San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-03-24
DECLARE He
SAID PR0BER
PREJUD|CED
VIII Hays, Former Post
master General, to Be
= Summoned.
HELM IS PROSECUTOR
Inquiry Result Of Charges
Made by Alabama
| Senator.
MILLIONS INVOLVED
Companies and Individuals
Named in Sweeping :
Investigation.
MILLIONS INVOLVED

Washington, D. C., March A.
r.. d. Simmons, chief inspector Of
the Post Office Department, first
witness in the investigation into al
legged land frauds in the Rio Grande
VALLEY, told the subcommittee that
X. Il. Creager asked that the Kansas
City inspector of the department be
removed and another man put in his
place because he was prejudiccd, or
lat least over enthusiastic.
Mr.. Creagcr said. the witness de-
clared. that he understood that this
inspector had been heard 10 say that
he .(Crsagerl should be in Jail.
Senator Helm. Alabama. who in
troduced the resolution authorizing
the inquiry. has charged that Creassr
was instrumental through conferences
with officials here in having an in
vcstigation dropped. He viii be as
sisted in his role OF "pr0secutor" BY
James II. Page. 4zausas City. Mo-, an
attorney who has investigated the
matter.
Fraud Is Charged.
Senator Helm charged tASt a
group of companies and individuals
members OF tue laONNA Htt ohoh-N
Valley Land Mems Association, dur
ing 4 period of years defrauded q
number of persons out of millions Oh
dollars through sale of lands in Cam
eron and Hidalgo counties, Texas.
Among the witnesses subpoenaed
are c. II. Pease, McAllen, Texas.
editor of a farm publication j. NJ.
Collins. Kansas City. Mo-, real estate
man: Rush ID. Simmons, chief OF the
division of pOstoffice inspectors
Daniel s. Shook. chief clerk OF the
division. and ]. NJ. Donaldson and y.
r. Williamson. inspectors.
Senator Moses. Republican. New
Hampshire. is chairman ct the sub
committee with Senator Edge. New
Jersey and Oddie. Nevada, the other
Republican members. and Senators
HELM and Trammel, Florida, the
Democrats.
Hear Advertisements Of Land.
Members of the committee and
roomfulaof spectators were RECALLED &c
the first meeting today with lengthy
excerpts of the alluring literature dis
tributed by the land companies 20
prospective purchasers. The tracts de-
clared the Magic Valley of the Rio
Grande, out-edened Eden in beauty,
fertility of soil and assurance OF easy
livelihood.
Page said he is prepared to prove
that every vital statement mace j.
false and fraudulent; that land worth
from SO to $50 an acre was sold Tor
$500 an acre: that four or five umes
as much land was sold as there is irri-
CATION TO serve: and that victims Who
desired to inform other purchasers
were "harraSSed and sometimes muir
dered by hired assassins."
Tells of Creager's Visits.
II. II. Simmons. chief inspector OIL
the PoStoffice Department. the tIrst
witness. related two visits 10 his Of
flee by Creager and other representa-
tives of the land companies. The flrsr
was in October. 1921. when Creaser
had inquired about the inveSusauon.
The delegation had already visit
ed the President. the attorney general
and Postmaster General Hays ask
ed Page.
Mr. HAYS. e said the witness i can
not say whether they had been else
where
Creager's objection seems 10 have
been directed TO former letter ssus
bv The department 10 purchasers OF
Texas lands. He didn't like MS corr
panieS being combined with others IN
the INQUIRY and said Il believe ths
letter had been sent only to unsst's-
fled customers.
Mr.. Page read long memorandum
submitted by the chief inspector
shortly afterwari 10 the Postmaster
General summarizing the reports
made in tho field by Inspector }. NJ.
donaldson in charge OF the i<an>sS
civ district. The lsttcr held tnst
an the letters were ~irterwoven IN
tro;r operations but that the Stewart
ard Alamo companies were most 20
he criticised. II Identified Mr..
Creager as manager Of tine Stewart In.
tcrests and referred g. thr U.s. II
-outragcouS methods Of SWiRdiIEs pir-
chaSerS."
What i tie procciurr ~ tue a.
par.ment in connection with a report
Of this Character asked Mr.. Fsxs-
THE Inspector is supposed 70 refer