Page:Looters of the Public Domain.djvu/454

 land. The land which they now have in their possession and which they are charged with obtaining through fraudulent methods lies in a contiguous tract and is located entirely within the confines of Curry county. It extends along the banks of Lobster and Euchre Creeks, and is covered with timber of immense value.

The general scheme of the conspirators as outlined was to contract with individuals to file upon the land under the timber and stone Act, with the understanding that it was to he turned over to the ring of operators as soon as title was secured. Under this plan the filing was done in a fraudulent manner, inasmuch as the entrymen swore that the claims were for them personally, whereas it is alleged that it was agreed at the time that the transfers were to he made to the men who had inspired them to go on the land. For this purpose men were obtained wherever possible and sent to Curry county. It is said that the Pacific Furniture & Lumber Company, which was the active agency of the land shark-, procured entrymen from Nebraska, Kansas and California, as well as the various cities in Oregon. The company operated sawmills at Humboldt, Port Orford, Frankfort and Eureka. These mills, it is said, were used as a blind in bringing entrymen to Oregon. They were induced to come West on the understanding that they were to have jobs in the mills. When they arrived, however, they were informed that there was no work for them. Then, when they were penniless and far from home, it was found to be a propitious time to approach them with suggestions that they could make easy money by illegally filing upon some of the choice timber land in the vicinity.

Cross, Goodwin, Stewart, Miller, Kerr and Jones banded themselves together in Los Angeles as the Pacific Furniture & Lumber Company for the purpose of dealing in and acquiring Government land. Others became connected with the company, and during the duration of the conspiracy Hedderly and Smith were associated in the management of its affairs. Smith, Jones and Dennis cared for the affairs of the company in San Francisco, and are said to have laid the plans skillfully and to have had complete control of all the branches of the fraudulent plot. The Broadway Bank & Trust Company, which is one of the most important financial institutions of Los Angeles, is accused of being directly connected with the plot and to have advanced money to finance the fraudulent proceedings.

Huntley, who occupied the office of United States Commissioner from 1901 to 1904, was brought into the conspiracy by allowing himself to be induced to receive the fraudulent entries, which, it is averred, he knew at the time were illegal. The part of Johnston, the Deputy Clerk of Curry county, was to certify the fraudulent timber and stone applications. None of the minor offenders who filed upon the claims are included in the indictment, the policy of the Federal authorities evidently being to strike at the men who were the principals in the nefarious plot to rob the Government.

The indictment is a lengthy document, setting out in detail the many ramifications of the scheme as they have been unearthed by District Attorney Bristol and Special Inspector Neuhausen, with the assistance of the Government agents. Thirteen separate counts are included in the indictment, any one of which, if it is proved, is sufficient for conviction.

In gathering evidence against the land thieves. District Attorney Bristol and Special Inspector Neuhausen were greatly assisted by the late M. A. Meyendorff, Special Agent of the General Land Office, who did much work on the California end of the affair. Horace T. Jones and J. D. Watts, also special agents of the Government, assisted by carrying on investigations in Curry county, Oregon.

"No. 4445—Indictment returned April 3, 1906, against Joseph Black, John C. Black, August Anderson, Sumner A. Parker, Leander Choate, James Doughty, Benjamin Doughty, Thomas Daly, James Bray, James H. Driscoll, John Doc, Richard Roe, Thomas Roe and Andrew Roe, charging them with a violation of section 5440, Revised Statutes. This is known as the "Wisconsin case."" Page 448