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About The Coos Bay times. (Marshfield, Or.) 1906-1957 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 22, 1908)
& HVIJBhMs2 Wmmmmimmm THE DAILY COOS BAY TIM ES, MARSHFIELD, OREGON, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1908. smmsBSisssssssBaa flPSfJjPW"6- ""' WW lIPP.1lW' P"" "" " -r" J. ""t p V'" "r ' WJ r pr- tWHr ff tr I ;l 6 r f( fr. ft ? r rsr Ft V KERB JELLS OF S DEALS Coquille Man Testifies In Land Fraud" Case In Portland. PORTLAND, Ore., Oct. 20. Attor neys for the United States in the Fed eral Court furnished testimony to demonstrate that the Pacific Furni ture and Lumber Company did enter into contracts with entrymen In Cur ry county prior to their filing on the land In the government office at Ro seburg. The exposure started when the examination of Witness Kerr was drawing to a close. District Attor ney McCourt took hold of him and tore large holes In the fence which has obscured the actions of the fur niture concern. Examination of William Kerr of Coquille, former land agent for the furniture company was conducted yesterday afternoon and proved al most sensational. Prior to that time the letters which he admitted writing gave the Inference that a conspiracy had existed. Before leaving the stand the District Attorney brought out the admission that Kerr had person ally made contracts with Thomas D. L,ane, B. W. Dean and A. J. Marsh whereby they were to enter land and turn it over to the company. This evidence was followed by statements that by instruction of Jones he had paid sums of money to Grant Por terfield, W. E. Burrows, Mrs. Coy and Mrs. Roby and was Informed that they were working on the same un derstanding as those with whom Kerr made contracts. On cross-examination Witness Kerr's story was not shaken in any particular. He said he quit the com pany as soon as he learned that their methods of handling the land entries were in violation of law, and that he pleaded guilty upon the advlee of his attorney and without any promise of immunity from sentence. It was brought out that when he went Into -the plan with Jones he had no in tention of becoming a party to a con spiracy to defraud the government. The government has not yet devel oped evidence showing to what ex tent Defendants Hedderly, Hynes and Myers were Interested in the conspi racy, but is endeavoring to make it plain that Richard D. Jones and Will iam Kerr were working together in procuring entries to be made by Il legal methods. Jeremiah Huntley was connected with the case through the introduc tion of bills for services rendered under a contract with the furniture company whereby he was to receive a fee of ?25 for the first 50 claims filed. His defonso will be that these fees concerned his services as an at torney, and not as United States Com missioner. Kerr Is Hlnmcd. Thomas Lano, of Curry county, and a brother-in-law of William T. Kerr, was the opening witness. He said that at the solicitation of Kerr ho entered a tract of land, and that Kerr supplied all the money, witness giving his note, for its repayment. The note ran to tho Pacific Furniture nnd Lumber Company, and when he deeded tho land in 1903 the note was returned to him. At that time tho company seems to have been short of money, and was unable to pay Lano $400 as his part, so Kerr gave him a noto for that amount. Later ho did work for tho company, and ho took a new noto for tho en tire amount in payment. On cross-examination it was brought out that he did not havo nny acquaintance with tho defendants Hedderly, Myers and Hynes, now on trial, but that the entlro business was dono through Kerr as agent for tho furniture company. Dt'im Corroborates. Bradford W. Dean, a Curry county farmer, followed Lano on the stand, and told n Blmllar story.- Ho was employed ns a blacksmith and ma chinist at tho Port Orford sawmills, nnd was asked by Kerr to file on a claim, for which Kerr agreed to fur nish tho money. Ho did all his busi ness through Kerr, 'as ngont for tho furniture factory. Tho last witness was I. N. Marsh, a carpenter, living at Los Angoles. Ho stated ho bought two shares of stock In' tho furnituro factory and that ho transacted tho business through William II. Smith, who promised him a job at tho Port Or ford sawmills, nnd suggested that ho take up n claim which ho could sell to tho company. Uo said Smith wns carofttl to explain that It would bo a violation of tho law if tho company ontorod Into a contract with an on tryinnn boforo tho land wns filed on, hut as n stockholder that difficulty would bo overcome- because ho would HISTORY OF NOTED CUflRY I COUNTY LAND FRAUD CASE Concerning the noted L03 Angeles timber land fraud case in which Frank A. Stewart of Port Orford, Win. T. Kerr of Coquille, and John R. Miller and Ames S. Johnson of Curry, pleaded guilty at Portland the other day, but which Jeremiah Hunt ley is fighting, the Portland Tele gram has the following story: "The story Is that of what the Fed eral officials claim is the third lar gest attempt to secure tainted for tunes by the use of credulous and often ignorant entrymen and dum mies in locating Oregon's heavily timbered hills for the profit of an unscrupulous band of conspirators. It Is a tale of wrecked hopes and crumbled reputations, and the scene shifts repeatedly, from Curry county to the Golden Gate, thence to east ern homes of "little fellows" who were pawns in the game, and again back to the sawmills and hills of the Beaver State. It will reveal, It is elalmed, the methods used in induc ing artisans, mechanics and laborers to Invest their savings from a life of toil In the stock of a company which held out no promises except the profits expected from the sale of lands which the entrymen were re quired to obtain by false affidavits submitted to "fixed" agents of the government, and when the curtain falls on this act it is thought the naxt scene in which some of the char acters will participate will be set on McNeil's Island. The prosecution will attempt to show that Richard D. Jones and Will iam H. Smith, who then resided in Portland, organized a" conspiracy to loot the public domain in Curry county, Oregon, about 1901, and that their operations closed only with the interference of Special Agent Thomas B. Neuhausen in August of 1904. It was planned to get' possession of about 30,000 acres of heavy timber In a contiguous body. The general scheme was to contract with indi viduals to file upon the land under tho timber and stone act, with an understanding that it was to be turn ed over to the ring of conspirators as soon as patents were secured. In carrying out the plan It was thought advisable to create a holding concern to which the lands would be deeded, and as a result the Pacific Furniture & Lumber Company came into existence, with Jones and Smith in full control of Its affairs. It is charged that these men then Inter ested a number of Los Angeles finan ciers in the corporation, as well as arranging with stockholders to come in on the ground floor as promoters. The Los Angeles men were Glllelan, Kenny and Cross, officers of the Broadway Bank & Trust Company, one of the most powerful institutions In California, and Drs. Hedderly and Goodwin, friends of the institution. Illnesi Myers and Riley were to place tho stock. At this point It was decided to be gin sending individuals into Oregon to locate lands. Agents of the con cern picked up men wherever they could be found, but It was more dif ficult to find them in this state than in former years because people wero becoming Informed on the danger of the game, and hesitated nbout plac ing themselves In the shadow of a Federal prison. Then the conspira tors sent men among laborers nnd workmen employed at different points, many of them being lured into tho plan under the belief that it was all straight. In some instances it was found that tho stoolplgeon had saved a few hun dred dollars. Then they promptly sold him stock In tho furniture com pany before sending him to Curry county to bo "located." It is said that no amount wns too small for Jones, Smith nnd the managers of (ho company to pass over. Letters j will bo Introduced showing that Cur ry county agents of the company wero notified of what men had been still havo an interest in the land after ho deeded It to the company. On go ing to Port Orford ho was not given u position, but took up a timber tract. Korr and Georgo Curry wero his wit nesses in proving up, but refused to sign tho papers until ho paid them for locnting him on tho land. All tostlmony thus far Introduced seems to Indicate that William T. Korr wns tho man who engineered tho deal on Oregon soli. Ho claimed on tho stand thnt he was ignorant of the law nnd that ho had no Intention of defrauding tho govornmont, but tho ovldonco of each witness Is thnt ho olther procured their consent to enter tho claims or handled all those who wore sent In by tho officers of tho company. loaded up with stock before going into the hills. It was such slow work along these lines that finally Jones and Smith are said to have purchased saw mills at ' Eureka, Port Orford, Humboldt and ' Frankfort, which were to be used as ' a blind to decoy entrymen by offer-1 ing them employment. Agents were j able to procure men from Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska and California by , this means, it is said, and upon ar-, rival they were sent on to the mills. On reaching the places they found no work, and were soon willing to listen to a proposition involving the "safe" entry of timber lands, which could be immediately disposed of foi sufficient money to get the victim out of the country. The illegal entrymen were then turned over to some of the Curry county residents, whose duty was to point out the vacant lands and their corners. It is prob able that Stewart, Kerr and Miller will be charged with this portion of the conspiracy. Entries and proofs would be made with the assistance of Huntley and Johnston, who are charged with using their official positions in the certification of papers and statements which they knew to be false, for which they are said to have been paid by the Furniture Company. i Special Agent Neuhausen learned of the entry of Immense areas of con tiguous timber land along Lobster and Euchre Creeks, In Curry county, and with the assistance of Inspectors Jones, Watts and Meyendorff, proofs of a conspiracy were soon uncovered. One agent posed as a traveling sales man, while In that county, while others are said to have gone in as timber cruisers. Anyway, they got the proof, which will now be pres ented to the Jury. j Of the defendants originally alleg-' ed to be implicated in this gigantic conspiracy, a number will not face the tribunal' of justice at this time. Death has dismissed the Indictments against Richard D. Jones, of San Francisco, and David M. Goodwin, of Los Angeles. Jones was the man who was accused of having joined with William H. Smith as the arch conspirators of this effort to get rich quickly. David M. Goodwin was one of the prominent physicians of Los Angeles, and had built up a large for tune from the income of his practice. He was an Intimate associate of the ' officers of the Los Angeles Broadway Bank & Trust Company. All of the Los Angeles bankers have successfully resisted efforts to remove them to the jurisdiction of , the Oregon courts for trial. Federal , officers are confident of their ability to show that Warren Glllelen and R. W. Kenny, respectively president and cashier of the Broadway Bank and Trust Company, as well as Jacob C. , Cross, one of Its directors, Invested in and financed the organization of the Pacific Furniture and Lumber Com pany, with full knowledge that it was to be made the holding concern for lands and timber fraudulently obtain ed from the government through its dupes, who would be brought "from the east to be planted on Oregon lands. George L. Stearns, a former presi dent of the Pacific Furniture and Lumber Company, will not be prose cuted, the charges against him hav ing been dismissed. Will D. Gould, of Los Angeles, has thus far been able to prevent extradition, but it is anticipated that the revelations of this hearing will so strongly Impli cate him that he can be forced to trial at a later date. Gould Is a prac ticing attorney among the Angels and is said to have been the legal adviser of the California end of this deal. Fred W. Dennis, a real estate deal er and stock broker of San Fran cl3co, became alarmed when ho re ceived news of the government's in vestigation of Curry county land en-, tries and skipped the country. He . has not been apprehended so far as the public is advised, although It is hinted that tho government may be ablo to placo him on the stand as Its witness beforo the case is concluded. Those who had to face this In quisition are William H. Smith, Jere miah Huntley, who was a commis sioner for the United States for Cur ry county, with power to receive and approve final proofs of homesteaders; Ames S. Johnson, formerly Deputy county clerk for Curry county, with i powors similar to those ot tno com missioner; Frank A. Stewart, mer chant at Ohplr; William T.Kerr, of Coquille; John R. Miller, of Port Orford; Dr. A. II. Hedderly, a phy sician of Los Angeles, Cal.; Richard Hynes, M. M. Riley and Lee R. Myers, stock brokers of San Francisco. REALESTATETRANSPERS Daily Rcnl Estate Report Furnished L'y Title Guarantee nnd Abstract Co. Henry Sengstnckcn, Manager. October 3, 190S. L. D. Kinney et ux, to A. J. Stew art, deed. Lots 1 and 2, blk 15, Koos Bay Plat E. Consideration, $200. A. J. Stewart, to August King, deed. Lots 1 and 2, blk 15, Koos Bay Plat E. Consideration, $10. Belt Line Railway Co., to A. J. Stewart, deed. Lots 1 and 2, blk 15, Koos Bay Plat E. Consideration, $1.00. Homer West et ux, to Hattle M. West, deed. Lots 3 and 4, blk 39, Coos Bay Plat C. Consideration, $500. Thomas VIgars et ux, to Bird M. Reynolds, deed. Lots 20 and 21, blk 5, Bangor. Consideration, $10. I. S. Kaufman, trustee, to Thomas Vigars, deed. Lots 1 and 2, blk 16, Bangor Plat A. Consideration, $10. Thomas Vigars et ux, to Louisa E. Elsimlnger, deed. Lots 1 and 2, blk 16, Plat A, Bangor. Consideration, $10.00. E. D. McArthur et ux, to Alvin Smith et al, deed. N of NE , sec 13; E and NW, N and SEVi' of SWVi of sec 12; EV and SWVi of SWVi and W of SEVi, sec 1, twp 25, R 12. Consideration, $10.00. R. B. Herron et al, to W. H. Ken nedy et al, deed. NV6 of NEVi, sec 13; EV of NWVi, X and SEVi of SWVi of sec 12; EVa and SWVi of SWVi, WVfc of SEVi, sec 1, twp 25, R 12. Consideration, $10. October 5, 190S. C. S. Wlnsor et ux, to J. Virgil Pugh, deed. Lots 1, 2, 3 and 4, blk 14, Coos Bay Plat D. Consideration, $10.00. Simpson Lumber Co., to E. B. Mi chael, deed. Lot 6 and S 20 ft. of lot 7, blk 57, North Bend. Con sideration, $5.00. C. A. Metlin et ux, to Chas. G. Magnus, deed. S 48 ft. of lot 13, blk 14, South Marshfleld. Considera tion, $1,600. October 6, 190S. John S. Coke et ux, to Sarah E. Chase, deed. Lots 15 and 16, blk 7, Coos Bay Plat A. Consideration, $500. '- Thos. Vigars et ux, to Wm. Mc Neill, deed. Lots 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30, blk 2, Bangor Plat A. Con sideration, $10. Thos. Vigars et u'-, to Fred A. Almgren, deed. Lot 7, blk 12, Coos Bay Plat A. Consideration, $10.00. E. O. Schultz et ux, to Fred A. Almgren, deed. Lot 7, blk 12, Coos Bay Plat A. Consideration, $1.00. Ansel Collver et ux, to S. M. Coll ver, deed. V Interest in following: Parcel of land beginning 3.14 chs. E. of Vi corner between sees. 5 and 8, twp. 26, R 12, IS. 18 acres; NEVi of NEVi and WV of SEVi, sec. 5, twp 26, R 12; parcel of land begin ning at NE corner of SEVi of NEVi, sec. 8, twp 26, R 12, 20 acres. Con sideration, $10.00. Crawford Point Land Co., to School District, No. 16, deed. Lot 12, blk 6, Crawford Point addition to Coos Bay. Consideration, pres ent school lot. School District, No. 16, to Craw ford Point Land Co., deed. Parcel of land beginning 13 chs. N. of SE corner, sec 13, twp 25, R 13. Con sideration, new deed. Lee W. Culbertson, to Thos. Rob inson, deed. Lot 2, blk 8, North Ferndale. Consideration, $10.00. October 7, 190S. Abraham Van Zile et ux, to Nellie Weltzel, deed. Lot 9, blk 32, North Bend. Consideration, $600. E. L. Bessey et ux, to C. W. Tower, deed. Parcel of land in lot 6, sec 32, twp 25, R 11. Consideration, $1.00. October 8, 190S. Elizabeth Condron and hus, to Geo. A. Thomason, deed; EV6 of lots 1 and 2, blk 24, Railroad addition to Marshfleld. Consideration, $150. A. K. Pidgeon, to Wm. T. Totten, deed. Parcel of land beginning at Vi corner, between NEVi and NWVi sec 19, twp 24; R. 11, 8 and acres. Consideration, $10.00. U. S. of A. to Annie M. Moon, pa tent; SV& of SEVi, sec 28, and E of NEVi, sec 33, twp 26, R 11. October 9, 1908. U. S. of A. to Edward Heydon, pa tent. NWVi, sec 12, twp 26, R 10. D. S. Cameron et ux, to Geo. Ca ble, deed. Lots 5 and 15 to 21, blk 15, Edmonston First addition to Marshfleld. Consideration, $10.00. A. T. Andrews et ux, to Geo. W. Leslie, deed. Lot 11, blk 45, North Bend. Consideration, $10.00. Marshfleld Land Co., to Geo. W. Leslie, deed. Lots 11, 12, 13 and 14, blk 12, Bay Park. Considera tion, $10.00. Marshfleld Land Co., to Louis Nel son, deed. Lots 5 and C, blk 12, Bay Park. Consideration, $10.00. October 10, 1908. Simpson Lumber Co., to Syver Backey, deed. Lot 25, blk 36, North Bend. Consideration, $5.00. W. W. Graves, to Frances Z. Ni chols, deed. Lots 1 to 6, blk 7, Graves addition to Marshfleld. Con sideration, $10.00. October 12, 190S. Geo. J. Schaefer et ux, to Wm. C. Olsen. deed. Lots 16, 17 and 18, blk 3, Schaefers addition to Central Place. Consideration, $250. Rocco Biasca, to Antony Biasca, deed. Parcel of land beginning at corner of sees. 2S, 29, 32 and 32, twp 25, R 12. Consideration, $10. October 13, 1908. Lota Hines and hus, to C. J. Keane, deed. Lots 1, 2 and 3, blk 45, North Bend. Consideration, $10. October 14, 1908. Jesse A. Smith et ux, to StandiBh Hlckey Timber Co., deed. NWVi of NWVi, sec 29, twp 25, It 11. Con sideration, $400. October 15, 190S. Alice Kruse et al, by referee, to Geo. Witte, deed. NEVi of SEVi, sec 33, WV4 of NWVi and WV4 of SWVi and SWVi of SWVi, sec 34, twp 25, R 11; and lot 4, sec 3, twp 26, R 11. October 16, 1908. Wllhelm Dorbeck, to Paul Wes slnger et al, deed. Lot 24, blk IS, Idaho addition to North Bend. Con sideration, $200. R. L. Edmonston, to Chas. M. Ross deed. Lots 3 and 4, blk 10, Edmons ton First addition to Marshfleld. Con sideration, $10,000. East Marshfleld Land Co., to Ceary Pederson, deed. Lots 12 and 13, blk 45, East Marshfleld. Con sideration, $330. October 17, 1908. Gordon Farr, to Myrtle Farr, deed. Lots 12 and 13, blk 29, North Bend. Consideration, $10.00. Merchant Land Co., to Frank Flaten, deed. Lots 11, 12, 15 and 16, blk 7, Bay Park. Consideration, $10.00. MASQUERADE BALL at Sumner Saturday evening, October 31. H- a - a - a - a - a - a - a - a - a - a - a - a - a K I 4 a a i a a I 1 DUCK We have a complete outfit for Duck Hunters, every thing you need. Guns (Double Barrel or Pump), Loaded Shells of all sizes, Hunting Coats, Cartridge Belts and Bags, Gun Cases, Leather Shell Bags, Duck Calls, Gun Cleaners, Canvas Decoy Ducks, etc., etc. a I 8 t a a 8 a a a a t a t Milner's -a -a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS. Sealed bids for an addition to school house in District No. 85 will be received up to 8 p. m., Saturday October 24. Plans and specifications can be seen at the office of J. D. Mc Neil. M. B. SQUIRE, Clerk. Read the Times' Want Ads. r Daintiest Lingerie n j If set to this laundry .will return to you as fresh, crisp nnd sheer as when It was new. Laundering with us is an art we car ry it to such a degree of perfection. Our price list will show you how reason able aro our charges. One trial will convince you that our work cannot be surpassed. Phone 2291. Marshfield Hand & Steam Laundry --------- -x THOMASON & HANSON -DEALERS IN- 'Hay Grain and Feed' Free Delivery Phone 1751 ...-... ---. Do not lorget that DeWitt'b Little Early Risers are the best pills made. They are pleasant little pills that aro easy to take and are prompt and gentle. We sell and recommend them. Sold by LOOKIIART & PAR- OBITUARY. On Wednesday, Octnbor n ou. community was shocked to hear that death had again entered thp home of S. B. and L. A. Cutllp and this time claimed for Its own Mary Mabel, their flfteen-month-old daughter. Six weeks ago, little Mary Wag stricken down with one of our dread ed enemies (diphtheria) from which she never fully recovered, paralysis setting In to stay Its progress. Just three weeks before darling Mary's death Louis Jerome, her seven-year-old brother, was takea from their home, and now she Is gone also. A short time before she was takea from us she raised her little weak hand and pointed to one side and who of us who have never crossed the valley that seems to us so dark can say what the dying ejes saw as she gazed in that direction. We only know that from that time all suffer ing seemed to leave her and she rested tranquilly until her spirit took its flight. And now sweet babe, while we aro passing through the shadow that hangs so dark over our way and seems at times to hide our path, still will we not grieve for thee and thy beloved brother, or wish thee back to these earthly sorrows but will toil on until we too shall be transplanted and reign with thee In God's own city, for Jesus has said, "Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life." A LOVED ONE. ROD AND GUN CLUB MEETING. There will be a meeting of the Coos Bay Rod and Gun Club, Thurs day evening at 7:30 in tho office of Hall & Hall, for the purpose of elect ing officers and transacting other im portant business. J. W. BENNETT, Pres. Better send this paper to a friend. a - a - a - a - a - a - aa - a - a - aa - a - a? i a a a i a i a a i ? a t ? a a a ! a a Hardware a i a t a i a i a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a Masters and McLain Gaaeral Contractor's Buildin I Material and Beaver Hill Coal :: ' t Office: Broadway & Queen St ;; Phones 2011 -826 Steamer Flyer lawtiorn & Mcculloch, Owners. Lve. Marshfleld Lve. North Bend 7:00 A. M. 7:45 A. M. 8:45 " 10:05 " 10:45 " 11:15 " 1:00 P. M 1:45 P. 1L. 2:30 " 3:15 " 4:00 ' 5:00 " Open for Charter Nights and Sundays Tho Flyer Always Lenves on Time. i I The plumbing on the new Hotel Chandler Is being done by J. B. RUST The specifications call for class "A" material and work manship throughout. Esti mates given on plumbing, heating and gas fitting. C Street, Opposite Hotel Chandler PHONE 801. DO NOT TAKE THE RISK. When you have a bad cough or cold do not let it drag along until it becomes chronic, but give it atten tion and get rid of it. Take Cham berlain's Cough Remedy and you are sure of prompt relief. For sale by JOHN PREUSS. Better send this paper to a friend. i s 1 d