The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-04-10
FIJI. NEFF IS FREED
President Taft COmmutes Sen.
tence Of Convicted Clerk.
Fifty Residents of Southwestern
Kansas Indicted.
END OF FAMOUS CASES
Defendants Are Among Promi-
ment Men i'm Western Kansas.
Land Boom in the State Made
Many of Them Wealthy.

washington, ID. C., April 1O.-PreSi-
dent Taft has committed the sentence
of Frank H. Neff. who was convicted of
forgery in connection with southwest
ern Kansas land cases two years ago
in the federal court at Wichita At the
time of the conviction Neff was SEN
fenced to two years in the penitentiary
and to pay fine of $1,000 and the case
was Immediately appealed and the de-
fendant released on bond.
The Neff case was one of about so
worked up by A. r. Green. a secret SER
vice agent employed by the government
and the last one to be disposed of. A
majority of them were dismissed be-
fore the time set for trial and convic-
tons secured in a few others, resulting
court in Stevens county at the time
of his arrest and was charged with
forgery, although the charge was a
technical one, resulting from slight ir-
regularities in making final proof.
ERNEST c. Wilson was among those
cials of the county and the fight was
made against the two officials and re-
suited in their conviction.
The Wilson case was fought through
a number of courts and was compro-
missed by the government at the March
term of court in Wichita by the de-
PENDANT paying the minimum fine. L.
E. Lambert, who was burned to death
in the fire which destroyed the Cope
land hotel. had charge of the defense
and always maintained that he would
ultimately win his cases.
His death resulted in E. c. Wilson
compromising his case, though a de-
termination had been reached by the
defendants and attorneys to fight the
cases to the end. The cases in many
spite work on the part of the govern
ment agents for the men indicted had
only followed the customs which had
been in vogue since western Kansas
commenced to become attractive to
home-seekers. The final proof on a
piece of government land was at that
time considered but a formality and
the county officers grew lax in dealing
with the settlers. 1t was never charged
that the men indicted benefited in any
way by the forgeries with which they
were charged.
Many of the men who were indicted
and some of whom were convicted now
hold places of honor among their neigh
bors in Stevens county. This is true
in the case of Neff as well as F. G. Will
son, both of whom have grown wealthy
owing to the land boom in western
Kansas and both of whom have since
the indictments were returned held
places of public trust.
Since the conviction and sentence of
Frank H. Neff, his friends in Kansas
as well as in Washington have been
actively engaged in his behalf and the
action taken by President Taft is the
result. An effort was made to secure
the Communication of sentence during the
term of President Roosevelt and he was
besieged with petitions containing thou
sands, of names of the best known res
idents of Kansas.
He preferred to shift the response
bility of committing to his successor on
the ground, SO the defendants have
claimed, that Inspector Green, who in
stigated the cases was one of his ap-
pointees. A majority of the members
of the legislature signed a petition
which was forwarded to Washington
and Senator Curtis and Congressman
F. H. Madison presented the matter to
President Taft and the DEPARTMENT of
Justice with the result noted. This
marks the final settlement of the cases
brought by Inspector Greene. in but two
OF which convictions were secured and
they resulted in fines only.