The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1909-05-20
BARE SCANDAL IN
!. Haskell PROBE
Wlckersham Stops Oklahoma
Land Fraud Inquiry.
JURORS FILE HOT CHARGES
Government Lawyers Accused OF IN
fair Efforts to lndict Governor
Attorney General viii Make
an Investigation.

Washington, May 19.-After receiv.
ing long telegram sent to-day by
Henry e. Asp, counsel for the de-
PENDANTS in the Oklahoma land fraud
cases, to Senator Curtis of Kansas,
and forwarded by the latter to the
department of justice Attorney Gen.
eral Wickersham decided to suspend
further proceedings in those cases
pending the receipt of testimony in
support of charges alleging improper
conduct on the part of the govern
ment attorneys.
The attorney general also decided
that II would not be for the best inter
ests, OF the government to substitute
other counsel for those now conduct
ing the cases.
In commenting upon the matter Mr.
Wickersham stated that it was his
firm conviction that the government
attorneys were performing their du.
ties faithfully and efficiently and that
at this long range he certainly would
not interfere with their efforts. He
recognized that the government attor-
neys were conducting these cases UNI
der adverse circumstances, and no
doubt were doing their full duty and
doing 1t WELL and should be sustained.
Discharged Jurors Make Charges.
Tulsa. Okla, May t9.-Sensational
allegations concerning the official con.
duct of Sylvester r. Rush, special
assistant to the attorney general, and
United States District Attorney Gregg
of the Northern district of Oklahoma,
are made in two petitions filed in the
federal court in connection with the
Muskogee town lot fraud cases.
One of the petitions is signed by
nine members of the grand jury that
was discharged on Saturday last by
Judge Marshall upon motion OF Dis.
trict Attorney Gregg, who asserted
that the Jury had been subjected to
improper Influences. This petition re-
flutes this charge and, in turn, makes
allegations against Messrs. Gregg and
Rush. 1t alleges misconduct before
the jury. efforts to intimidate and CO.
cree the jury to return indictments
against Gov. Haskell and the other de-
PENDANTS regardless of and contrary to
proof presented and petitions the
court to investigate the jurors allie.
cations.
improper Influence Denied.
The defendants also filed a response
to the motion of District Attorney
Gregg, disputing the charges of inn
proper influence, This response al.
leges that Gregg has used the Tulsa
World, of which he is stated to be
part owner, to mold sentiment and to
prejudice the court and grand Jury
against the defendants; that he stated
that he was after Haskell and associ-
ates and that no one else would be
prosecuted; that he stated that he was
personal enemy of William T.
Hutchings and would send him to the
ponitentiary at all hazards; that
Greggs partners in the Tulsa World
had stated to prominent Tulsa man
that II was a political prosecution,
started by William r. Hearst and
Theodore Roosevelt, against Haskell.
The defendants assert that Gregg is
al improper person to conduct the
present prosecution.
Third Grand Jury convenes.
A new grand jury convened yester.
day to investigate the alleged town lot
frauds. The first to begin the investi-
cation sat at Muskogee last winter
and returned indictments against Gov.
Charles N. Haskell and six others.
The defendants filed motion to quash
alleging misconduct upon the part OF
Mr. Rush in the proceedings before
the jury. Judge Marshall upheld the
motion upon technicality.
A second grand jury was called, and
many witnesses had been examin ed,
when on Saturday last, the govern
ment contended that this body had
been subject to improper influences.
Judge Marshall upheld the govern.
ment's motion and discharged the jury
Immediately ordering another one.
This third grand jury convened to.
day to again take up the work pushed
by Mr.. Rush and his assistants. The
witnesses. coming from many states,
aud WHO testified before the first
juries, were held here and number
of others summoned,
Among the Witnesses were F. r.
Moore and T. Murphy Trenton. N. j..
and Frederick Hunt and G.. }. Brad.
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