The Sentinel=record., 1912-06-05
OREGON LAND
 FRAUD CASES
AGAIN BROUGHT INTO LlMELIGHT BY APPLICATION FOR BRACE
 OF PARDoNs.
Brief Alleges Gross Fraud by Federal Officials and Detective Burns Who Secured Evidence in
 These Cases.

Washington, June 4.-The causes which controlled President Taft m granting an unconditional pardon tC Willard N Jones. convicted in the famous Oregon land fraud cases, be- came known today and it was learn ed that, based upon the same charges of unfair and improper methods by the United States governments pros ecution of the alleged frauds, which stirred the country six years ago. ap- plfcations for the presidential pardon of two other men are being consid- cred by the department of justice.
 Franklin P Mays and~ Hamilton N. Hendricks are seeking pardons on the ground that they likewise were de- nied their constitutional rights. Mays, indicted with the late Senator Mitch ell. and former Representative Herr man, was convicted of conspiracy and sentenced to four months imprisonS ment and to pay a fine of $10,000. Hendricks was convicted of subprna ; tion of perjury and sentenced to E months and to pay fine of $500.
 Consideration of their appeals for executive clemency will be based OH the investigation. which resulted in Jones pardon. These cases have not yet reached the president
 'Ehe Oregon land fraud prosecu- tions were conducted almost wholly along political lines and a "veritable reign of terror existed" were ths charges submitted to Attorney Gen eral Wickersham in a brief by Henry H. Schwartz, former chief of the field division of the general land office. and James s. Easby Smith. attorneys for Jones in the pardon proceedings.
 The methods of Detective William J. Burns, who developed the govern ment's case, and others of the pros ecutioni were severely attacked in the brief. The whole jury box list of over 500 names. from which the grand and petit jurors were drawn, was determined and selected. it was alleged, by the government prosecu- tors and detectives and the political enemies and associates of Jones along political lines with the purpose ana result of securing men who were prejudiced, and who would convict. D
 The brief also charges that witness es were intimidated into giving false testimony against Jones under threat of indictments: that witnesses were so threatened by a member of the grand jury and by government de- tectiyes in the presence of their fam flies; and that in various cases then being tried, numerous persons were indicted and compelled to give ev- idence against othr defendants, not true in fact, and thereafter such in- dictments were dismissed
 It was alleged that Burns and the political enemies of Jones, and other defendants investigated, interviewed and then selected or rejected men in making up the jury box in 1905," from which the Jones jury was drawn. The government. it was charged, procured  copies of the jury list before they were placed in the box. Allegd rec ords of the reports of government detectives or agnts upon the qualiti- cations of the men whose names were on this list, are cited Some of these are alleged to refer to the politics and religion of the prospee- tive jurors, and contained such de- scriptions as convict from the word go, would convict Christ" and vel low dog Democrat, who would convict any Republican on sight. V" Men re- garded as unfavorable, it was charg- ed, were referred to by that most obscene of all obscene epithets."
 The jury box was filled August IT 1905, on which date the brief alleged Detective Burns sent the following telegram to W. Scott Smith, private secretary to the late Secretary of tho Interior Hitchcock:
 Jury commissioners cleaned oul old box from which trial jurors ars selected, and put in 600 new names every one of which was inyestigai ct before they were placed in the box This confidential. Grand jury va, drawn today and Is composed O