Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-03-13
Senate Committee on Inquiry
Finds Clerk Harry S. Anderson J
Guilty as Charged.
NO MEANS or PUNISHMENT,
Is Accused of Using Inside Infor-
nation to Personal Profit
And Against Others.
A New Law is Recommended Making
1t u NIisderncnnor to do WHAT
Accused Clerk Did

Contrary 10 general expectation
ssr,onr senators, the special land board
Investigating committee today turned
in n report, and it is fully as drastic
In iss statements as was the resolu-
tlon introduced by Beuner X. Smith
calling for the investig alton. Harry
IS. Anderson, who was charged with
using Information gained In his capac-
ity as a confidential employe OF the
office, to further his own interests
against those of applicants for land. is
declared to have been found guilty as
charged.
criticism. 1t is declared that the board
members should have investigated
thoroughly the reports and charges
made to Chairman Lynch some time
ago. and should have prevented the oc-
eurrence of such things AS those COM
planned OF. a new law Is recommend
ed making it a misdemeanor for iand
board officials to buy OF take up state
land while in Office, and the board
members are criticised for following
their practise in this regard.
Chairman Hulaniski who wrote the
report, declared after the senate adj
journed this morning, that the matter
that n bill will be introduced on the
subject. He also intimated that when
the senate meets In executive session
to confirm the governor reappo1nt-
ynents to the board. the matter VIII be
threshed over in an exhaustive man
ner.
THE REPORT I'm FULL.
The report Is not signed by Senator
Benner " Smith He accepted the
ior, Mt Snafstnl rytfuaci1flnR NttOr-
ney for the committee, and II was 90
the evidence he developed from Wit
nesses during the COMMITTEES SESSIONS
that the report Is based. Its text Is as
follows;
Nj, Prcsdent--Your special commits
tee on state lands, appointed under res
olution OF Feb. %. 1901, beg leave to
report that under the authority OF said
resolution they have examined into the
gharges made and subpotanaed VII
resses ana taken testimony under OATH
and we now find the following facts:
That on the goth OF July, 1906, part
OF section 81, township north. range
1 east was unoccupiea. government
land and subject to selection by any
citizen through the state land ONCE
to be purchased a s provided by law
This property will be hereafter re-
ferred to as the Sorensen land
SHOWN BY ANDERSON.
ii appears from the evidence thai
this land had been surveyed and was
open and sub ect 10 entry for sevetai
years prior to this date: That a few
days previous to July 70. 1906 one
Muller examined the plats in the state
land office for the purpose OF ascel'-
tanning whether this land WAS open for
purchase and that he WAS shown the
plats by an employee OF the Office, one
Harry Anderson IT further appears
from the evidence that Frank d. Steph-
ems, acIing as attorney for Muller, on
the 18th day OF July, 1906. again in
spected the plats, FOR the purpose of
aseertaining whether the same could
be selected and purchased. as provided
by law, and that he was SHOWN thA
pIats by said Anderson and as far as
he records OF the state land office
we're concerned, the same was open
for selection. That thereupon said
stephens secured from the state land
office forms for contracts of purchase
and had the same executed BY one
Doscher, who was acting Tor Muller
IN making the selection The appilca-
ton with n check accompanying the
same, was sent 10 the state land Office
on the alst or 2end of July. 1906
CLERKS RRoIHER-INLAw.
1t further appears from the evidence
that one r. a. Sorensen, who is a
OrDtnel-l1-luN VI Altll Alautl sptlf CAV
suted before said Anderson as notary
public on the goth day OF July. 1906,
IN application TO purchase part OF the
patne land applied for by Dosoher. IL
Appears from the evidence that the APP
pllcation OF both parties came inio the
hands OF said Anderson. and thar 1t was
The usual practise OF said office that
laid applications would be placed In
bis hands. There is no record on either
" said applications showing which was
received first, nor showing when either
u the same WAS received. The records
the Office, however. show that the
money on the Sorensen Applicant ON was
accounted for on the 2tst OF July, and
mat on the poscher application on the
Srd OF July, 1906. The only record of
he Minis Of the sorensen application
on July 20: the Doscher application
Mes returned with an endorsement
thereon 10 the effect that the land
already been applied for 1t appears
hat both of the applications cams
INTO The hands Of Anderson. that he
'ook the Same TO the United States
and once. as was the custom, and
shere found thar there were no filings
u said office affecting the right to Sc
sct' and he so indicated on each OF
NE applications. IL further appears
nat on the 2Srd Of July 1906. Sorensen
sled us application for a homestead
lpon me same property In the United
hat an applicant to purchase lands
through state election may be defeated
acquiring tho lands by person
ionesteading or Ming a desert entry
Upon tho same lands, and that a per.
ION can protect his rlght OF selection by
70 doing, or can defeat the right OF Sc.
eetion BY a person prior IN time.
ANDERSON MAKES DENIAL.
Anderson denies that no Informed
sorensen. his brother-in- law of the
nquirles that had been made in ref.
srence 10 this selection. Sore nsen do.
sies that he received any information
from Anderson. although ne admits
hat Anderson swore him to his applI.
tniton and exhibited 20 him the maps
" the land At the TIME of making
ihe Same Sorenser owned no other
fnd IN this vicinity and stated that
ie applied to purchase the Same for
~ Investment
WHAT EVIDENCE SHOWS,
However. the following appears to