Albuquerque citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1907-1909, 1907-09-26
STEUNENBERG WILL
Be CENTRAL FIGURE
Opening Statement by Attorneys
Reviewed as Evidence Is Being
Presented George S. Long
viii be Main Hope of
the Prosecution.

Boise. Idaho, Sept. 26.-Having ac-
complished much of the tedious work
of identifying and placing on record
the papers i'm about half hundred
alleged fraudulent claims filed on
timber lands in the interest of the
Barber Lumber company, the govern
ment attorneys in charge of the pros
ecution of United States Senator VIM.
f. Borah, who acted as attorney for
the lumber company, began today to
unfold i'm narrative form, the details
of the alleged conspiracy which is
said to have begun in 1899 and to
have continued down to the ming IN
1904 of the last of los deeds to the
lumber corporation.
Their Main Reliance
The witnesses who are Wiling TO
confess to making false affidavlts
when taking out timber claims, Will
have largely to do with the presenta-
ton of the governments case. IN ms
opening statement to the jury. M. c.
Burch announced that the govern
ment would offer as one of its prin-
cipal witnesses, George 5. Long, who
it is alleged. acted as dummy trus-
tee" to receive title to the claims
from the dummy" entrymen and to
transfer the property later to the
Barber Lumber company, Wiscon-
sin corporation. Former Gov. Frank
Steunenberg is promised as the CEN
tral figure in the governments case.
Borah Was Attorney.
Throughout the presentation OF
evidence, the address made by Judge
M c. Burch, of Detroit, Mich, special
assistant to the attorney general OF
the United States, is being practically
reviewed in the method of querying
witnesses. In his address he arraign-
ed the late Gov. Frank Steunenberg
as the central figure in the conspir-
acy by which it is claimed that more
than 1900 acres of virgin forest land
thick with towering pines, came
fraudulently into the possession of
the Barber Lumber company.
Burch connected Senator Borah
with the land transactions only as
attorney first for Steunenberg and
then for the lumber concern. He de-
clared that Senator Borah interested
himself in all matters having an out
ward bearing on the lands claimed
by dummy" entrymen, turned over
to dummy" trustees, and by them
decided over to the Barber company.
Handled the Deeds.
Burch said that all of the deeds
went through Senator Borah's office,
and stand in the county clerks office
as being recorded at his request. 1t
is claimed Senator Borah approached
the registrar of the land office with
regard to several claims which were
held up and was warned by that Of
fetal that the claims were fraudulent
and should be let alone.
Governor Steunenberg and William
Sweet, a mining man. Burch declar-
ed, put up the first money, $500, to
carry on the alleged fraud. Governor
Steunenberg openly stated that he
was interested in securing timber
claims as a speculation, and induced
others to go in with him.
The Jury.
The jury which is hearing the
evidence is as follows
Jules Miller, farmer; ]. E. Yates
president of the Boise Bank &c Com
merce; j. S. d. MELVILLE, wool grow
er: Thomas b. Cess, real estate; A
C. Boot, printer and publisher; Ora
c. Cox. carpenter; T. W. Randall
farmer; c. p. Bilderback, president
of the First National bank of EN-
NETT, Idaho; Peter Meth rancher
Albert Beck, rancher, and e. S. Cush'
man, retired.