Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1907-05-04
idaho Land CASES
SPECIAL ATTORNEY GENERAL
GIVES interview.
Sensational Reports Going the, Rounds
of the Press Are Wrong Ruick Not
In Washington to Defend Senator
Borah, He Says-Nos Connection Be
tween Two Great Questions.

Judge M. G. Burch, special assist
ant United States attorney general,
on his return from Boise, Idaho, in an
interview with a press representative
denied that there is any connection be-
tween the land fraud investigation in
Idaho and the prosecution OF the West
ern Federation of Miners ON the charge
of completely in the assassination Of
Ex-Governor Steunenberg of Idaho.
Sensational reports going the
rounds of the press concerning the
Idaho conditions should be very large
ly discounted" said Judge Burch. 1.-The
timber lands investigation in that state
are not new. For nearly four years
these inquiries have been going on in
northern Idaho and I was instrument
tai in sending both special atcor-
ney and a special examiner Of the de-
partment of justice there at the start.
1t requires time to pry off the lid
which ordinarily covers such transac-
lions and such was the case there, but
nearly a year ago some of the guilty
parties were indicted and convicted.
In southern Idaho the alleged frauds
were much more recent and the Of
ficers of the department of justice
and of the interior have neither urged
forward nor retarded their operations
by reason of the pending offenses al
legged against the officials of the min
ers' federation. The visit of District
Attorney Ruick to Washington is an
ordinary occurrence.
"The attorney general is always in
control of any case, either civil or
: criminal, and would not think of over
ruling the action of a grand jury
review of it's action between indict-
ment and the trial of the parties in
dicted, nor to forestall a proper in
curry into the probable guilt or inno-
9 cence of parties accused and not yet
: indicted. The courts are so entirely
9 above and beyond the reach OF the
influence of the department OF JUS
tice or any executive department OF
the government that it is extremely
c belittling to federal grand jurles, as
, to their dignity or power, to intimate,
: as has been done, that there is any
? necessity to go to Washington and ex-
, plain what they have or have not done
in obedience to call or request OF any
executive officer from the president
down.
"Only congress has the right to in
ouire into their conduct and then only
by reason of the formal charge pre-
y, ferred and by impeachment proceed
70 ings. l know personally that no such
~ call has been made on Judge Beatty
n In Defense of Borah.
i 'It is equally unfair to draw any
i conclusions, on the other hand, against
Senator Borah. 1t was commonly
n understood he was in the Steunenbere
# murder case as special attorney fol
~ the prosecution before he was elected
IN to the senate. 1t is, l think, con
n coded he has acted in general way II
his capacity as attorney for the Bar
Der Lumber company, which company
II. is alleged, in connection with others
to have been engaged in illegally OBJ
re tanning lumber lands near Boise. Bu
that does not presume, nor is 1t II
a. itself the slightest evidence, that he
,r- had any part in procuring lands Of
IL conspiring to do so. 1t has been, tt
i'll nv knowledge, and l have every rea
IN son to believe it will be, the policy
ne of the department of justice in Idaho
N. to hew straight to the line to keel
Id it's administration here absolutely fret
he from ENHANCEMENT either with the
ut prosecution or defense of Meyer, Hay
wood and Pettibone, and TO thwart an!
possible interference in any name
by political Influence on one side, or
OF disposition to aid the accused men OF
IT. the other, and if the subject is ever
as considered by the attorney general O
other executive officials, I am salts
IL fed it will be strictly along the lint
ly of how best to punish the offender
lie of the federal laws and recover land
wrongfully obtained from the govern
mt ment, and not in any wise, while doinl
M so. to engage in the trial of the allege'
ed offenders against the state of Idaho.
i'm