Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-28
TESTIMONY NOT SIARTuN6
PROCEEDINGS TODAY IN THE
LAND FRAUDS TRIAL
s J. Holsinger, Who Made the
Original investigation, Principal
Witness for the Government.

Little of a startling nature was brought
out in the proceedings before Justice Stat
ford in Criminal Court No. today in the
trial OF Messrs. Hyde-Benson- Schneider
and Dimond on charge of conspiracy to
defraud the government Of valuable pub
lie lands in the west 8. J. Holsinger.
formerly a special agent in the general
land Office. was the principal witness.
Mr. Holsinger made the original inves-
tigation into the alleged land frauds. fol-
lowing the Zabriskie letters which called
the matter to the attention Of the Seere-
went to Tucson. AriE., and met Joost H.
Schneider. who was said. in the letters
Of Attorney Zabriskie. to be ready to
make a confession.
Witness detailed the statements which.
NE said. Schneider made to him relative
to the methods employed by the alleged
conspirators In getting possession of gov
eminent lands. In effect, the story was
repetition of Holsinger's report, written
at the time and now in the records Of
the general land Office. which was placed
in evidence in the case and read to the
jury several days ago.
Under crOss-examinatiOn by Attorney
Campbell. Holsinger said that on first
nearing Schneider's story he did not be-
unusual thing for a man to admit the
commission Of forgery. On this account
he sought and noted the names given by
schneider as those Of fictitious persons
In which land applications were written.
Persuaded to Sign Application.
Joseph B. Frontein Of Arizona, formerly
a resident Of California and employed by
Hyde and Schneider on the former
ranch. testified that Schneider persuaded
him to sign an application for land. and
also arranged SO that Frontein secured a
similar application In the name of Mrs
Frontein. and another in the name of q
man named Meyers. For the latter wit
ness said. he received $40 from Hyde. al
though there was considerable argument,
Hyde telling him that 1t was customary
to pay only s. for such applications.
Witness said he was with Schneider at
the time the latter had a disagreement
with Hyde and announced his determine
ton to act the part of informer. Frontein
said he tried to dissuade Schneider. and
subsequently he telegraphed to Schneider
from Hyde's ONCE in San Francisco:
Keep quiet: say nothing and see no one. -
j. j. Delury.- q Portland, Ore. coneec-
toner and tObacconist. was the first wit
ness at the session this afternoon He said
he was approached In The autumn Of 1898
by Wylie B. Allen, who told him about
the possibility Of selling his right to pur-
chase Oregon state school lands.
He also said he could make the same
arrangement for any Of my relatives -
Mr.. Delury testified. and I met Mr.. Al
len with my wife and brother-in-law and
his wife and q young man named McMur-
ray the same evening. Mr. Allen had a
desk telephone and he called up some
one who 1 thought was a notary and each
Of US answered to our names over the
phone"
Witness said each of the party received
IS for selling his rights, and the notary,
Mr.. Goldsmith. came around a day or two
later and took their acknowledgements.
i. Mr.. Delury was under cross examina-
ton by Attorney Worthington when this
ren0rf cloaad