Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1910-06-17
congress MAY PROBE
IDAHO Land BOARD DEALS
Resolution Charges Collision Between
State OfllCiaSand WeyerhausefSyRd

WASHINGTON, June I7.--Glgan-
tie land frauds In the Marble Creek
district, Idaho. and violation Of the
sherman antl-trust law BY members
OF the Weyerhauser timber syndicate
and collision In the same BY Idaho
oticials was charged in . resolution
Introduced BY Representative Poln-
dexter An investigation Or the mat
ter is proposed BY. Mr.. Polndoxter, to
be conducted BY a special committee
selected BY the house.
The resolution ID the outcome or
charges nied with the Interior de-
partment recently by ]. H. Rich OF
Spokane. who says that prominent
eastern Washingtonians are implI-
Gated in violations Of law.
The resolution caused q sensation
In congress. but II Is said there VIII
be a much greater sensation II the
...atter IL investigated.
For Congressional Inquiry.
A congressional inquiry Ii asked
on the theory that the matter will
not be thoroughly aired In the depart
ment.
Mr.. Polndexter's resolution alleges
that large tracts OF land In shoshone.
kootenai and Neg Peree counties, IN
IDAHO. have been and are being frau
dulently acquired by the Edward Rut-
ledge Lumber company and other
Occur d'Alene companies which are
combined in the weyerhauser lumber
syndicate in alleged violation OF the
antitrust law.
II is charged that the rights OF
many settlers on the land are being
forcibly interfered with by the syndi-
cate, which has succeeded in reduc-
ing the value OF the land from ss5.-
600 to $1,000 a quarter section.
Lands for Timber Trust.
The resolution charges that in 1900
Earl Marvin. representing the Weyer-
hauser people. began operations TO
obtain possession Of the land for the
syndicate: that he induced Idaho to
have the land Withdrawn as part OF
its school grant; that he served as
special agent OF the state and lum-
Der prospector for the syndicate at
the same time: that In 1901 he be-
gan Ming Northern Pacific railway
scrip on land to perfect their titles
under the law; that he caused false
reports to be made to the land once;
that Frank J Davies and b. n. Lewis
employed Bully" Taylor and other
claim jumpers to Gust settlers IN the
Marble creek district. paying the
claim jumpers IS day; that Davies
and Nat Brown employed agents to
contest the claims OF settlers.
Acts I'm Name Of state.
Marvin is alleged to have appealed
from settlers filings to the land Of
fiee, acting in the name Of the state,
but really for the syndicate.
The rights OF 200 settlers are In
volved.
Although there was no decision
from the Occur d'Alene land agent
TO appeal from. the land commission
er decided in behalf OF Marvin and
his syndicate. The matter was ear
ried to former Secretary OF the In
terror Garfield. who refused to atirm
the commissioners decision unless
the state should relinQulsh the set
tiers claims.
Blames Land Commissioners.
The real party contestlng the set
tiers claims Is said to be the weyer-
hauser syndicate. acting through
Marvin. Davis and George A. Day.
state land commissioner OF Idaho.
who Is interested in the Potlateh
lumber company. which Is said to
have purchased from the state timber
worth $3.50 q thousand siumpage
for 40 cents a thousand.
Day Is said TO be associated with
A. J. showalter. who obtained con-
tracts from the settlers to clear their
claims for $3.50 each. which shovaI-
ter says was 70 be divided between
Day and other members OF the state
land board
Asks Probe Board Of Three.
In view OF these facts the resolu-