The Delta independent., 1912-10-25
SENTENCED
FOR DITCH
FRAUD
RIVERSIDE LAND AND IRRIGATION
COMPANY PROMOTERS GO
TO FEDERAL PRISON
IS MONTHS EACH---3 COUNTS
MUCH OF PROPOSED PROJECT
WAS IN DELTA COUNTY
". S. PROSECUTES.

]. Albert Wright and Frank White,
officers and organizers of the River
side Land and Irrigation company of
Denver who with DIR. John Gould, were
sentenced in the federal court recently
to 15 months in the federal prison
at Leavenworth, Kansas, for promot-
ing fake irrigation scheme, lived in
Colorado Springs a few years ago and
are we'll known there.
The three men sentenced TO IS
months in the federal prison at
Leavenworth, Kan, on each of the
three counts, the sentences to run con
currently. The defendants were also
fined 500 ench and ordered to pay
the costs of the proceedings.
One charge, in brief, is that they
sold small duck pond as big irri-
CATION reservoir.
Judge Robert E. Lewis pronounced
the sentences after an impassioned
plea on the part of each of the men
for leniency. Declaring that they had
borne good regulations and had start
ed the project, fully believing that it
was feasible. the defendants said
their violation of the law was merely
an act OF bad Judgment, and in 10
sense the result of criminal motives.
They asked that the court consider
law would allow.
Judge Lewis. however. insisted that
the fact that they had hitherto borne
good regulations did not constitute
any defense. and in pronouncing sen
tence said he would be derelict in his
duty if he failed to mete out that pun
ishment which the crimes merited.
| Great Graft Exposure.
Allister, Jr, the defending attorney,
also formerly of Colorado Springs,
asked sixtyday stay of execution in
which to file a bill of exceptions to
the findings of the jury.
The sentencing of Gould. Wright and
White. federal officers declare. ends
one of the greatest exposures of irri-
cation graft that has ever been
brought about in the west.
Representing that they were pro-
noting an irrigation project in Delta
county. which when completed would
make 100000 acres of arid lands into
rich farms. the officers of the company
are said to have conducted an adver-
! ] III fh,
try that brought investments from
; thousands of school teachers and
working girls and other people of mod
: crate means.
They were arrested eighteen months
ago on the complaint of James Bradley
Bohemian. who declared he had
. been defrauded out of SS.400. The
> trial was held in Montrose, and lasted
three weeks. Three hundred wit
nesses, who had been induced to in
vest in the company, were called by
the state, and stories both hurnorou:
and pathetic of how credulous invest
: ors had been caught by means of Gun
. ming tactics. were unfolded.
Duck Pond Lure Used.
= James Bradley, the complaining wit
p ness, explained ruse by which the di
s rectors of the company collected
I s3,400 from him for water from ;
I ranchman's duck pond. which wa
turned into his property for one day.
n According to the testimony of Bra
y dey. the defendants learned that h,
had been left $1,000 by the death o
4 his mother They induced him to fill
f on 100 acres of desert land. whici
they claimed they would irrigate whei
their ditch was finished.
They did not ask that Bradley put VI
any money at the time. but made al
c agreement whereby he should pay Il
a the company s3.400 for water right
when they turned water onto hi
n land.
r The testimony showed that shortl,
: afterwards officials Of the compan,
|