The Irish standard., 1909-02-06
GOV, HASKELL
IS INDICTED
SIX OTHER PROMINENT OKLA.
AOMA MEN ARE ACCUSED.
In Conspiracy to Defraud-Executive
Talks of "Hearst's Crooked
Manipulations '-Dishon-
esty is Denied.

Muskogee, Okla, Feb 3.--As a re.
| suit of the investigation by the grand
jury of the alleged frauds in connec-
ton with the scheduling of town lots
in this city, seven indictments We're
returned tonight. The charge against
the defendants is conspiracy to de-
fraud the government.
The names of those indicted are;
| Governor Charles N. Haskell, Il. r.
Sewers, A. 2. English, G. w. Turner,
w. T. Hutchings. Jesse w. Hill and
| Walter r. Eaton.
| Attorney Thomas H. Owen OF Mus
kogee, representing Governor Haskell,
made arrangements for the governor
to enter his appearance Friday morn
Ing and give $4,000 bond for appear
ance for trial. 49,
The writs Issued are returnable
forthwith.
Governor Haskell is at Guthrie.
There is but one indictment against
him. charging him with conspiring
with Walter r.. Eaton and Clarence
|
ment. There are two indictments
against Turner and one each against
the others.
Turner was first to give bond In the
sum of $4,000. Hntchings and Eaton
called and gave bond in the sum Of
$4,000 each. All will probably be ar.
raigned before Judge Campbell Fri
day morning.
English is at Los Angeles.
Governor Haskell. when informed
that he was indicted. issued the fol
lowing statement at Guthrie:
II have just heard OF the indictment
for conspiracy coupled with seven or
eight of the Oldest and highest charac-
tered citizens Of Muskogee, mon who
developed and built up that country
by their unselfish effort. From now
on the proceedings will he open to
both sides.
"Hearst's crooked manipulations
will be at discount.
II am satisfied the interior depart
ment has been misled by false state
ments. / am confident there has not
been a dishonest act done by any of
the indicted parties, and that good
citizens in general, regardless Of pol
itics, feel the same way"
Walter r. Eaton, one Of the men
indicted, is brother-in-law of Walter
J. Richie, Jr., of Lima. Ohio. He is
the secretary of the Jndianola Con-
tracing company. of which Governor
Haskell Ia president, and which, it is
alleged. scheduled the names Of many
dummies" to secure town lots. Jesse
w. Hill, another of the Indicted, came
here from Texas and became iden-
titled with the Muskogee Development
company. 1t is claimed that he dis
posed of large number of lots fraud
ulently scheduled.
The report of the jury came at a
time wholly unexpected by the public,
as the government had announced
only two hours before that other wit
nesses were coming from Mississippi
and Ohio. There were not more than
twenty persons in the court room.
In addition to about one hundred
alleged individual purchasers Of the
Chief Porter lots, there are a num-
Der of corporations named as code
PENDANTS. Chief among these are the
Interstate Mortgage and Trust Com
pany Of Parsons. Kan; the Farm and
Home Savings and Loan Association
Mo-; the United Bank of Detroit
Mich; the Indianola Contracting Com
pany of Muskogee, and the Enterprise
Gas and OIL company and several
banks and trust companies located in
Muskogee.
Among other things charged In the
bill is the allegation that the said
Turner and Porter and Charles N.
Haskell and Walter r. Eaton confed-
Grated and conspired together for the
purpose of securing all the lots into
which the said (described) tracts had
been plated at one-half their apprais-
cd value and thus evading the provi-
sions of the Creek agreement and de-
frauding the Creek Nation of money
which would have come to 1t through
auction sales; that in order to carry
ont the conspiracy 1t was agreed by
and between the said parties that all
Of said property should be scheduled
and sold to persons under the control
and domination of the said parties or
some OF them and persons nominated
by them and that an arrangement
would be perfected with the parties
to whom the property was to be sched-
uled and sold to imm ediate]y recon.
vey the same to the said Turner, Por-
ter, Haskell or Eaton or to some per
son designated by them, and that the
said property, profits and proceeds