The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-01-20


actual truth. It says:
Among the most active agents in
this matter is the firm of Reeder &
Watkins, Of Marshfeld, Greg. Mr..
Reeder is a real estate agent AMI
Mr. Watkins an attorney. They
have associated themselves together
in locating applicants on these lands.
Further, Reeder & Watkins, by
circulating shrewitly worded cir
cular long before Don appeared on
the scene, sought to make money by
having persons pay them $21 in
cash for fling an application with
the clerk of court and rendering to
the company s400 per quarter sec
ton, which the law originally con-
templated as the p,ice Of land.
They were to receive 500 additional
whenever the Southern Oregon
Company should convey the title,
and they knew that no one could
compel this conveyance except the
United States Government. because
a similar case had been decided III
the United States court SO declaring.
(See Nichols Y. Southern Oregon
Co., Federal Reporter, vol. 135, p.
234.)
commenced to Investigate on the
5th of October, and l made dfrec-
application to Reeder & Watkins, by
telegram and by letter, On the goth
Of October Dorr did not appear
until early in 1908, as shown by the
report of the postoffice inspectors,
and MS career as o swindler was
brief, as I exposed the whole thing
in the Senate on February 19. The
President had the papers and knew
all this. Reeder & Watkins were re-
ceiviRg S21 for the Insignificant
| work Of making a tender to the hold
! ing company and fling notice with
the clerk of the court. Dorr was
to share in this commission, or what
ever you term it, for whatever bus
mess he brought, and yet the Presi.
| dent would convey the impression
that these filings were merely such
as are usual in purchasing govern
ment land, when he knew or could
have easily found out from the At
torney-General, that all such propos
ed purchasers could not thus bring
any suit. In the i'ght Of the evi-
| dence as presented to the President
| himself, the scheme was a swindlc
to obtain S21 in cash, and must be
apparent to all But the President
acquitted Dorr and convicted me.
BY this time I had found out the
legal status, and decided I would not
sign a contract, file an application,
or pay any money, and my only rea-
son for writing to Reeder & Watkins
I on February Is was to have them
understand that Lee misconceiVed
my attitude in the Senate, and that
was not to be considered as tool,
but acting in the interest Of the pub
lie. Remember I knew nothing Of
Mr. Lees letter till sent in by the
President At the same time was
willing to use them in locating de-
sirable quarter sections, il later on
found that the action Of Congress
would make it possible TO restore tt
land to the public domain by the
cancellation Of the patents.
| The President lays great stress on
the statement o. mine made the 18th
Of February in letter to Reeder &
Watkins He italic;zes the words
"as well as myself" as though 1t
were unlawful, immoral, or improper
for Senator to buy any land or to
act in this Chamber On any question
affecting his personal interest.
fail to see any sense or reason in
this position, but I must submit that
to the judgment Of the Senate and
the country. I had not become a
party to any litigation; I was not in:
terested except as a private individ
nal wanting to purchase, and as
Senator desiring to enable others to
have the opportunity to do so. Of
course, the President IS sure that
have done something very discredita-
BILE and outrageous. He hates me
and would destroy me If he could.
The President gloats over the fact
that my letter was written "just four
days before be announced in the
Senate that he had rot undertaken
to buy any land in the West as
iclinching his contention that I have
lied to the Senate. The records show
that in the interim. the Dorr cir
cular had been sent to me, for on
February 10, when I made the ex-
posure Of Dorr,, said in the Senate:
In the last day or two I have
had my attention called to a
scheme Of swindling, etc.
It is easy for those who are them
selves vulnerable to convict others
on the most fimsy evidence, and the
President seems to work on that
theory.
On reading DORIS circular the
whole scheme and combination OF
| swindlers-Reeder & Watkins, IN
Marchfeld, and Dorr. in Portland; l
| did not know anything about Conro
| and Schaefer-hashed on my mind;
! and remembering Lees somewhat
dubious report as to the character
and qualifications cf the firm of
Reeder G Watkins, l decided at once
to see to 1t that my name should not
be used to inveigle others into their
game. Hence my action in the Sen
ate.
The President dismisses with a
wave Of the hand any possibility OF
my honestly by saying:
It is unnecessary to comment on
his proposal made in this letter
to use his influence as a Senator