Page:The American Magazine volume LXIV.djvu/606

588 about Col. Greene. Also he learned something about Greene and Hall that increased his anger.

When he was leaving Portland, Hall gave Heney, as the whole of the Puter case, a transcript of a preliminary hearing. This showed that Puter and the two men with him had got hold of lieu-land scrip by having men and women "file homesteads" in a forest reserve. Each claimant had to swear that he had lived five years on his "piece" and made improvements. The allegation was that these persons were fictitious, and that Marie Ware, a United States District Court Commissioner, had knowingly received these fraudulent proofs and forwarded them as genuine. All was clear, except that there was no evidence that the fictitious persons did not exist or that they had not improved their lands. Having studied the case on the train, Henry wired back to Hall to have Greene inspect the lands, investigate the "persons," and report to him at Washington. They did not report to him at Washington; they reported to the departments; and their report said that they had made their inspection and investigation long before Heney had told them to. “Why hadn't they told me that?" said Heney. "Why were they keeping back such essential evidence in the case?

Burns told him. "They're jobbing you," he said. When Heney talked of Hall's jealousy, the detective laughed. "He's a crook," said Burns, and he reasoned it all out. Since Hall was the prosecuting officer in a district in which there were land frauds, he must connive at them; how else could they go on? And as for Greene, wasn't he a Special Agent in the Land Office; and hadn't Burns caught Special Agents in California—yes and made them confess? Why should Special Agents in Oregon differ from Special Agents in California? Heney smiled. The swift sweep of Burns's "suspicion" struck him as it did the President and Mr. Hitchcock and Chief Wilkie—as preposterous. Heney wouldn't believe Burns. Mr Hitchcock let him dictate an order to Greene to report to Heney; it was a pretty sharp telegram, and when the Secretary signed and sent it Heney



''Spot on which "A. O. Austin" (an imaginary settler) was alleged to have his cabin. He, or somebody for him, swore that he had cultivated this ground!''

''Looking across township 11-7. Many of the fraudulent homestead claims were located on this snow-capped peak of Mt. Jefferson, 5000 feet above the sea.''