The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1907-10-29
WILL PUSH
FRAUD CASES
GOVERNMENT SEEKS TO RE
CLAIM MILLIONS OF ACRES.
One Hundred Secret Service Men Are
Working Under the Direction Of
Special Assistant Attorney Gen.
ersl-Where Frauds Are.

Washington. Oct. 2S.--lnstructions
have been given N. c. Burch. special
assistant attorney general. to proceed
both criminally and clyillr in the
land fraud cases in the mountain
states on more con prehcnslye
scale than has yet been attempted
The government will seek TO regain
title to millions of acres OF valuable
timber and coal lands which. 1t is
asserted, have gone into private
ownership through fraudulent entries
Wherever the criminal penalty can be
imposed the president has directed
the attorney general to invoke It.
Cooperating with NJ. c. Burch, o
widely known Michigan lawyer who
has been given charge Of the land
prosecutions. is the largest st,r OF
secret service meL IN the colrtry
under the direction OF c. l.. Wheeler.
| This force. which Is COT stantly b.
Ing increased now numbers 100 men.
These men are hired on the govern
ments roll as special agents OF the
department OF justice. The states
In which the greatest frauds probably
will be unearthed are Idaho, Mon.
tara. Wyoming ana Utah
The acquittal of Senator Borah OF
Idaho will not deter tho government
from prosecuting other indictments In
that state which were returned at
was indicted. The Barber Lumber
the same time that Senator Borah
company is a part " the Weyer
hauser syndicate, and through civil
suits an effort will be made to force
an abandonment of the thousands
OF acres of timber lands which I. is
asserted this company has obtained
through fraudulent entries.
The story of the timber fraud is
pretty much the same in all the
mountain states. The frauds Ia Goa
lands are fully as extensive as thos,
in timber. In Colorado. Utah. wy
oming and Idaho the Hartman lines
the Hill lines and the Gould In,
have contrived to secure control o
the coal land.
What Is known as the dummy en-
try system Is the plan which hal
been utilized In nearly all cases
where direct proof has been obtained
This was the system Hrst disclosed
by the California prosecut!sns wher,
straw men were utilized to MAKE
entries or hoboes employed for
few dollars to take the necessar!
oaths at the land ONCE II Is Al
leged by the governments agent
that In many cases the railroad con
ianies have not hesita.ei to resor
, to this means for obtaining contro
OF coal lands. The railroads. toe
! have pull with many OF tn
state governments and In this wa
have succeeded In having valuabl
coal lands classified as agriculture
lands.
The Hartman interests In tn
Union Pacific railway, operatin
through the Union Pacific Coal con
~, rsny, have acquired vast holding
:. he Union Pacific C,il compan
. operates chiefly in the souihNe ester
TART of Wyoming in what IS know
as the Rock Springs coal fields.
this same field Is the Diamond Co;
= and Coke company, a STANDARD o
concern. Nearly all his laLd. 1t
= alleged. was improperly acquired an
!, suit will be Instituted to give bac
y, title to the government.
IN what is known as Horse Thi,
, canyon district about 5000 acres ,
land claimed by the Union Pac'f
and worth two million dollars Is Il
volved. The government will brln
suit to have title to this land r
. stored to II. In all OF these district
where railroads are operated the cor
rsnies have contriyed through su
, sidIary concerns to take up all col
lands fronting on their tracks, tn
/ freezing out independent operator
, The Sheridan field In Northwester
:, Wyoming Is operated by the Wyor
, ing Coal company, controlled /
James j. Hin and the Burlngtc
system. In that field veins OF co
have been tapped which are fro
twelve to thirty feet in thickness.
a +. Holbrook, president of the W
u oming Coal company and some