The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-03-22
NOTHING HELD
BACK BY PUTER
Oregon Land Thief Frankly
Tells of His Own MiSdeedS
on the Stand.
HERMANN IN THE DEALS
PROSECUTION CLOSING IN ON
THE DEFENDANT,

Washington March 21.-Again 5. A.
II. Puter testified for the government IN
the Hermann trial regarding fraud and
bribery i'm many land deals. Just as his
cross-examinatiOn was closing, Attof-
ney Worthington for the defense
asked:
We're you ever promised immunity
by any representatives Of the govern
ment for your testimony
ITO a certain extent l have oeeh'
was the answer.
Puter explained that after he had
been convicted in the case Tor Whlch ne
is now serving a two years sentence
in Oregon. he had gore at once TO
United States Attorney Heney and Of
fered TO tell him all he knew about
land frauds. He had many confer
sr.ces with Heuey. as a result of which,
the witness testified.
.sHency told me that if I became
witness for the government he would
not press those oTner indictments
against me. but would have them dis
missed when the time came"
Tried to Bride Jury.
putar said he received no special IA
,ors i'm Jail. but was locked in a cell
as any other prisoner. He was a wit
ness for the government in land fraud
cases i'm Oregon last September, and
Attorney Worthngton read from his
testimony at that time a statement that
he regretted he did not know more to
rei about the Blue Mountain forest re-
serve deal. He said that Mays had not
Iat him I'm on that deal as had been
promised.
oDfd YOU try TO bride the grand jury
that indicted YOU" asked Mr.. Worth
iagton.
Z did" was the answer.
The witness explained that he had
given a man named BrOWnells $50 to
influence two of the grand jurors to see
that a true bill" was not returned
against him. This effort failed
Were YOU engaged in criminal oper-
atoms after your conviction and prior
10 your sentenCe?' was the next ques-
ton Of the Cross-examineT.
Crooked to the Last.
Yes, 10 a certain extent. That is.
was dealing in a great deal of state
land with alleged fraudulent title"
Questions by Mr.. Worthington devel-
oped that Puter had not been asked
about the correspondence he had with
Hermann by United States attorneys
until last January. although the wit
ness said he must have told Heney
a bout the letters, also the government
attorneys would not have followed the
matter up by coming to him in Jail
United States Attorney Baker said
At this point that a search was being
made for the letters written TO Her
mann by Puter, which had been re-
ferred TO. Mr.. Baker produced one let /
ter written by PuteT to Hermann, tax
Ell from the files of the office, but which
related 10 two timber claims This was
put in evidence by Mr.. WOrthingtOn,
witness and asked:
WAS that deal crooked. too?"
The witness assented with nod of
his head. but explained that il was OF
a different character than the other
matters. 1t was a timber claim.
Richards Not Mentioned.
Mr.. Worthington dwelt some time on
the statement of Puter that he had, |
while in Washington in 1902, regarding
the 'eleVen-seven" claims, talked TO |
Assistant Commissioner Richards. To !
the direct question, whether Hermann /
had not told the witness that the mat /
ter had been turned over to Richards /
and that he would attend to the mat 4
ter the witness answered in the mega
tive.
Regarding the two $1,000 bills which /
the witness said yesterday he gave the I
late Senator Mitchell to fix things re-
garding these claims, Mr.. WorthingtOn I
brought out the statement that the
witness got them from Charles Chaffee, !
president of the Wisconsin National
bank of Milwaukee. The witness also |
said he had registered at various hotels I
IN Washington under assumed names
He said the lands he obtained on
homestead patents in the Cascade for
est reserve We're all absolutely worth /
less. being 500 feet upiin the Cascade /
mountains. He could get lieu and |
scrip from the government for the lands /
after patent. which had a value of |
from s5-25 10 Sc an acre
Hermann as Witness.
After obtaining his patents 20 the 4
"eleven-seven" claims in 1902 Mr.. Puter 1
said he next saw Mr.. Hermann in Ore |
eOR at the time the witness was being /
tried for land frauds, two years later /
He visited MIR. Hermann before the /
latter testified in the case. He said |
they discussed what would probably be /
asked OF Hermann, and the conclusion /
was reached that ne would likely be |
been in Washington with Puter and /
nad met Hermann and made affidavitS /
IN the ''eleven-seven awards. Puter /
said he suggested to Hermann that il 4
was long time since Hermann had /
seen Mrs. Watson. and likely he could /
lot identify her. At the trial, he said, /
Mr. Hermann was unable to identify /
Mrs. WatsoA
Advised LOOMS to Confess,
The witness was then asked regard
Hg the two payments of $500 he had
Asde 10 Special Agent LOomis and re-
ssfaing presentations he had made TO
-9mis about immunity. The pay
,aents were made by draft Endorsed TO
mrs. LoOmis. Puter said he had talked
many times to Loomis advising him to
~ all he knew. He told LOOMS that
- ]