Evening star., 1909-02-04
HASKELL IS INDICTED HEMETH0DSA
Governor and Seven Others Naval Officers Indorse Secre
Charged With Land Frauds tary NeWberry's Pans
USE OF DUMMIES ALLEGED |SMASHES THE PRECEDENTSI
Conspiracy and Forgery Included Overturns the Traditions of the
Grand Jury Counts Navy Department
SAYS BEING PROSECUTED INTRODUCES SYSTEM
and
Commandants Sought
Governor and Seven Others
Charged With Land Frauds.
USE OF DUMMIES ALLEGED
Conspiracy and Forgery Included in
Grand Jury Counts.
SAYS HE IS BEING Prosecuted
Accused Oklahoma Executive De-
clares President and Hearst Are
Responsible for Investigation.

MUSCOGEE. February 4. Charles \.
Haskell. Governor of Oklahoma. and
| seven other prominent men were indlct-
ed last night by the federal grand jury.
sitting here. charged with conspiracy to
defraud the national government. The
accusation is that Haskell and his asso
ciates obtained Muscogee townsite lots in
1901 and 1902. by manipulating dummy
owners and by forging quit claim deeds
to the property.
The first indictment returned was
| against Gov. Haskell. Clarence ". Tur
ner and Walter r. Eaton. and alleged
forty-seven overt acts in alleged conspir-
acy to defraud the government. The sec
ond indictment returned was against Will
| liam T. Hutchins and Clarence W.. Tur-
ner. and alleged thirteen overt acts in
| The third indictment was against Albert
| Z. English. Frederick B. Sewers and Jesse
| w. Hill. and alleged ninety-two overt
| acts in conspiracy.
| Business Men Express Confidence.
| The indictments We're discussed by six
ty business men of Muscogee in meeting
| that lasted till the early hours OF today.
Expressions of confidence In the integrity
| Of the indicted men were made and a
committee of seven was appointed to COR
| rect what was termed an erroneous inn
| preston as to the legality Of land titles
| existing in Muscogee and eastern Okla
homa- Mayor Martin presided over the
meeting.
| RumOrs of a coming investigation in
| which Haskell would be involved were
| freely circulated long before the United
! States grand jury for the eastern dis
! trict of Oklahoma began two weeks ago
the actual investigation into the big In
dian land frauds.
| Haskell Blames Hearst.
| Haskell has said at various times that
the proposed investigation was a plot
| on the part of President Roosevelt to
ruin him. and that if in0icted he would
| make some startling revelations. Lat
| terly. he has charged what he terms the
| persecution to William r. Hearst who
attacked his business career previous to
his advent in Oklahoma, forcing him out
OF the treasurership of the democratic ma
tlonal committee, and whose agents have
since. it is understood. been working up
alleged evidence against Haskell for the
government.
Hearing that he would probably be in
dlcted- the governor came on here from
Guthrie recently, and spent several days
among friends and witnesses, in an effort
to forestal an indictment. He is now
| at Guthrie and telephoned late last night
that he would start at once for Mus
cogee.
United States deputy marshals were
| hastily dispat tched to arrest the men men,
| toned. Friends OF the accused began
| preparing bail bonds to avert temporary
| Imprisonment.
| This is HaskelIs home town. and all of
| those indicted live here, and are counted
| among the wealthy citizens. AS soon as
| they learned of the indictments. all of
them. with the exception Of Haskell and
! English. the latter being now in Los An
geles. surrendered. The bond was fixed
at $1,000 in each case. and was promptly
given. w. c. Cook, one Of the jurors re-
| turning the indictments. is son-in-law
OF Sewers. and a brother -in-law Of Eng
| lish.
| Not to Arrest Him Formally.
| 1t is announced that Gov. Haskell will
not be formally placed under arrest. His
counsel Henry Ash and Thomas Owen,
are awaiting his arrival. The trials will
take place at the coming terms of court,
at which Judge Campbell will sit.
The indictments charge that the acts in
the alleged conspiracy were begun in May,
1901, and ended February 3. 1909. This
| prevents Haskell from setting up the
statute of limitation. The governor in
sisted over the telephone that President
Roosevelt and William r. Hearst are re-
sponsible for his indictment. Muskogee