The San Francisco call., 1910-10-15
Two Groups of Locators In
dicted by Federal Grand
Jury at Tacoma
RICH DEPOSITS OF COAL
NEAR CUNNINGHAM MINES
Dummies Alleged to Be Used as
Entrymen Under Agree
ments to Sell Property
OTHER CASES INVOLVED
in SPOKANE INQUIRY

In SPUAAINE lNVUlkf
[VTASHINGTON, Oct. 14-After
wv months Of secret effort and pa
tient waiting. officials of the
general land Office were able to an
nounce today the Indictment of num-
Der of claimants to valuable lands in
Alaska
The entries involved number 154 and
cover almost 10000 acres Of land, all
of which lies in the Bering strait dis
trict. in which the Cunningham claims
are located. They are what are known
as the English or Stracey and the
Christopher Simmonds groups, the
former containing so and the latter
"a claims of 80 acres each.
The deposits covered by these claims
are believed to be as rich as those OF
the Cunningham mines, which cut a
conspicuous figure in the Ballinger-
Pfhchot controversy.
Two Groups Indicted
The Indictments were handed down
in the United States district court sit
ting at Tacoma. Wash. and the tnfor-
nation that they had been returned
was conveyed in two telegrarns re-
ceived today by Commissioner Dennett
from Special Agent Christensen. in
charge OF Alaskan matters. to whose
|
The first telegram contained the an
nouncement of the action against the
English group and stated that indict-
ments had been returned against C. F.
Munday. A. H Stracey. Archie w
Shields and E. e. Siegley.
few minutes later came the sec
ond telegram telling of the fndict-
ments Of Cornelius Christopher. George
Simmonds and Mortimer c. Sweeney
of the second group. Dennett added
that warrants would be issued as soon
as the indicted men could be located
Entries Made by Dummies
The first group of defendants takes
Its name from the fact that a number
of persons in western Canada are sup
posed to be interested in the claims
taken up by this party.
Stracey is a resident of Vancouver
and is charged with being instrumental
in making some of the locations.
Munday is prominent attorney of
Seattle.
The charge against the indicted men
is that the entries were made in the
names of dummies Most OF the
entrymen were residents Of Washing
ton and their claims are said to have
been located with an agreement that
the claims should be assigned or deed
ed to others as soon as persons willing
to become interested could be found
by the locator. There is said to have
been a further understanding that the
locator should receive large percent
age of the sales prices
Unlike Cunningham Case
The charge differs from the charge
in the Cunningham claims. in which
there were no allegations that the en-
trymen took the claims for persons
other than themselves. but rather that
they had a previous agreement to work
or dispose Of their claims as a unit
1t is said that few OF the claimants
In the new cases ever saw the land on
which their names were used for loca-
tions.
Both groups of claims figured to a
considerable extent in connection with
the Ballinger-P -Pinchot inquiry. Charges
of fraud in connection with the entries
were made two years ago, and 1T was
asserted that investigation had been
stayed yb the land Office. supposedly
for sinister purposes
More Indictments Expected
Meeting this allegation with the
statement that the services OF the land
Office force were needed elsewhere and
that there was no statute of limitations
to run against these cases. it was con-
ceded that they were not pressed for =
period. Since last May. however.
Christensen has been giving the major
portion of his time to them. with a re-
suit over which the land Office and the
entire interior department processes
much qualification
It is known that another federal
grand jury. sitting at Spokane is con-
sidering other charges Of fraudulent
coal entries in Alaska and that results
are expected from the investigations
similar to those obtained at Tacoma
Warrants have also been issued for
the arrest of AIgernon s. Strategy an
Englishman. Archie w. Shields and
Earl E. Siegley. Siegley was private
secretary to Michael ]. Henez. the con-