East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1910-02-26
Special Land Officer Well
Known in Pendleton Deals
BaIIinger Severe Blow
SECRETARY KNEW MINUTE
DETAILS OF ALASKA CASES
Portland Man Skaters Structure OF
Carefully Formed Defense OF Bal
linger-Ex-COmm Had In
innate knowledge of Fraudulent
Claims-JOnes Substantiates CLAWS
in Every Particular-Has Records
20 Prove His Statements.

Horace Il. Jones, the former special
agent of the land office who sprang
sensation with his testimony yes
terday in the Ballinger-Pincho in
vestigation in Washington, d. c., is
well-known in Pendleton. He has
been in this city on number of diff
ferent occasions on business in con-
nection with the land office and has
been here for weeks at a time. He
Is therefore known to every attorney
in the city and to many others also.
According to the following dispatch
sent out yesterday from Washington
the testimony OF Jones was among the
most important yet introduced be-
fore the inquiry committees:
Washington. Feb. 25.-Horace TIL
lard Jones of Portland, special agent
OF the interior department today
shattered completely the structure of
defense which had been built by Bal
linger and the Endorsement by Taft.
Jones showed beyond question that
Ballinger knew the minute details of
the Alaska coal land cases, conferr-
ed day by day with Jones, and was
studying the cases so as to be ready
TO appear before congressional COM
mittees to advocate amendments to
the law for the relief OF coal claim
ants. The bold statement had been
made by Ballinger that he did not
keep track OF them. and had only
formal knowledge"
Vertrees, Ballinger's lawyer, had in
sisted at a previous hearing that Bal
linger did not know the coal claims
were regarded as fraudulent when he
was commissioner of the general land
office.
Jones proved this untrue. as he pro-
duced the record OF his comforting
with Ballinger at Seattle in July. 1907,
when Ballinger was commissioner.
Jones corroborated CLAWS in every
particular.
Today's testimony, although not
sensational is vitality important, be-
cause 1t shows Ballinger's principai
defense is unsupported by the records.
Jones testified that he told Ballin-
ger that Special Agent Love. who
was associated with him in the AL
askan cases, seemed half hearted
about the investigation because Of
friendship for the claimants. Jones
said he told Ballinger he thought this
was not proper spirit on the part OF
Love. Ballinger agreed with him, the
witness stated. approving his criu-
cism of Loves attitude.
Sheridan Bungler.
Jones sprung a sensation by de-
claring flatly that Attorney Sheridan
the young lawyer appointed by the
government to investigate the Cum
ningham cases, had spoiled the gov
ernment's hope of successful prose-
cution. Jones declared Sheridan re-
yealed the entire case OF the govern
ment at once, giving the defendants
time to prepare their defense at lei
sure.
Senator Fletcher asked the witness:
"Do you mean to say that there
never has been any serious prosecu-
ton OF these cases up to this timer"
"Just about that" replied Jones'
"Sheridan was ignorant. do not
charge him with being corrupt but
I think he tried the case unwisely."
Jones testified that Former Cover
nor Moore of Washington once said
that II Il had not been for CLAWS his
people would have had their patents.
The witness corroborated the testi-
mony of CLAWS regarding his efforts
to get criminal proceedings on the
charge of fraud, started against the
Alaskan claimants.
Attorney Brandeis produced a
statement signed by CLAWS and Jones
relative to conversation with d. A.
Mckenzie OF Seattle. In the state