The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-03-21
STARTLING TALE
Of LAND FRAUDS
Puter Tells How He Rounded
Up Bride Takers
PAID $500 FOR REPORT
Senator Mitchell Took TWO $1,000 Bills,
Says Man Who Gives His Ad-
dress at County Jail
In Oregon.
PAID $500 FOR REPORT

Washington, March ga d. Puter.
who gave his residence as the Multnomah
county jail, Oregon, where he has served
six months of a two years sentence for
land frauds, was witness for the gov
eminent in the Hermann trial here to-
day Mr.. Puter gave with startling d-
rectness the full details of the difficulties
and cost which had 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 peo-
pie and made an agreement to pay them
$3.50 each to make entries to the claims
and turn over the deeds to him. He then
saw Dr. LOOMS, the special agent of the
land office in that state, gave him $500 to
make a favorable report on the claims
and promised him like amount when the
patents should issue.
He also endeayored to fix things" with
Ormsby, the state forester, by giving
Ormsby's son $500. After the LOOMS re-
port reached Washington, Puter learned
that something was wrong, and he
knew Mr.. Hermann very well he decided
to come at once. Before leaving Oregon
he got a letter of Introduction to Senator
Mitchell from Attorney Mayas of Port
land. Puter said he knew Mitchell, 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
al ad ~.
Hermann. Mr.. Hermann told him that
his matters were being looked into, and
Indicated that things might be going
along all right. Senator Mitchell visited
Mr.. Hermann in the case, and after sew
eral consultations it was decided that adj
ditional affidavits were necessary. 1t was
decided to send for Mrs. Watson, who
had made one of the entries, and who
was then in Los Angeles. On her
rival Puter said he took her at once to
Mitchell and affidavits were drawn
Mitchell advised Mrs. Watson to call
frequently on Herman
Mrs. Watson instrumental.
Mrs. Watson called several times in the
next three days, Puter stating that dur
ing these visits he waited outside 1t was
about four days after the affidavits had
DttH lulnlSHeu lildl ne Cdleu on Her
mann, 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 advised the same way after hearing
the situation. Puter said he told both
Mitchell and Hermann that it was useless
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;
besides. 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.
had another conference with him. 1t
at this conference, he said, that he
took out two $1,000 bills and laid them
on the table in front of Mitchell. saying
that this amount represented all that he
Puter) could spend on the claims and
get out whole If he got the patents
Mitchell Takes Money.
He testified that ne 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, saying that Puter
could not afford to spend so much. Final
ly. Puter testified. 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 Hermann told him that he