East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-05-18
Federal Grand Jury Will Probe
Indian Land Filings Next
Week.
OVER $50 sUBPoENAs
SERVED IN UMAMLLA
United States District Attorney John
McCourt Asks for Grand Jury to In
yestigate Indian Land Matters
Case Has BceR In the Federal Court
for Is MonthS-Grand jury Will
Hear the Case on Monday, May rs.

One hundred and fifty Umatills
county people have been subpoenaeC
to appear before the federal grand
jury at Portland on Monday, May rs
when the alleged Umatilla Indian land
frauds will be investigated by United
States District Attorney John Nc
Court
For the past two years this Indian,
land matter has been brewing and q
large number OF claims were cancel
led during an investigation held In
this city IS months ago by Captain J.
II. Alexander and L. II. Jones, and al
that time II was determined to bring
the matter before the federal grand
jury, although the pressure OF other
bushes has delayed II until now.
Two or three features OF the land
filings In question will be investigated
by the federal grand jury, the princi-
pal features being as follows: That
much agricultural Land has been filed
upon as range land and that no resi-
dence has been made upon this agri-
cultural land; that entrymen bargain
ed away their claims and secured
money for filing purposes from those
who we're to receive the lands when
title was completed.
Want an Investigation.
All OF those who are connected
with the matter by the Investigations
express a willingness and desire for
the investigation TO proceed that the
facts OF the matter may be arrived
at and the subject dropped. They
say they are within the law and do not
fear the Investigations and in face
welcome a most searching inquiry in
TO their acts.
When District Attorney John Nc
Court took up the work OF that office
several months ago he found the
Umatllla land investigation on his
desk awaiting further investigation
and as soon as the more pressing bus
mess was disposed OF he asked for
grand jury for this matter and Sat-
urday Judge Wolverton ordered the
jury to convene on Monday, May 25,
TO take up the matter.
Large numbers of Umatilla county
people will be called to Portland to
attend the investigation and offer
testimony In the case. There were
about 500 original entries on the
Umatilla lands and many OF these are
under investigation.
History of the Indian Lands.
The oregon Daily Journal says OF
the matter, after an interview with
United States District Attorney Nc
Court.
The frauds, which are said to have
resulted in the gobbling up of more
than $4,000 acres OF the public do
main in Umatilla county, will impli-
cate some of the most prominent
business and professional men and
cattle and sheep men of Umatilla
county, and of eastern oregon.
Investigation Made Long Ago,
More than two years ago It was
called TO the attention OF the general
land office that the land entries had |
been juggled in Umatilla county, and
an investigation was ordered. E. W. |
Dixon, of Portland and special agent |
of the general land office, and Colonel !
James II. Alexander, now of the La
Grande land office, were chosen to
make an investigation of the condi-
tions surrounding the Umatilla pur-
chases.
This report was finished in Novem-
ber, 1906, and sent to the department. |
Owing to the tangled condition of
things in the oregon office, however,
no formal action was taken during the