The Detroit times., 1909-01-05
c RIM|NALS ONLY
GAIN BY ACTION
Of HOUSE
A. --PREsIDENT ROOSEVELT.
ANSWER TO THE HOUSE REsoLU.
TON ON SECRET SERVICE is
MAoE--uRoEs THAT lIMITA.
TON ACTION BE REscINDeo.

WASHINGTON. Jan. 4.--Presldent
Roosevelt today transmitted to the
house OF representatives his reply 10
their demand for proof for his refer.
ence In his annual message 10 con-
gress regarding the secret service. He
says a careful reading of his message
VIII show that he said nothing 10 war
rant the statement that the majority
OF congressman were in fear OF being
investigated by the secret service
inen." or that congress as a whole
was actuated by that motive"
President Roosevelt declares that,
according TO the congressional record.
practically the only arguments ad-
vanced In favor OF the limitation pro.
posed by M. Tawneys committee
were those contained in repeated state
ments by Mr. Sherley, who said that
there had been pronounced abuses
growing out of the use OF the secret
service for purposes other than those
Intended" that 1.-THE secret service was
used at one time for the purpose Of
looking into the personal conduct OF
HeInDeT OI congress-.
The president also refers to charges
that the secret service was used to
shadow" men Of high standing; to see
how they voted and In other ways to
make things disagreeable. He refers
10 the appearance In the Chicago In.
ter-Ocean on Jan. 3, 1904, OF an article
attacking the methods OF the secret
service. He understood that this story
was written by Mr.. w. l.. Busby. at
that time private secretary to Speaker
Cannon. Il declared that the secret
rervice Al one time Swallowed" con.
Rressmen with the view to involving
Them In scandals that would enable
the bureau TO dictate to them as TIE
price OF silence. At the time this ar
tfcle appeared, declares President
Roosevelt, the work OF the secret ser
vice included especially the :nvestiga.
tion OF great land frauds In the west,
and the securing OF evidence to help
the department OF justice In the beef
trust Investigations at Chicago. which
resulted IN successful prosecutions.
The special message says in part /:
Since 1901 the Investigations covered
the practice which had been for many
years recognized as proper and legiti-
mate. and which had received the
sanction of the CHEST law officers OF
range OF offenses against the federal
law. BY far the most important OF
these related 10 the public domain. as
to which there was uncovered far.
reaching and widespread system OF
fraudulent transactions involving both
the illegal acquisition and the illegal
fencing OF government land. and, in
connection with both these offenses,
the crimes of perjury and subornation
OF perjury. Some OF the persons In
volved in these violations were OF great
wealth and OF wide political and social
influence. Both their corporate asso-
Citations and their political affiliations,
and the lawless character OF some OF
their employees. made the investiga-
In Colorado one OF the secret service
men was assassnated In Nebraska Il
was necessary to remove United
states attorney and a United States
could be made in the prosecution OF
the offenders.
The evidence In all these cases was
chiefly secured hy men trained in the
secret service and detailed to the de-
partment OF justice 81 the request OF
that department and OF the department
OF the interior. In the state of Ne
dicted: and Of the 32 cases thus far
brought to trial IS have resulted In
conviction; two OF the principals.
Messrs. Comstock and richards, men
OF wealth and wide influence. being
sentenced to IL months In Jail and
fined 81 500 each. The following secret
service memorandum made in the
course OF pending case. illustrates
the qualifications OF interest with which
the government has TO deal:
Charles 4. tSewart. OF Council
Bluffs. was indicted at Omaha for
n.ent OF the title to public lands I'm
Mcpherson county. Neb.. also in
dicted for maintaining an unlaw-
full Enclosure OF the public lands.
and also under Indictment for per-
jury in connection with final proof
submitted by him on lands filed on
by him as homestead. In his final
proof he swore that he and his
MCPHERSON county (Which are
within his unlawful inciosure).
when as matter OF fact his fam
lily at all times resided in Council
Bluffs. Iowa. He Is engaged in the
wholesale grocery business. his
store being located In Omaha. In
the wholesale district there. He Is
reputed to be quite wealthy. stew
Of Council Bluffs, Iowa. who are
also the attorneys at that place
for the Omaha Council Blunfs
Street Railway Co. in which com
pany Harl holds considerable stock.
Stewart being also n stakeholder
and possibly director OF the com
pany. He Is also represented in
Omaha by W, !. ConneiI, one of the
attorneys there for the same COM
pany Stewart is also represented
in his perjury case by Bill" Cur
ley. OF Omaha. Neb.. who at ono
time was auite closely connected
In q political way with T.. p. r
r. Co: Stewart is also closely as
sociated with c. b: Harleton. post.
master at Council BLUFFS Harl
q FINLEY and Hazleton are all
members OF the same lodge. An
other close personal friend OF
Stewards IS Ed. Hart. alias Wa
tcrworks" Hart. president OF the
Council Bluffs Water Co, and In
ierested In the street railway.
stewards father was interested IN.
trolled. during his lifetime. large
ranch along the L. r. r. r. in Ne
hraska. and did a great deal OF bue-
mess with that road.
Government Gets Land.
Concerning this case the United
state attorney at Omaha states: There
are three cases against stewart one
for fencing, one conspiracy, one per
Jury. all good cases and chances Of
good.
In connection with the Nebraska
the government has by de-
cree secured the return To the govern
land: in Colorado OF more than 1000
acres OF mineral land. and suits are
now pending involving 10000 acres
more.
All these Investigations in the land