The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-04-15
Indictments Of Idaho Men for
Land Frauds the Sensation
of the Year.
VICTIMS PROMINENT
FlNANCIERS OF STATE
Some Of the Alleged Facts Upon
Which the Government
Bases Its Case.
SrcciaI 10 The Tribune.

BOISE, lda~, April III ne alleEeu ca
posure OF the southern California eucalyp-
tus land fraud by the Spokane federal
grand jury. which indicted four OF Idaho's
most prominent business and public men.
D. W, Stanrod of Pocatello, A. b. MOSS
Of Payette, j. b. Perrine OF Twin Fans
and Paul S, 4. Bickel. also of Twin Falls,
together with Don Davenport broker
A. Murray OF Butte. officers and directors
OF the American Hardwood company,
which backed the scheme, has given cause
for loud protest on the, part OF their
the year. Trial will probably take place
here In September.
The burden OF the blame for dragging
men OF such high standing in their state
into the public limelight OF probe is
placed at the door OF secret service men
who. anxious 10 make record. gathered
men To go out OF their native state to
meet charges. II Is claimed II is con-
sidered significant fact however. that
the grand jury indicted even after Moss.
Stanrod and Davenport appeared before
that tribunal and were given an opportu-
nifty to explain away the charges.
Stories Being Told
Additional facts that have come TO light
In federal circles here since the indlct-
ments were returned are to the effect
that but $4,000 was secured as loan
from the First National bank OF Poca-
tello. Of which Stanrod was president.
and upon which as security the officers
and directors gave their personal notes.
The government charges that for the
notes they issued the directors and Off
GERS were given stock In the American
Hardwood company: that after the sale
OF lands to innocent purchasers started
and the money was raised the lean was
paid back and the notes returned so the
ofticers and directors secured their stock
for nothing.
Many OF the alleged innocent purchasers
OF the eucalyptus lands were residents of
southern Idaho. They declared that the
land was represented TO them as an In
vestment by which they could get rich
quick. for the company guaranteed to
plant 1t to eucalyptus trees and these
be In great demand by manufacturers.
They said they discovered too late that
the land was not planted as represented.
The lands were also represented to be
irrigated. but an inspection proved this
TO be false. Small dividends We're paid
TO keep up the hopes OF the investors. II
Is charged In the indictment. but when
out Of the company.
The Indicted Men,
The literature issued by the company
gave it's headquarters as Poca tcllo. Stan
rod WAS president: Moss. vice president.
Wallace Service. treasurer, II. e. Wass-
ley. secretary. and Davenport, manager.
Bickel, Perrine and Murray were dlrec-
tors.
Stanrod was for years Judge OF the
IhnlTIdl ulSITlCt OF Wnjcn IoCateIO is the
center. He is now president of the
First National bank of Pocatello, of
which Service is cashier and Wassley is
teller; Both Stanrod and Moss were
this state some years ago. Moss is now
at the head Of the greatest mercantile
president Of the First National bank Of
Payette. Murray is reputed as a multi
miliionaire He Is Identified with one
OF the largest banks In Seattle an elab-
~ fn he a l, tod g,,
and owns the Pocatello waterworks svs-
tenn. Perrne is the man who induced
the kuhns and Bulls. Pittsburg capital
lists. to invest In the Twin Falls irriga-
fion projects. In which millions OF dollars
were spent and handsome profits re-
turned: He is also owner OF the famous
valuable In Idaho. Bckel is the Twin
Falls irrigation project engineer, who
has national reputation due to the man
ner In which he worked out the gigantic
irrigation system In the southern portion
Of this state.
Witnesses in the Case
The government subpoenaed nine Wit
nesscs from southern Idaho to appear be-
fore the rsdera grsnd ;rs Jury at Spokane
the eucalyptus lands, while two were
officers Of The company, They were: S.
EamHO Anderson MssksE Sassin g Solder H. PswsH Fy.n
Anthony. Mackav: I f. Thuroer. ManarG;
William G. Short, Payette. Charles Riddi-
| ford, Spokane. walter Service ana II. E.
Wossev. Pocatcllo Messrs. Moss. Stan
| rod and Davenport went before the grand
| jury voluntarily.
The charge in the indictments for
fraudulent use OF the mails was support
| ed. It is claimed. through the literature
issued by the American Hardwood COM
pany which was freely circulated and.
many Of the witnesses testified. induced
them TO invest in the southern Kerns
county lands Of California
The indicted men have furnished $500
bonds TO the federal court. guaranteeing
,hcir appearance TO face the charges
when the trial date IS set Their attor-
ncys declare that the Indictment WILL In
time he shown tn be based on grounds
that Will not substantiate them and that
the American Hardwood company had a
legitimate proposition In It's eucalyptus
lands.
The many friends OF the indicted men
here are Indignant over the return OF the
indictments. due TO the fact. they believe.
that the prominence OF all OF them their
standing in the state as citizens. and the
fact that the breath OF suspicion was
never directed toward them before. make
the prospects of their perpetrating n
fraud on innocent Investors an improba-
bility The indicted men themselves.
however refuse empha ilcaly 10 make q
statement OF any kind whatsoever,
Birdmarl in Provo Today