Page:Looters of the Public Domain.djvu/213

 "Just take a seat until I can examine it," commanded Burns. "I only hope it is as you say, and that you have covered the ground in every particular."

He then looked the statement over, folded it carefully when he was through, and gazing directly at Kribs, said:

"So you have dealt with all the salient features, have you?"

"Yes," replied Kribs, "I believe that I have."

"Well, then, in order that you and I may have no further misunderstanding as to what is expected of you, I believe, Mr. Kribs, that it would be best for us to talk matters over. This statement, I will admit, is more conclusive than the one handed me by you yesterday, but not sufficiently so, by any means."

Opening the statement again, Mr. Burns continued:

"You have said here that you were on friendly terms with the officials of the Roseburg Land Office, and that you paid them money, but you have failed to mention to whom, or in what amounts. You also confess having employed the firm of Mitchell & Tanner to expedite the issuance of your patents, and that you paid them for such service, but here again you fall short, in that you fail to state with whom the arrangement was first made, and have also neglected to mention the amounts agreed upon. Your statement with regard to the Smith deal is also too general. You must be specific, Mr. Kribs, and give full details with regard to every transaction, else I shall be obliged to bring these negotiations to a close without further consideration.

"When Mr. Puter spoke to Mr. Heney about you, he insisted that you would make a valuable witness for the Government, because of the fact that you had done business—along certain lines—with the officials of the Roseburg Land Office, and had also done business—along the same lines—with Senator Mitchell. We want this information in its entirety, and we shall expect you to give it exactly as you know it to be. You have admitted, in substance, that you maintained relations with these people, and have also virtually acknowledged that the nature of this business was of a shady character. It now remains for you to give the entire facts, and until such time, I shall have nothing further to say to you on the subject."

This conversation having occurred on Saturday, Mr. Kribs said that it would be impossible for him to prepare another statement for presentation that afternoon, but that he would have one ready on the following Monday morning, which arrangement, Mr. Burns told him, would be satisfacorysatisfactory [sic] to him.

On meeting Kribs that Saturday afternoon, he said that it looked like he was in for it; that Burns was as sharp as a steel trap, and, unless he was very much mistaken, was "wise" to everything, and would not be put off with anything short of a full and complete statement of facts.

"So I might just as well make up my mind," continued Kribs, "to tell everything I know."

"That's right," I responded, "you stick to that determination, Kribs, and when you have prepared your statement, I will call personally and look it over before you present it to Mr. Burns."

"When will you call?" he inquired.

"When will you have it ready?" I replied.

"Probably by tomorrow (Sunday) night; but suppose that you call on Monday morning at my office."

I agreed to do so, and left Kribs, in the firm belief that he had finally decided to come through with the much desired information, as he appeared to be very sincere, and I was happy in the thought that, if he presented a statement such as he promised, we could then force him to produce the documentary evidence to substantiate his story.

No sooner had I reached Kribs' office on Monday morning, than he opened up by informing me that he was in receipt of a dispatch from C. A. Smith, to the effect that he was willing to pay me the amount of money I had advanced to secure the Humboldt County lands for him, concerning which I had commenced Page 207