The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-01-29
BONE IN WASHINGTON.
VIII See About the Illegal Fencing
Cases.

Is Washington, Jan. z9.-WhiIe il
washington in connection with his triI
east to attend and address the Kansas
Society of New York City, H. ]. Bone
United States district attorney for Kan
sas, will confer with the departments OF
justice and interior in regard to the sta
tus of certain fence cases in western
Kansas.
H S. Boice of Kansas City, of the
Boice Cattle company, and son-in-law
of Major Calvin Hood, of Emporia, Is
a Washington arrival at about the
same time as Mr.. Bone. Mr.. Boice is
personally interested in some of the
cattle cases. being a heavy land owner
in Morton county.
Mr.. Boice is a great friend of the
president. In this connection he may
seek to have order made to Mr.. Bone to
dismiss the case against the BOice
Cattle company now pending in the
United States district court. 1t is al
legged that he will claim that there was
an understanding between him and Mr..
Bone as a representative of the depart
ment of justice whereby if a certain
fine of 81, 250 were paid at Wichita dur
ing a term of court about a year ago,
together with a plea of guilty in fence
matters, and certain other provisions
were complied with including taking
down of fences by the first of this year,
there was to be a dismissal of the cases
against him.
1t is said that Mr.. Boice is much ex-
.ercised by the insistence of Mr.. Bone
to comply strictly with the instructions
given him by the department of jus
tice... This was what, Senator Lsng1ad-
yised Mr.. Bone to do when he recom-
mended his appointment a year ago,
and Mr.. Bones friends have always in
sisted that this has been his course in
office.
1t was about a year ago that Mr..
Dot nd &c Oft = 10y hlrf
of Emporia, formerly United States
district attorney, called here on his
friend, the president. and obtained GER
tain concessions. Mr.. Boice was to be
given time to get his fence down, so he
and Mr.. Lambert stated the president
directed, and later events seemed, to
indicate that there was something in
the :: ory o. what the president had
done for friend Boice. 1t is the further
suits against him that seems to be wor-
rying Mr.. Boice Just at present. Mr..
Bone does not seem to be worrying
greatly.
1t was only recently that the secre-
tary of the interior, at the suggestion
of the president, MAZE a mighty strict
order concerning Illegal fencing of the
public domain. He stated that hereafter
1T would not be necessary for the old
time red-tape and formula; that when
a special agent of the general land
office felt he had goou evidence of
fencing, and knew that it was being
done, heswas not to make his report to
the commissioner, then that officer to
the secretary, and he to the department
of justice, which would instruct the
district attorney; but that the special
agent was to go straightway to the dis
trict attorney and lay his evidence be-
fore him. In his way. it was hoped that
speedy and sure action would be taken
against those Illegally fencing the public
domain.
Accompanying this order was the
statement that on and after April I
next, the statute against illegally fenc-
ing public land would be strictly and
vigorously enforced.
The fencing statute has caused much
worry and trouble, not only to those
who indulge in it, but to officials, and