Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-26

future, as L THINK the law INTENDED 10 10
and to keep out land-grabbers and l trust
you will pardon me for writing you this let
ter If you wish to investigate who l am
and where 1 am responsible for what say
would kindly ask you to write Hon. L. T.
Geer. Salem, Ore, or Hon. J. NJ. Church.
Most respectfully yours,
(SignedD "B. 7. MAY"
Hermann to May.
August 80, 1901.
I'D. F. May, ESQ.,, La Grande, Ore:
MY Dear Sir-Your very kind favor is
lust at hand and l lose no time in answer
ing the same. ! thank you very much Tor
the information that you g We ana the sus
gestions which you make as to the various
attempts to violate and circumvent the
laws of the United States for purchase Oh
timber lands. i have gone into this matter
formation from different parts of the
United States as to like violations else
where. Instructions have been sent to all
the local land offices which will require the
officials to make themselves personally aG
uuainted with any suspicious facts Which
are apparent IN the final proofs or TINS
class of entries. l have gone even further
than this and have held up here all en-
tries made upon which no patents nave
been delivered with view to making
careful inquiry as to all such cases where
there are any circumstances .en9ihs TO
indicate a fraud. You are perfectly rlght
unlawfulness of such conduct on the part
of men who solemnly swear that they took
these lands for their exclusive use ana
benefit and have made no aereemenI OF
contract for their disposal to others. Such
entries should be investigated, and that is
what this office is doing without fear or
favor 1t is my desire to see that the puphc
lands administration Is Kept lfee from
Flemish and that the laws are impart1ally
enforced as to all. ! wish again to thank
YOU most sincerely for your earnest and
kindly words, as 1 appreciate them very
much, ,,, or.s
"BINGER HERMANN,
commissioner
up. S.-Believing that you would be inter-
ested in the valuable map of Oregon. take
nlea sure in mailing it to you under sepa-
rate cover. D. L.
May to Hermann.
GA GRANDE. OREG., October ., 1901.
Hon. Binger Hermann,
commissioner U. 8. Land Office.
IVA shington, D. c.
MY Dear Sir: have come to register
kick this time for l think l have one COM
ing. Little did suppose, when l wrote the
former letters, you would betray me to
parties, but behold, on the 9Th of this month,
Robert Smith, the general business manager
of Grand Ronde Lumber Company of
Perry, Oregon, came to me where 1 was at
work at the sugar factory and called me
out and asked me why had reported his
company to you, and told me was poor
man. and he would make 1t hard for me
to live in this part of the country which
is a fact, when I can't write letter to an
official in Washington unless they report
the same back to the parties mere. Now
going to investigate land frauds, but how
are you going to investigate land frauds
when you will notify the parties first? If
you have not given this away l could have
nf IA
but it is all off now, for Mr. Smith in
formed me 1 could do nothing but what
they could find out. How is this, anyway?
Please explain.
Yours in haste, "B. T. MAY"
Treated as Confidential.
November /. 1901.
''Mr. B. r. May, La Grand, Ore.
"Sir: 1 have received your letter of Octo-
Der 8, 1901. in which you refer to letters
heretofore written by you to this office
alleging that a large number of entries Of
made fraudulently in the interest OF the
Grand Ronde Lumber Company. You state
that the officers Of said company have been
told that you made such charge and now
that part Of the country, and you ask why
they were informed that you had COM
planned against them.
"You are advised that this Office treats |
all communications such yours as strict
ly confidential. and in no instances are |
the names divulged of persons complaining |
Of frauds in connection with entries OF |
public lands. The officers of said company |
must have secured their information from |
some other source than from this Office.
VERY Respectfully.
"BINGER HERMANN.
commissioner"
Elliott P. Hough. formerly private Sec |
rotary to Mr.. Hermann, was again called I
to the stand, and during the balance of the |
session he was occupied in describing the /
routine procedure in the conduct of affairs /
in the general land office. and in identifying |
q long series of letters which after having |
been Identified were read to the jury. On |
motion of Attorney Worthington Attorney
Harvey M. Friend was allowed to appear /
IN the case as counsel for the defense