
a telegram sent by the defendant to p
F. Mays, of Portland, Ore, July 25,
1902, three days before the proclama-
tlon creating the Blue Mountain forest
reserve, which Mr.. Baker contended
was the Tip" promised Mays by Her.
mann that the former might take the
necessary steps to make entry in the
state school lands he, was negotiating
for in the reserve. 1t read:
Fifteen patents to timber land en-.
tries forwarded to Roseburg land Of
flee. Land office has recommended
withdrawal original Strawberry Noun.
tain and all additions to secretary,
who has approved the same.--Binger
Hermann"
On his direct examination Mr.. Her.
mann had testified that he had never
had any business relstions With MAYS,
hou hOVVi WhitIO1l IlllI COIuUluulCd-
tions, nor had interviews with him;
that Mays had no interest in the Blue
Mountain reserve that Hermann knew
OF, and that he wished the jury and
court to understand this statement to
be as strong as the English language
could make Il.
Mr.. Baker read this statement from
the record and asked the defendant II
when he made 1t he did not think all
traces Of this telegram had been de.
stroyed in the destruction of his letter
books. Mr.. Hermann would not admit
this. He said he now remembered the
telegram and explained It must have
been sent either in answer to a tele.
graphic request from Mays, or, more
likely, because Hermann knew Mays
as leading public man of Oregon and |
simply wished him informed of the ac- |
ton taken.
Mr.. Baker placed in evidence the
endorsement OF Mr.. Hermann and Sen.
ators Mitchell and Dolph, on a peti- /,
tion for the appointment OF Mays as
district attorney, after which Mr.
Baker remarked:
He was fired from that position,
was. he not, for Chinese frauds?"
Mr.. Herman admitted Mays had
lost the position.