The San Francisco call., 1909-10-28
POLITICIAN MUST
ANSWER FOR FRAUD
Wealthy Land Owner of Siski-
you Faces Jury in Federal
Court With Two Others

DR.. George w. Dwinnell Of Montague,
siskiyou county. wealthy land owner
and prominent politician, was placed on
trial yesterday with Rex F. Deter and
John Gi1pin in the United States dis
trict court before Judge John ]. de
Haven and jury on charge of sub
orning perjury in procuring dummy
entries to timber lands in siskiyou
county
The indictments by the grand jury
originally included as defendant John
d. Gagnon, who recently died.
The Indictment charges that the de-
PENDANTS conspired on October %, 1906,
whereby they secured from James
Frederick French, Benjamin French,
Frederick NJ. French. Samuel L. French.
Clarence NJ Prather and Arthur w.
Jaquette sworn statements that they
did not apply for purchases of land
for speculative purposes, but in good
faith.
1t is alleged by the government that
by these methods Dwinnell procured
approximately 1000 acres of fine tim
Der land.
The principal witnesses examined in
cluded Frederick ". French, the father;
James F. and Leonard French, his sons,
and Clarence NJ. Prather.
GAVE Up HOLDINGS
According TO the witnesses the elder
French and Gilpin were the go be-
tweens for Dwipnell and through their
efforts the French boys and Prather
were persuaded to make applications
for timber lands and Immediately re-
linquish their holdings to Dwinnell.
The elder French acted cruiser for
Dwinnell and after ascertaining the
nature of the land advised his sons and
Prather upon which to file in order
that the best timber could be secured.
The. French boys testified that they
had held personal consultations with
Dwinnell, who assured them that MAX
ing oath as to their intents and pur-
poses in taking up the timber and stone
lands was a mere matter of form, and
while they knew at the time they were
committing perjury, they acted upon
his assurance that, they were doing
nothing illegal.
Each acknowledged having received
5000 from Dwinnell just after complet-
ing the transactions for which they had
contracted.
SAY THEY GOT MONEY
According to all the witnesses, money
was given TO Prather and the elder
French for their expenses to Redding,
where the filings were made. On the
day prior to the filings all those
named in the indictment as having
aided Dwinnell were given tickets to
Dunsmuir, where they again purchased
tickets for Redding. They were put up
at a hotel at somebody's expense, they
did not know whose. Early next
morning Gilpin aroused them and
hustled them into line before the land
office.
While standing in line, Prather
says, the elder French gave him $40
and immediately after perfecting his
fling he was given 5000.
The French boys declared they re-
ceived substitute papers while stand
ing in line, those covering more valu-
able locations than they had formerly
filed upon.
The line of defense to be established
by the defendants today is understood
TO contain a general assault upon the
veracity and standing of the French
family in the community.
The prosecution is being conducted
by Assistant District Attorney Black
and the defense by Attorney Bert
Schlesinger, assisted by Attorneys
Taylor and A p. Vanduzer.
Judge de Haven ordered the attor-
neys to have their instructions ready
for presentation to the court this
morning at 10 o'clock, when the de-
tense will begin submitting testimony.