Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1909-02-05
Land FRAUD CASES
SECRETARY GARFIELD ASKS
Big FUND TO COURT THEM.
A Large Portion of the Lands Are Lo-
Gated in the Northwest-People I'm
plicated Well Entrenched as Defective
Land Laws Make It Difficult to Main
tain Prosecutions.

Chicago.-Since Secretary of the In
terror Garfield made his sensational
declaration that cases of land fraud
involving the theft of portions of the
public domain valued at $114,OO0 900
were pending in the federal courts or
under investigation by his department,
he has received information of still
more extensive frauds, says a Wash
ington dispatch to the Chicago Record
Herald. Secretary Garfield at first
asked for an appropriation of 100000
to carry on the investigation, but the
reports reaching him show that the
frauds are so numerous and of such a
character that the amount will not
suffice, and he now asks for $1,000, 900
to be used in the work
The almost herculean task of I'M
earthing the gigantic frauds in the
public lands, which are alleged to ex-
list, is strikingly shown in a statement
of Chief of the Field Service Schwartz,
who reports to the secretary that
combinations are frequently so well
organized and so aided by defective
public land laws as to present an al
most impossible task in securing evil
dence, or recovering lands worth hun
dreds of thousands of dollars"
Some Northwest Gases.
In giving out summary of the
larger cases affected by charges of
fraud or illegality now pending, CLASH
fed by states or financial divisions, the
department omits details of identif-
cation and names of parties in cases
still under investigation, for the rea-
son that the parties are entitled to such
protection until investigation develops
facts warranting their presentment to
a proper tribunal, and, on the other
hand, present publishing of details
would, generally, embarrass further
inquiry in a case.
Following are the cases in the north
west:
Washington and North Idaho.
In United States court
1. United States VS.. Flynn, to re-
cover 16O acres of improved lands,
$4,000.
2. United States VS.. Multnomah M.
& D. company, to recover 256 acres of
land, $4,000
3. United States VS.. Barbee, to re-
cover $40 acres of coal lands, $4,000.
4. United States V. Kettenbach ct
al, to recover 8481 acres of timbered
lands worth about $40 per acre,
$17O,OOO.
S. United States VS.. Hope Lumber
company, timber trespass, $1,000.
6. United States VS.. Bunker Hill
Mining company, value not given.
In department.
1. To recover 5000 acres timber and
fruit land in the Colville Indian res.
ervation, held on mining claims,
100000.
Oregon.
In United States court
1. United States VS.. Kribbs ct al, to
recover timber lands, having CONNER
cial value of 100000.
2. United States VS.. C. A. Smith
two suits to recover timber lands, hav.
ing commercial value of $75O,O0O.
8. Twenty-one allied suits to can.
eel Al entries of heavily timbered
lands, $235,OOO.
In deDartment-
1. Case involving rs timber en-.
tries, 100000.
2. Case involving block of pine
heavy stand, 10000 acres, $25O,OOO.
8. Two unlawful enclosures of over
100000 acres of vacant land; value not
given.
4. One lot of coal entries on timber
land in national forest, 100000.
Montana.
In the United States court
1. United States VS.. B. F. Howard
ct al, to recover value of timber lands
entered under the mining laws, $40.
900.
2. United States VS.. Anaconda Cop.
per company, timber trespass, $64,934
In department.
1. United States VS.. McCune ct al.
trespass of 100000 cords of wood
stumpage value, $36O,OOO.
2. Eighty tracts of coal land, en-.
tered under the timber and stone act
actual value 800 per acre, $3.50, 900
8. One lot 1000 acres, agricultural
land worth $25 per acre, acquired un.
der the desert land act, 100000.
4. One case involving lands worth
100000.
5. Timber trespass in Missoula dis.
trict, stumpage, 100000.
6. One railroad and lumber tres
pass case, Missoual district, 100000.
z. Timber trespass case, Billings
district, $4,000.
s. Land conspiracy, lands at S. pei
acre, 100000.
9. United States VS.. Libbey Placer
Mining comDanv timhar Iop5s bo1l