Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-03-21
HOW LAND FRAUDS
WERE PERFORATED
S. A. D. Puter Tells How He
Rounded up People and Made
Agreement to Pay Them.
PAID EACH OF THEM $3.50.
Gave DIR. I.oomis OF Land Office 5000
TO Make Favorable Report
On the Claims.

| Wa shington. March POS. A. d, Pu.
ter, Who gave his residence as the Multi
netnah county jail. Or, where he has
served six mouths OF n two years SEM
tence for land frauds. was witness for
the government In the Hermann trial
today. Mr. Puter gave with startling
6iSectness the full details OF tho diff
cuitles and cost which had attended his
efforts to Obtain patents TO ~ horne-
steads In the Cascade forest reserve,
now known as the "Eleven-Seyen'
frauds In Oregon.
He said he first rounded up 10 peo-
pie and made an agreement to pay them
$3.50 each TO make entries 10 the claims
and turn over the deeds to him. lie
then saw. DR.. I.oomis OF the general
land Office, gave him $500 to make a
favorable report on the claims, aud
promised him a like amount when the
patents should be Issued. He also en-
deayored to AK things" with Ornsby,
The state forester, by giving orrnsby's
son $500
After the EoOmls report reached
Washington Puter learned that some
thing was wrong and decided TO come
al once. Before leaving Oregon he got
letter of Introduction to Senator Nit
chell from Atty Mays OF Poland Puter
said he knew Mitch ell. but asked Mays
to- write a Strong" letter and Indicate
to the senator that Puter would pay
him well to fix things up, He present.
ed the letter 10 the senator on his ar
rival and also called on MIR. Hermann
The latter told him that his matters
We're being looked into, and Indicated
that things might be going along all
right, Senator Michel visited Mr., Her
mann and after several consultations
1t was decided that additional afIidavlts
were necessary. 1t was regarded as
necessary to send for Mrs. Watson. who
had made one OF the entries. On her
arrival. Puter said. no took her at once
to Mitchell, and afiidavits were drawn
up. Continuing, Puter said that the
next morning Mitchell took Mrs Wat
son and Puter to see MY Hermann, and
AT this meeting the senator told the
commissioner about the aft1davits and
said as soon as they were sworn to they
would be furnished.
This formality, he said, was attended
70 at the senate that day, and Mitchell
advised Mrs. Watson to cali frequently
ON Hermann. "You will find him
Very agreeable old man. he said. 'and
II will not do amy harm to call fire.
quGntly-'
Mrs. Watson called on Hermann sew
eraI times In the next three Days, Pu-
ter stating that during these visits he
waited outside. 1t was about four days
after the affidavits had been furnished
THAI he called ON Hermann and said
he Was surprised at being told that
his claims all needed more proof. Her
mann advised him 10 so back TO Ore
gon and get his proof.
Puter testified that he at once called
Oh Mitchell. who also advised the same
way. Puter said he told both Mitchell
ana Hermann that It WAS useless to do
this that the people who had made the
entries were scattered Besid es, he said
further. IL he did get them together
they would hold him up for more than
he had first paid He talked the matter
over with Mitchell for two hours, as TIC
result of which Mitchell went to see
Hermann that day. That night he Gale
on Mitchell and had another conference.
II was at this conference, he said.
that he took out two 1000 bills and laid
them on the table in front of Mitchell,