Williams news., 1907-10-12


 prevent my contradicting the alleged grease money" incident, swore that when this check of $5.OOO was turned over to Benson, 1 was out of the room. When cross-exa mine d he was asked how many checks MT. Perrin gave Ben son on that date? He replied:
 One-for $5 COO" He was unable to explain, however, when con- fronted on the stand with this check, how it happened that it was in my handwriting. when he had just sworn that 1 was out of the room, and at the California hotel when this check was given
 AS a matter of fact Benson was given check for this amount on
 hat date, but Shells own state ment as introduced in evidence shows in his own handwriting exactly what it was for. It was given on October 31. after Mir Perrin had returne from his tril to Tehama county. inspecting tn. lar d, and was. a balance due Benson on the $f6,COO agreemen, for showing Perrin this land.
 Again, according to the contract, Perrin was to furnish the "noni- nees." as stated atove, but in order to make certain overt actions of Benson applicable to the alleged ''conspiraey," Shell swore that Ion the morning after, or not late, tban two or three mornings after the contract with Benson was siered." he ard MT. Perrin, not desiring me to know anything about it. slipred eff from the Cali fornia hotel and went to Benson's office, and there, on Lis (Snell's) advice, the contract, Benson agree
 ing to it. was changed SO that instead of Perrin. Benson was made to furnish the nominees" He had never. seen the original contract after it was signed. but remembering the caret ard ink interrolations before mentioned. he ina agined that these interpola
 lions made Benson furnish tht "nominees." and that the copies furnish ed the government l-y MT
 Perrin, and hich were embraced in the indictment, were purrosel!
 made incorrect. After making th. SC allegations he was confr ronted with the original contract, and asked to point out where such changes as he d.. scrited had ever been made, ard he was forced tc confess that he could rot do 20.
 Not only was he confronted with this mute evidence of his perjury. hut on the evening of October 3l 1903, when the contract was signed distir ctlv rtmt mhert d that Mir B.nson's trnvelliI lag was lying open on Ihe table, and he was
 pac kirg his shirts. collars and cuffs therein. preparatory 10 startlrg toi
 Portland, Oregon, here. in a few
 days. he had an imI oItant law [ suit coming up. Benson left Sal ? FraI cisco flat right on tho , Oregon Express" al s o'clt ok. and . the next morning. 450 miles from
 the city, the train was wrecked ] and he ca me near losing his life
 az the newspapers of the morning l of November ?. 1908. easily prove Benson continued on to Portland and remained there week. show I ing that it was physical impoesi. hility for him to have been in Sar
 Francisco when this perjureo 2 scoundrel swore that he ard MT Perrin went to Renson's office arc s there. with Benson's consent
 changed the contract.
 We now come 10 the overt acts , under the Benson-Perrin contract upon which the prosecution relied E to prove he guilt of these parties ? Benson is large land locator l that is. it is his business to locat. { people. who come to him and pay P him for his work, on homesteads t timber claims. etc. It is possible upon investigation. that any time l nf the year you can go to the lanc !. offices and find applications fol l clients of Benson pending in any I county in the etate of California , and especially in the county O ? Teha ma. which is ore of the finely 2 timhered counties of the state. Y The prosecution therefore wen I to the state land office and picked , out some twelve or fifteen differen ? applications in Tehama county l many of which ante dated ths , signing of the Benson-Perrin con e tract. and many of which wer,
 proven by the pplicants themselves I to he bona fide. but several O Q .lo,,, o.t c>E 4ho e r