Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-01-08
ROOSEVELT AFTER TlLLMAN.
South Carolina Senator Associated With
Oreuon Land Grab.

BY direction of President Roosevelt
secret service men SnadoWed Senator
Iillman of South Carolina on the theory
mat he possibly was interested in an
Oregon Land grab" and the result of
that investigation is now before the
senate, says an Associated Press dis
yatcn of yesterday from Washington.
The information was contained in a
communication from President RooSe-
relt sent in response to request made
Oy Senator Hale to the heads of the
executive departments for a statement
Of the activities of secret service op-
eratlveS. Exhaustive replies were made
oy the various departments and all OF
these were forwarded to Senator Hale
~ the president. They have not been
made public and Senator Hale an
nounced that they would not be given
Jut until after they had been conSid-
cred by a subcommittee Cf the COM
lnittee on appropriations, which will
be charged with the duty of acting
upon the presidents annual message
relating to the secret service and crit
iciSing members Of congress for their
.cotrlLtiUn Of its use.
Soon after President Roosevelt's COM
municatiCn to Senator Hale was re-
ceived at the capitol yesterday it be-
came nOiSed about that 1t contained a
reflection upon a senator from south
.rn state. The name of the senator in
question was not divulged for a time
ind as a result the atmosphere Of the
enate was saturated with curiosity
and much speculation. When 1t finally
became known that Senator Tillman
VAS the member named, further efforts
% procure information concerning the
character of the charges were made,
Jut they were without avail.
Through the fact that several sena-
tors had advance information Of the
character of the report which was to
be sent to the senate, 1t was learned
hat the investigation of Senator Till
nan followed an attack which he made
n the senate nearly a year ago upon
IN Oregon land company which had
used his name as one Of the persons
Interested in the concern. Previous to
that attack Senator Tillman had in
reduced a resolution directing the at
torney general to prosecute suits
against an Oregon railroad corporation
which had received land grants in the
late Cos for line from California
Joint to Portland, Ore. Mr.. Tillman
had said that the use Of his name was
without authority and as a result it is
declared that several persons interested
II
Some CT the interested parties are
reported TO have sent to President
Roosevelt copies of letters alleged to
have been written by Senator Ti.lman
indicating that he had an interest
,ither in one Of the land companies or
would be benefited through the land
company's obtaining possession of the
grants in question. After receiving this
Information, it is said, President Roose-
welt directed a secret service operative
20 investigate the part Senator Tillman
was alleged to have in the land cases.
The report sent to the senate is un-
ierStoOd to contain an account CT the
investigation made Of Senator Tillman.
t is known that the secret service
operative procured Photographic copies
f TillmanS correspondence, but Wheth-
er these exhibits were sent to Senator
Hale is not known.
Senator Til.man was not aware of
The fact that his name figured in the
reports until late today. He then took
pains to assure himself that the re-
ports concerning the mention of him.
self were we'll founded, but he refused
to comment upon the fact further than
to say that he would not make any
statement until the fact Of the use of
his name has been officially promul-
gated, when he would address himself
TO the subject from his seat in the SEN
ate. 1t is known, however, that Mr..
Tillman regarded the mention OF his
name as an attack upon himself by the
president, and he has indicated TO
friends that he will not mince matters
in his reply. He also had declared to
those with whom he cOnVerSed that he
would welcome the opportunity to eX-
0ress his views and explain the situa-
ton.
1t is probable Mr.. Tillman will be
heard on Monday next.
On February 10, 1908, Senator TILL
man rose in the senate to a question
of personal privilege and said that his
attention had been called to scheme
f swindling in which his name had
been used rather unpleasantly and
without the slightest warrant. The
senator held in his hand a circular
headed. How 10 make $4,000 out of
5000" This circular called attention
to certain land grants in Oregon and
to the activity of Senator Tillman in
having the senate investigate them. II
stated that Senator Ti,lman takes II
quarters" and that the lawsuits to be
instituted in order to recover these
lands were promised to be pressed
with great vigor, because Senator Till
man was behind them. Commenting
upon this situation Senator Tillman at
that time said:
AS matter of fact. l have not
bought any lands anywhere In the
west, nor do | intend to buy any. |
have made some inquiries. as one ma
turally would in roaming through the
west. | simply want the people of the
country To he PVT on notice that this
swindler at Portland has no warrant
whatever for cndeavOring To inveig.e
others into his game"