The Washington times., 1907-02-12
HERMANN TRIAL
OPENED TODAY
BY GOVERNMENT
Representative Charged
With Destroying Public
Land Office Records.

Representative Binger Hermann OF
Oregon was placed on trial today IN
Criminal Court NO. !, Justice Stafford
presiding. for the alleged destruction OF
public recorCs entrusted to his care in
1908 while Commissioner OF the General
Land Office.
Arraigned on the charge OF violating
section 540S of the revised statutes Rep
resentative Hermann entered a plea of
mot guilty"
District Attorney Daniel W. Baker
made a brief explanation regarding the
nature Of the offense charged and eX-
animation Of the twelve men in the jury
box was Immediately begun.
Shortly before noon the panel Of
twcnty-six talesmcn was exhausted.
Eleven men were then in the jury box.
Justice Stafford instructed clerk Haw-
kins 10 have twenty additional talesmen
summoned to attend court tomorrow
morning at 10 o'clock.
The Government challenged eight
talesmeu. The five peremptOry chal-
lenges allowed the defense were the only
ones made by counsel
Harry Sacks was excused by consent
of a. 5. WOrthingtOn, senior counsel for
the accused, and District Attorney
Baker. Sacks is not naturalized cit
fzen Of the United States, although he
thought he was. Examination showed
that he had taken out his first papers.
Grand Jurors Ignorance.
Somewhat of a sensation was sprung
or the court and spectators when John
Norris, a merchant from Tenleytovn,
admitted that he was on the grand jury
fn March. 1905, when the Indictment
against Mr.. Hermann was returned, but
notwithstanding that service he knew
nothing of the case The Governments
representatives explained this by say
ing that Mr. Norris may have been III
or absent when the Hermann indlct-
ment was found.
The talesman was excused by consent
of both counsel.
The jurors In the box at the time the
panel was exhausted were:
The jurors in the box at the time the
panel was exhausted were:
David Davis, thlTty-eight, grocer 439
y street northwest
John A. BurCh, forty, merchant, I522
Wisconsin avenue.
Charles r. Schutt. ffty-one. mer-
chant, l422 Seventh street northwest.
George Z. Smith thirty-five, engraver.
sos / street northwest.
Walter Murphy, thirty-Seven. con-
L
Charles Woodward, Jwenty-three.. CON
ductOr. 30eS Fourteenth street northwest.
George +. CrOsweU, fOrty-nine. mer-
chant 43l Seventh street southwest
Frank y. Smith forty-four, merchant,
623 Morris street northwest
Edward +. Ward. fOrty-siX. brick
layer. 1919 Eleyenth street northwest
Harvey Eiker. thirty-nIne, grocer. 20lS
1 street northwest
II. Clyde Grimes. thirty-fOur. clerk,
3l39 y street northwest
Ii is charged that while Representa-
tive Hermann had charge of the Land
Office thirty-tive letter press copy books,
containing official letters and other in
formation disappeared, and were sUbse-
quentiy destroyed The Government
contends that the books were the prop
erty of the United States Mr. Hermann
is SAID 20 insist that the books were his
personal property
It is further alleged that the thirty
five books which were in Mr. Hermann s
keeping contained discriminating cvi-
denCe against q number of persons in
Guiding Mr.. Hermann. implicated in tho
land fraud cases. il is said. The Gov
ernment expects. so Its representatives,
say. TO prove that Nj Hermann did
away with the records so as To protect
himself and others from prosecution
Colleague Convicted
Mr.. Hermaan's colleague in Congress.
Representative Williamson. has been
land frauds He has not yet been sen
fenced. as an appeal is now pending.
Representative Hermann is also Uu-
der indictment in his native State for
frauds in connection with land grants
Representative Hermann was in court
today to plead to the indictment for the
first time. The Indictment was found
almost two years ago. Trial was set
half a dozen times, but postponed be-
cause of other business or the absence
OF the district attorney.
Attorneys a. s Worthington and H.
Preston Galley. son-in-law Of the accus-
ed, represent Mr.. Hermann. Wit hthe aC-
Cused today sat his son, Schiller =. Her
mann, Of Boston and Colonel Worthing-
ton, former member OF Congress. and
the last surviving pallbearer of Lincoln
The Government is represented by
District Attorney Baker and Assistants
Charles Turner and Jesse Adkins.
II is expected the case will cover a
week or ten days The Government has
more than a score Of witnesses. Among
them Is Secretary Hitchcock, of the
Interior Department The remainder Of
the witnesses are employees Of the Land
OffiCP