The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-01-10
HERMANN'S TRIAL
TO BEGIN MONDAY
Former Congressman From Ore
gOn Charged With Conspiracy
Against Government.
ALLEGED TO HAVE GIVEN
INFORMATION IN ADVANCE
Some CO-Conspirators Already
Convicted. and Others Did
Not Survive indictment.

PORTLAND. Ore. Jan. 9.-Biuger
Hermann, who for sixteen wears repre-
sented Oregon in congress and for sew
cral years WAS commissioner of The
general lard Office at Washington, viii
face tomorrow III the United States dis
trict court j Charge of conspiracy TO
defraud the United States government
of Il part of the public domain,
The Indictment under which he is 20
be tried was returned February 13,
1905, and the conspiracy. II alleges was
the most stupcndous in conception oil
all the Oregon land fraud eases, Her
mann was Jointly indicted with the late
United States Senator John II. Mitchell.
former State Senator and cX-deputv
United States District Attorney Frank
lin Pierce NAYS. former State Repre-
cnscp, Il professional politician, and n.
A. Smith. deceased
Some Convicted; Some Dead.
OF these. MAYS, Jones and Sorensen.
ou September l.. 1906, were convicted
as charged in this Indictment
Senator Mitchell and Smith died with
ont coming ia trial under the charge,
Congressman Williamson was convicted
under another Indictment. aud following
the procedure Of the government pros
ecutors in the Oregon land fraud cases
WAS not tried on this indictment.
Hermann trial has been postponed
wear after year, sometimes al ms own
request and sometimes by the ina billtN
for various reasons of Francis j. He
pcy 10 conduct the trial.
At the trial Of Mays, Jones and
Sorcnsen who were convicted under
this Indictment, witnesses testified that
they conspired TO have set apart as a
forest reserve 200 000 acres Of land III
Oregon and other states.
Details of Conspiracy.
The testimony showed that Mavs,
.Joucs and Surenscn sought TO benefit
bv securing the $4,000 acres of state
school lands embraced within the re-
serve. which they proposed TO use as
''hase'' fer exchange for valuable tim
hcr land located in other parts OF the
state, a privilege granted by the act
of congress approved june 4, lsHr
Evidence was introduced. apparently
intended 10 show that this trio So
cured though fatty in violation of the
law, both advance Information as to
tho identity OF the government agent
who was TO pass on the merits of the
proposed reserve and advance iuforma-
| lion as 10 the date tho temporary with
dra wal was to be made, and that the
| information on this latter point was
! given ont by Hermann.
Government Agent Bribcd.
Captain Salmon Ormsby, government
agent. was designated to view the pro
| posed reserve. Ormsby confessed at
| The trial Of MAYS, Jones and SoTensen
| that he reported in favor of the with
| drawal and that in consideration hc
was given two sections of the school
land.
Tho temporary withdrawal of the re
serve was made, according TO the tcs-
! timonv. l,y the then acting secretary
Of the interior RYAN. on the recon-
meudation of Hermann, July 23. 1902.
! II was also testified that Hermann
| gave ont on July 30, The day before
the withdrawal, the fact that the with
drawal was 10 be made.
Francis j. Heucy, special prosecutor
md senior counsel, John McCourt
United States district attorney for Ore
pon, aud Tracy c. Becker, assistant at
torney general of the United states
win represent tho government. Her
| mann will he represented by a. >
Worthington Of Washington, ID. G., and
former United States Senator John NJ
| G.arin of Portland,