The Washington herald., 1908-04-10

AethOds of Attesting Affidavits.
Letters that passed between Frederick
A. Hyde. the San Francisco land dealer,
and Henry p. DimoEd, a San Francisco
attorney. both of whom. with John A.
Benson and Joost Z. Schneider. are now
on trial. in Criminal Court No. /. on an
indictment charging them with defraud-
ing the government out Of valuable land.
introduced into evidence yesterday, dis
closed That Schneider was responsible for
the investigation which eventually led to
the ret4rn Of the present indictment.
Ia these letters Hyde excoriated
Schneider for furnishing information.
The letters were dated in January. and
the early spring Of 1893, and were written
at the time that the Hyde selections Of
land, in lieu Of school land rellnouished.
were suspended pending investigation. At
this time, it had not yet become public
that the government suspected fraud and
was preparing TO prosecute the alleged
conspirators.
Hyde scores Schneider.
In the course Of one Of the letters Hyde
said, referring to Schneider:
IF they viii su5ls.d anything on the
mere unsupported statement Of q black
mailer. why would not my statement IN
return be equally effective 10 release?"
The false things that Schneider is try
ing 10 fastea on me-" the letter also
stated. Il do not fear. But I do fear the
disreputable. underhand methods OF these
special agents, as indicated in the letter
Of Mr. Hazard They viii lie, brCwbeat,
and intimidate people with the same reck-
lessness that is manifested in getting
proof in the criminal courts
Concerning Information which Schneider
Is alleged to have furnished special
agents. with regard TO Hyde having sig
natures to important papers attested by
a notary public when the signer was not
present, Hyde. IN the course OF q letter
TO Dimond. admitted that such was the
fact, and while It may be irregular. il
Is customary for the notary to certify
that the person appeared"
He described the statement made by
Schneider as due to the Iatter's vivid
imagination and malignant spirit" which
statement 'he would never dare 70 swear
to-"
Commissioners Are Charged,
It was about this time that ex-Gov.
Richards, Of Wyoming. was appointed
Commissioner to succeed Commissioner
Hermann, whose resignation was forced
by Secretary Hitchcock. Hyde inquired OF
Dimond;
VIII We be better of when Richards
comes fn?''
He requested Dimond TO hold up the in
vesugatlon and keep the thing quiet
until Hermann goes out. and keep it quiet
anyhow"
The tenor OF Dimond's letters from
Washington to Hyde Indicated that be
was unable % convince the latter that
the situation was serious at this end. and
that Secretary Hitchcock had taken the
matter out of the hands Of Commissioner.
Hermann. and was intent on probing ths
charges to the bottom. and had detailed
a corps OF special agents 10 secure evi-
dence.
DinORd Crfticfses Hyde.
Tie order suspending the selections, or
the intention Of the Secretary 10 have a
sweeping investigation made, had not yet
become public. Hyde desired TO keep this
from the public Dlmond pointed out the
impossibility Of such an undertaking. and
in ending one OF his letters said.
Frankly, you were making money too
fast and got careless. thereby laying
yourself liable to snch calamity as has
happened. Now. It IS question Of not
what you would like 70 do, but what is
Il -
benefit yourself"
and his former employer. Schneider, IS
not indicated il the letters read, but viii
come out later in the testimony.
The testimony of three witnesses was
heard yesterday. John McPhaul. law
clerk of the Land once. was recalled.
Walter I. Slack, at one time clerk in
Hyde's Office in san Francisco, and Miss
Marian L. Doyle Of san Francisco, also
at one time a clerk in Hyde's Office took
the stand.
Mr. McPhaul continued his testimony
along the same lines as when on the
Stand Wednesday explaining the work
ings Of the Office &c.
BY far the most important testimony
given yet for the government was that Of
air. Slack. It is thought he win be the
governments star witness.
sIaek's Testimony.
Mr.. Slack testified that while he was
employed by Hyde applications for land
were taken to a notary and afifdavits
placed upon them without the applicant
being present.
He said he is at present a land attorney
and was in the employ Of 1Ir Hyde as
far back as 1878: then for seven years ne
had been & clerk in the ofice Of John
A. Benson; again in Hyde's Office for
two or three years, about 1856 and 1857.
and. after an intermisslon of several
years, again in Hyde's employ from 1897
to October 1862.
Slack testified that the Offices Of Hyde
and Benson were half a block apart IN
san Francisco. and were connected by a
private telephone He described land
transactions in which both we're inter-
ested.
Did you ever see applications for school
lands made out in Hyde's Officer asked
Special Attorney Pugh.
YES" replied the witness. 7 have seen
them filed out and signed, I have seen
them signed in blank and filed out after
ward"
How were they sent TO the notary?'
"They were usually sent By an Office
boy. Sometimes the applicant went along
and sometimes not"
Slack said he had witnessed the name
of elizabeth Dimond' to an application
for land and admitted he had never seen
such q person.
Miss Doyle succeeded Slack on the stand
and eorroborated his testimony as 10 ir-