Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1908-04-02

expenses, but also was to give them
$4,000 each. When the time came
for them to attempt to prove up, the
government was in possession OF
such facts that they dare not make
the attempt, but received their 500
and did not appear before the land
Office hence as they never had title
they did not allow the land to revert
to the government but were afraid
to go ahead with the miserable deal.
Mr.. Crawford had miles fenced in in
this ranch, some of which was school
lands, and this fence has since been
removed by orders Of the govern
ment. To illustrate the cunning dis
played in the attempt to illegally
acquire government land, none of
these young men would file upon
square quarter, but would file upon
three forties in one quarter and one
forty in another quarter, thus leav-
ing forty in each quarter to be
sold and acquired as an isolated
tract with no one to bid on land
within another mans fenced ranch,
for it must be remembered that all
these entries were within the Craw-
ford fence. Special Agent McEniry
in his report says that Crawford told
him that at the time the entries were
made ga lot of Russian immigrants
were looking for lands in that local
ity and in order to keep this class of
people at a distance from their prop
erty, he Crawford had suggested to
some friends in Huron the advisable.
ity of filing ON these lands" That
he must have made such a statement
is fully proven by an affidavit from
Blount, and also by Mr.. Crawford
himself. Upon page 10 of the pam.
phlet referred to, Crawford says: 81
was simply promoting a settlement
Of desirable rather than undesirable
neighbors." On page IL, he says:
"As to paying money to these boys
the facts are that / did advance them
money at different times during the
period named"
To sum up, the answer to the
Worlds first question is that Mr.
Crawford did not defraud the gov.
eminent because he was caught with
the goods and forced to disgorge
To the second query, the answer is
that he did attempt to barefacedly
defraud the government and only
escaped conviction by reason of tn,
peculiar political conditions in this
state. Instead of answering the
charges against him, Mr.. Crawford
asserts that the investigation was the
work Of political enemies and thai
Congressman Mann's speech in con
gress on land frauds was inspired
from the same source. Now, let tn,
voter ask himself why was Mr. Craw
ford's entry cancelled by the govern
ment as fraudulent Why did h'
furnish money to these young men
Why is his brothers claim held up
The land Office is not a politica
organization and does not cancel any
entry made in good faith, neither
does it begin Investigations at thu
behest of any political party. Mr.
Crawford wrote to the general lane
Office condemning and censurins
Special Agent McEniry and protest
ing against his report in relation t.
his land entries. The department
promptly replied, resenting hi
attack upon Mr.. McEniry and inform
ing him that the special agent was |
trusted employee Of the government
and shortly thereafter Mr.. McEnir!
received substantial promotion ant
is still in the government service
This was the governments answer Il
Coe ]. Crawford and met with tn,
full approval of President Roosevelt
In speaking of the Crawford, case
Congressman Mann said in conclu
sion "Mr. Chairman, / ask where car
there be found a clearer case of Z
premeditated scheme to defraud thu
government of portion Of the pub
lie domain? Where can be found 8
more striking illustration of the mis-
carriage of justice through political
influence"
What the voters want to know o.
Mr.. Crawford is not whether some Of
his enemies inspired the investiga,
ton NJ his fraudulent land entries