The Havre herald. [volume] (Havre, Mont.) 1904-1908, 1908-07-29
A FIERCE OUTRAGE

Mention was made n INC news c'i-
urnns of tie Herald l>at week. ol '1l7
investigation being held at halspe'l
az IN the alieged charges Of fraud On
.he mart of the state land board Ill
aienoeing Of certain lands in Flath2ad
county, Public interest has been keSh-
IN alive to the situation, IL that me
CHARGES brought b. certain ln4lFiooal0
vera against men whose characters
are absolutely above reqToach, el1Lei
In public or private life, ana "noSe
lives Tor years have been as an open
book for the people OF Montana 10
read.
The state land board is composed
OF the governor Is chairman; tie SEC
Rotary o. state the attorney gen fa'
and the Superintendent Of public III
struc,ion, and, regardless O. VINO Is
elected 10 office tho said ONO as
COMPRISE the member Of the state
land board AT the time Of the al
1ege,, fraudc Governor Toole was
chairman, A. n. Yodcr, secretary OF
state, Albert Galen, attorney neral
and W. Z. Harmon, super ntcndent q
public instruction, com Uprising the otn~
er members Of tho board, anc how I'M
der heaven any man would have the
termitv. the malignancy of intent ard
yiciousness OF purpose 10 prlhS
charges of dishonesty against gu II
men. without absolute and positive
evidence to support his contention, IS
entirely beyond the conception Of any
decent and justice loving cit zen. AS
to John 2, Sclmit, state land re2i ter
and Henry Neil, state land agent, theil
Integrity and constant endeaVor TO
work for the best interests or me
state In the classification and sale OF
nublic lands. has never, tC the kaoWl-
edge of the Herald, been questioned,
and we venture the positive opinion
that the charges OF dishonesty against
the land board Will fa.i absolut ~
flat when the facts are brought out,
and the evidence IS al! in
The sensation of The invest CATION
was sprung when one Prodger turned
in some "nearsay" evidence as to
former Governor Toole's cor1pllcity
in the alleged land frauds. Governor
Toole requested to be allowed hear
ing, and on taking the stand said, ad-
dressing Governor Norris, who had
charge OF the hearing:
II suppose your eXceilency trat /
need not say to you that the testl~
rnouy Of the witness Just upon the
stand WAS certainly very start ing 10
me, and while it may have some fcun-
datitn in fact AS to the ccnvs rs ation
between himself and Mr.. I&Crea, net
being present, ] cannot say Or con-
3ccture but do wish promptly to
say to your eGcel.ency aad to the p o.
pie of the state OF Montana, through
you. .ha: at no time since | became a
member Of the state board Of land
commissioners have 1 asked. d"na ed
ed Or received any comp nsation 81
dnS EIilst ol tliti al GA 1bI tlfc Ni>Ell I (,
Of M duty as { member Of The board
of land commissioners: neither any
money or political or other thin 5 or
any valuable consil ration. vi. h tc
further say that at no time has
any man. woman 81 ch:ll ever ap-
prcachf>' me upon the subject and to
say that | feel l.uriI:atcd is express.
ing it very family. / feel that
could not allow this SESSION to adj
3ourn until I had stated dis matter
efully, and II l have not gene fan
enough it Is because ray languag.
has failed me, for my purpose is to
deny in toto, BY implication CT 9th T
wise, the fact that | have ever d =
Jnanded Or received any consideIa' iol
or thing. kind Or character, personal
iy, financially, politically Or otherw Sc
for my vote or influence upon til;
board OF land commissioners: and il
is only fair and Just for NE to say
that there was no ianglc b~tween any
OF the members of the board Of land
commissioners respecting The subjec
2I compensation or payment of an.
kind or charges whatever mentioned
in NV presence. It is not true tina