Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-26
SHERMAN IS ACCUSED
Helped Plan Big Land Fraud,
Says Associate.
SCHEME FELL THROUGH
Abandoned, Says Burke, Because of
Fear of Prosecution.
BILL PASSED BY THE HOUSE
Vice Presidential Candidate, His Ac-
cuser, and Henry Casson Inter
ested in Project.
SCHEME FELL THROUGH
BILL PASSED BY THE HOUSE


charges against James S. Sherman. re-
publican candidate for vice president. are
published in the New York World this
morning. Edmund Burke, attorney OF
Los Angeles Cal. Sherman's former busi-
ness partner. recites story of doubtful
purposes in connection with the forma-
ton Of the New Mexico Lumber and De-
velopment Company. Burke says 1t was
a 100000 concern incorporated in 1901
by Sherman. Burke and Henry Casson.
the present sergeant-at-a OF the
House Of Representatives.
He says the republican nominee entered
into a scheme to obtain thousands of
acres of valuable timber land in New
Mexico for less than one-tenth actual
value. and that the project was only
abandoned because Of the activities or
Francis ]. Heney and w. J. Burns in in
vestigating land and timber frauds in the
west.
company were filed in the territory Of
Arizona, according to Burke, to secure
secrecy. He. as the authorized agent.
entered into an arrangement with the
members of the land board of the terri
tory of New Mexico to acquire territorial
timber lands in that terltory at about
one-tenth of their cost
Burke Paid Over Cash.
Burke made 1.-The necessary arrange
ments."
1t is alleged that the land board OF
New Mexico gave to the New Mexico
Lumber and Development Company an
option on an extensive tract of land en-
| bracing more than 10000 acres. The
price agreed upon was So an acre.
To carry out the scheme the land board
printed for the company several thousand
application blanks addressed to the land
board, each asking for a grant of 16C
| acres, the limit allowed by law. On the
back of these applications was printed q
power of attorney to the company by
| which the applicant appointed the com
pany its agent.
These applications were to be signed
| by men working in the breweries of Mil
| waukee. Then they were to be turned
over to the compony.
Burke alleges that on the advice Of
United States Senator Spooner, Sherman
and his associates finally decided that the
| scheme of using dummy entrymen was
| too dangerous. They decided to abandon
the plan and seek legislative authority
| from the government to profit at its ex-
penSe.
Bill Put Through House.
Sherman, then a member of Congress
prepared and drew House bill No. 1902
| to amend an act entitled AN act to make
certain grants OF land In the territory
fof New Mexico and for other purposes. .
This bill was passed in the House and
was then sent to the Senate.
There it met a snag in the person OF
Senator Thomas NJ. Patterson of Colo
rado. He prevented its passage after a
warm debate. Then came the sensational
disclosures of other western land frauds
The project was abandoned for the time
On August .. last. Burke wrote to Can
didate Sherman saying the democratic
national committee had secured the facts
of the attempted land grab and would
bly, use them to injure him.
In his letter Mr.. Burke said, among
other things:
mo exigency can arrive in this world
that would make me recreant to a trust
or disloyal to a friend but they
may attempt to blacken the facts. And
l deem 1t my duty to tell you what they
are trying to do"
Mr. Sherman replied that he thanked
Burke very much for apprsing him OF
what was under way.
The New York World states that its
efforts to procure statement from Mr.
Sherman have been unavailing. A tele-
gram from the newspaper. delivered al
the Utica home of Mr.. Sherman. has
elected no reply although Mr.. Sherman
was known to be at home.