Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-28
STATEHOOD BILL Is
GIVEN DEATH BLOW
MEASURE ABANDONED AFTER
SENSATIONAL SCENE
Party Leaders in Committee Hear Un-
expected Charges, Which End
in Indefinite Delay Of
Project

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27.-There will
be no statehood legislation for New
Mexico and Arizona at the present ses-
sion of congress.
At a meeting of the committee on
territories today, all members, regard
less of party, in a sensational scene
abandoned consideration of the house
bill.
The members of the committee left
the room without anyone suggesting
further meetings for it's consideration
This remarkable action occurred at the
conclusion Of the reading of statements
presented by Senators Nelson and
BeVeridge, charging that corruption
jury bribing and various other Of
fenses against certain officials and
leaders of what was termed the ''gang
which is in control of political affairs
in New Mexico"
Among the statements read was a
telegram from j. j. Hagerman, former
governor of New Mexico, rejecting
upon the character of the people who
are in control Of politics of that terri
tory and declaring that these men eX-
pect to continue their control after the
territory becomes a state. He refers
to them as 'freebooters' and says that
go per cent of the voters are MeXicans
and one-half of that number are illit-
crate and ignorant and easily could be
governed by the gang" to which he
referred.
He suggested tI-at it would be well tC
wait until after the next census be-
fore admitting New Mexico to state
hood. Another statement was received
recounting the difficulties described by
Ormus McHarg, who went to New
Mexico in 1907 as an agent of the de-
partment of justice to prosecute land
frauds.
Hampered in His Work
This statement declares Mr.. McHarg
was hampered in his work by Cover
nor Currie and his attorney general
Judge "A. 3. Fall.
Among other confidential information
produced by various senators were a
number of indictments returned against
the territorial officials, and there was
read also a letter from w. F. Wilcox. a
former newspaper man, of Santa Fe,
who asserts that his life was threat
ened and that he believes the threat
would have been carried out had he
not left the territory.
1t is regarded as extremely likely that
the committee on territories will de-
eide to conduct an investigation in New
Mexico before acting on an admission
BILL
In some of the communications laid
before the committee reference is made
to the rough rider influence" and it is
declared that Governor Currie and a
number of others made several trips to
Washington to have the agents of the
department of justice called off when
they were investigating land fraud
cases.
Miss Lawler, a stenographer, who as
sisted in the land fraud cases, made a
statement to the committee which in
dicated the lives of the government
agents were in danger as long as they
persisted in their Investigations She
mentioned several persons prominent in
public affairs in New Mexico in a most
uncomplimentary manner, and cited
certain records, which she said would
bear her out in all her statements
At former meeting of the committee
one of the Democratic senators pro-
posed that all sections of the bill pur-
posing to Iegalize land grants and bond
issues be stricken out. This proposition
met with objection, and today after the
meeting it was said that there was not
a single member of the committee who
would vote to report the bill.