EGON CITY ENTEEPEISE THIRTY-SEVENTH YEAR No. a" OREGON CITY ENTERPRISE, FRIDAY JANUARY 24, 1908. ESTABLISHED 1889. MR. HENEY TELLS HOW LAND FRAUD CASES CAN BE STOPPED, IF OFFICIALS WISH IT DONE. STILL STEALING LAND But tht Conspirators Are Mor Cau tious Easy to Stop It If Dis trict Attorney la In Earnest. l.ii ml frauds an gilng I" Oregon HOW III!' Sllllie UH ever, Ulllt lilt' whole H It I . tll'OMI'I'Ullllll Clf tltllll grafter llH not iii is I (ho land thieves better, but liiin made tlii'iu more careful. Such won tli" assertion made by Francis J. Heney during a recess In tin' lntt-.Ma'H conspiracy trial In tin' Federal Court. Tin' declaration of Heney mum the outcome of a riort of thti trlul of John II. Hull it ml F.dwln Mays In I lie papers. The report stat i'i (lint while Heney has made u strong ciihii uKUliixt th' Itutte Cri'i'k ljmd, Livestock h Lumber Company uml had shown (hut the company unlaw fully fenced government land, hired people tu tit Id' (ij) homesteads fraudu lently ami Unit tho company had re tarded settlement uml t h rtat'tn the small cattlemen, th' prosecution, thus fur, had fulled Id connect Hull and Mays In th' conspiracy of W. W. Stel wit, II II. H.-ndrlcks und C. II Ziich ary, owners of tho Butte Creek Com IHitiy. Ib-tiey contends thitt under the law lin has produced enough evidence against Hull und Mays to convict thi'in dozens of times; tlmt It Im suffi cient to prove that Hull, a United State District Attorney, and Maya, ax IiIm assistant, kiH'W of the land grabbing of the company and fulled to proHecute, "Hull knew of rondltlotiH In the Fos all country, knew of the unlawful fenc ing and for five year Ire had grand Juries twlcw a year before which he could have brought the matter, but he neglected to do ao," Mitld Ih'tiey. "When I'utiinm and othcj stockmen laid Hie farts before Hull. Inatead of acting he mtgget'ri Investigation by the Interior Department, Now, there Is nothing In comnion between the In terior department and the Department of JiiHtlre. The special agents of the IjuhI Office could obtuln no evidence which Hull hud tmt received from Putnam und the rent, who were pro testing UKuhiHt the Imlidoxitig tactlcu of the Butte Creek people. All I Io.ll bad to do wiih to lo as I did, send for rutnutn. get a Hat of witnesses from blm, subpoena them, take them before the grand Jury and Indict the bunch. 1 'til mitn sent Hull a Hut of the Gov ernment lund Involved and also a lint of witnesses. At the time these let tern were received, the grand Jury wns In session, and Hull did not act, nor for the yenra following, when he bud the grand Jury twice annually. What more proof la wanted? It ian't essential to show t lint there wiih an understanding or agreement between Hull and the company that be would let them, aloneit la sufficient to prove that he knew and did not act. It" could help Just an much by keep ing his hand off and not bothering them. "I'm not Haying Hint we will not con nect Hall cloHer before we get through, but I Hay that we have brought blm pretty close already. Tho teHtlmony in Htrong. "And what have these land prosecu tions amounted to, any way? Practic ally nothing. They have not made I, people good, but have mad" them mure careful. There In lund stealing going on In Oregon now as much an ever. It lan't to be atopped by prosecuting en trymen. Tho only way to atop land frauds In thU timber country la to get after the United States Commis HlonerH und the Receivers and Regis ters of the lnnd offices. Those are tin! men who nro responsible for the land grnft which flourishes so freely, and If I was located here permanently na Dlntrlct Attorney, Instead of jiiHt temporarily, I would break up the land frnuilH effectively, "This Is bow It Is possible to tell whether a homestead la being taken up properly or through fraud It is only necessary to look at tho nnswers to questions (! and 7 on tho final proof. The first asks, 'Hnve you lived on tho claim continuously? Answer, yes.' The second Is, 'How long at any time, If at nil, have you been absent from tho elulm, nnd for what, reason? An swer, About six months for tho pur pose of mnklng a living.' When you see those answers it is a cinch that It Is a fraudulent claim, "Now, who Is to atop this? Tho Heglstrur and Receiver of the Land Olllco nnd the United States Commis sioners. Tho law provides that these officers shnll orally cross-examine the applicants to satisfy themselves that tho claim Is legitimate and In com pliance with the provlsons of the stat utes, The Department even .sends special agents to han gnround the land office to examine the entrymen when they come In to mnke final proof to boo that everything Is right, and prop er, hut the land grabbers have had many business, dealings with (these special agents. There was Krlfts, for Instulice, who bribed every Ugent he cume In contact with, except one, and us bo pnlil tlii-iii In checks, bo has the evidence uguliist them yet, for he still retains the checks, "So, It Is apparent, that the only way to atop the frauds Is to start where It can Im stopped, with the Receiver, Registrar and the United Stale Com missioners. They have the power to prevent the land grubbing If they will perform their duty, Hut tilings will continue lot they uro now and have been in the puHt and the land looting will flourish until some day an Attor ney General arises who will Instruct the District Attorneys In the West where the land Is being atolen, to pros ecute the Registrar, Receivers and Couiiiilssloners who accept such final filings, If was District Attorney I would send word to these officers that I would hold them strictly accountable to the law for their duties, and the minute I saw a hoim-Hli-ml proof with answer to question i and 7 as I have described. I would Indict them. Then, if political pull was such that I could not prosecute them, through the In terference and Influence of United State Senators, the Attorneydeneral und tho President, I would get out, but In doing so I would show up the mutter to the public and place the re NiHitiHlblllty right at the bead. "Tbl Is the only way. that the land grubbing can be prevented." RAPID DEVELOPMENT BY AMERICAN PEOPLE NEVERTHELESS, WE ARE WASTE FUL NATION, PRODIGAL OF NATURE'S 0IFT8. The United States has astounded tho world by It spectaculur rapidity of development. We came Into the sisterhood of nations an evangel of liberty and a herald of better days to the nations. Put we are the Spend thrift, the Waster, the Ne'er-do-Well of nations. Beginning In modern time with Incomparably rich natural re sources, we have ravaged a continent of Its wood, and coal, and Iron, and wo smilingly face the exhaustion of our bunk account In these things like a Isiy In the midst of his sowing of wild oats. Our forests are gone. The scattered fragments left will disappear In 20 years. The pinch of exhausting coal fields has begun; and the best au thorities are computing the time of the end of our supply, trying to deter mine whether It will be our children or our grand children who will have to face a future without coall We have vast reserves of water-power, coal, Iron, and lands callable of reclamation nnd reforestation, but we seem to have no adequate conception of our duties toward them, to ourselves, our coun try or posterity. Our soli Is being washed away into the rivers, and by them carried to the sea, and our honsl ed fertility of soli Is thereby being lessened year by year; but the Irre parable drain Is Ignored. Our neglect Is almost equal to our active wants. The vast potentialities of our water ways in bearing commerce and In fur nishing power have been neglected. Hut a new era seems dnwnlng. Presi dent RiHisevelt Is bringing these mat ters Into the field of practical states manship. The Inland Waterways Commission has been constituted by him as a great ngency for pointing out these national dangers and co-ordinating the iiovcrnmcntal plans for con serving our national resources. In constructive ntntesmanshlp, the work outlined rises to the most exalted plane. It demands the attention of every American. On Its success de pend the future, We must make the most of what Is left of our once great estate; wo must atop waste; we must keep our natural resources from the grnsp of monopoly, or we may sink to n status of commercial and national Inferiority and subordination. Read era' Magazine, WANT PULLMAN RATES REDUCED Cleorge II. Iiftus, of St. Paul, accom panied by Senutor La Follette, has filed with the Interstate Commerce Commission a petition asking for a reduction of 25 per cent In the lower berth rates of the Pullman Company, and the fixing of rates for upper berths at one-half the lower-berth rate. The reduction is asked on 'all Interstate business throughout the United States. Mr. Loft us represents the Minnesota Shippers' Association, which started tho prlvute-car Investigation two years ago, and ho has had the advice aniij the support of Mr. La Follette. The petition avers that the Pullman Com pany bus invested $28,000,000, while It is capitalized for $125,000,000, and its net earnings are approximately 20 per cent per annum on capitalization In addition to a surplus, nnd that each car, accepting the com puny 'a estimate of its i'ot, pays for Itself every two yearsf The world's production of gold was $125,000,000 lost year and continues to climb. A hundred veara ago the yield was $12,000,000. Eight years ago It was 202,000,000, The world's stock of gold has doubled since 1893. In recent years the line of profit in working gold 'ores has been lowered from $14 to $2. The output Is practic ally sure to go on Increasing. WILLAMETTE VALLEY CHAUTAUQUA FOR 1908 Best Program Ever Presented Being Arranged For Secretary Cross Pulling Hard for Success in July Secretary Harvey Cross, of tho Wll lametto Valley Chautauqua, is bending every effort to make the coming Chau tauqua meeting in July the best In the history of tho association. Under his cji-eful tnunugemeut thw associa tion was enabled to pull Itself out of debt at tlx- past Hesslon, and no time In the history of tho organization has the outlook been so bright. The fl rut year or two of such an or ganization there Is considerable reve nue which cornea as the outcome of its novelty. Following those years come two or three In which the ftaal bllity of the project must be demon strated In order to win friends. If these yenrs of "experiment" are safely passed, there Is every hope that the organization may live for years. The crucial period of the Willamette Chau tauqua seems to have been passed In safety, and now that the organization Is on a sound financial basis, Secre tary Croh Is In a position to reach out after better things than the society hns felt In the past It could afford. The features contracted for the July meeting are above the overage for the ears passed, and several oth ers that Secretary Cross expects to engage are likewise of that character. "The best the society can afford," Is the motto for 1908. and Secretary Cross will atretch tho financial lines as far a he dare in making contracts for good things to appear on the ros trum atj the July meet. Frldily afternoon of last week a meeting of, the Imard of directors was held and a careful revision made of the work so far accomplished by Sec retary Cross. Principal among the good things arranged for we find the following: John Sharp Williams, of Mississippi. DEMOCRATIC STATE CENTRAL COMMITTEE ENDORSES BRYAN AND SETS THE DATE FOR THE DEMOCRATIC STATE CONVENTION. The Democratic State Central Com mittee met In Portland Saturday and decided to choose the four Democratic electors for the Presidential election by primary on April 1 next. It was also decided to hold the Democratic State convention In Portland June 1G for the purpose of choosing eight dele gates and eight alternates to the Dem ocratic National convention which meets In Denver July 7, and to con form and ratify the election of the Democratic electors chosen at tho primaries. The direct primary law was henrtl ly endorsed and Mr. Ilryan also en dorsed by a rousing vote, in which was expressed the confidence reposed In him and a demand made for his nomination for President at the com ing National convention. The coming State Convention will consist of one delegate at large from each county, and one delegate for each 250 votes or fraction thereof cast at the 1 900 election. This will make a convention of 215 members, and will be apportioned by counties as follows: Paker 10, Benton 5, Clackamas 9, Clat sop C, Columbia 4, Coos 5, Crook 4, Curry 2, Douglass 9, Gilliam 2. Grant 4, Harney 3, Jackson 7, Josephine 4. Klamath 3, Lake 3, Lane 11, Lincoln 3, Malheur 4. Marlon 13, Morrow 3, Multonomah 38, Polk 6, Sherman 3, Tillamook 3, Umatilla 8. Union 7, Wal lowa 4, Wasco 7, Washington 7, Whee ler 2. Yamhill 7. The Dickens club was entertained Monday night by Miss Myrtle Buchan an. Miss Buchanan's home was pret tily decorated with evergreens nnd wild grape and bright-colored shades on the electroliers. The early part of the evening was devoted to tho read ing of "David Copperfleld," which tho club has taken up for the winter's reading. After an hour had passed In tho reading of this book refresh ments were served, followed by bridge, In which Mrs. Theodore W. Clark won the first prize end Mrs. Max Bollaeli the second prize, Mr. and Mrs. O. Tonkin, of Willam ette, were surprised by a number of young folks Saturday evening. Cha rades and other games were played until a late hour. Refreshments were served. Thoso present were: T. J. Gary, A. Ross, L, Capon, P. Barnes, J. Ream, W. Krietzer, M. Young, E. Young. L. Conklin. J. Roddy, II. Her dim', II, Pollock, II. Waldron, K. Ba ker, O. Tonken, R. Shipley, Mrs. L. Capen, B. Capon, Laura Baker, Mrs. Barnes, Nora Ream, Mrs. Krietzer, Miss Conklin, Miss Hodge, Mary Mar grave, Mrs. Berdlne, Mlna Rodney, Laura Blllgsen, Mrs. Beryl Tongen, Mlas Sheperd. Democratic Leader of the House of Representatives; Dr. Kdwin Bouthers, Dr. Ira Landreth, president of Bel mont College, of Nashville, Tenn.; Al fred Montgomery, the farmer painter; Dr. Robert Mclntyre, of Los Angeles, who will deliver his lecture on Abra ham Lincoln on patriotic day. Nego tiations are pending for the engage ment of Leonora M. Lake, a noted Catholic woman and lecturer. Rev. Maurice Penfleld Slkes, of Franklin, Pa., will probably be engaged for a lecture and sermon, and will occupy the pulpit of Dr. J. Whltcomb Rrough er, of Portland, at the White Temple, during the summer. Special days will be held during the assembly, as follows: Patriotic, grange, Oregon City, Portland and W. C. T. U. The forenoon classes will be en larged for the next session, and will embrace classes In music. United States history, elocution, physical cul ture, domestic science, literature and Wide. It Is possible that classes n kindergarten, forestry, birds and biol ogy will be added. Mrs. Sarah A. Evans, president of the State Federation of Women's Clubs; Mrs. Jessie Honey man, presi dent of the State Board of the Voung Women's Christian Association, of Portland, were up to attend, the meet ing and through their efforts a tent dormitory for young ladies In attend ance at Chautauqua will be estab lished. It Is also possible that the Y. W, C. A. win assume charge of the Chautauqua restaurant and operate a school of domestic science In connec tion. The baseball appropriation for 1908 will be $500, the same as for several years past. CONGRESSMAN SHY AT WISE LAW TOO MANY OF THEM TARRED WITH CROOKED-PRACTICE STICK. What can the people of the United States expect from Its officials when its members In Congress play with the bill to provide for punishment for mal feasance In office and for crookedness In securing and retaining office? It looks as if Congress was in league to protect Its "frlends,"If one does not go further and claim that it Is simply protecting itself. Concerning the tactics adopted by Congress In deal ing with legislation of this character, a dispatch from Washington says: A complete change of front was ex hlblted by the majority in the House of Representatives yesterday In the consideration of the bill to codify and revise the penal laws of the Unit ed States. The pacific spirit displayed by the committee on revision of laws toward the close of Wednesday's ses slon, when It appeared as though the several amendments strengthening certain provlsons of the bill regarding corruption In the appointment of per sons to public offices would be adopt ed, bad vanished today, and Instead every Inch of ground was fought over to keep amendments out of the bill. When adjournment was taken, only six additional pages had been disposed of and but one or two verbal amend ments by tho committee had been in serted. At the outset of the debate. Hard- wick, of Georgia, offered a substitute for the Williams amendment, pending yesterday when the House adjourned. regarding payments to any person for his' indorsement or assistance In se curing appointments to office. The substitute, while differing In phrase ology from the Williams amendment, arrives at the same end, except that It disqualifies from any office of trust or profit .under the Government all persons receiving such pay. Hardwlck said that for five years efforts had been mode to enact such legislation and that a few years ago a tumultuous scandal had occurred in his own district in Georgia In connec tion with some postofflce appoint ments. He challenged any one to op pose his substitute on its merits. The challenge was accepted by Gardner, of Massachusetts, who main tained that any one who came to Washington with his expenses paid to Interest himself In behalf of some ap pointment would violate tho law. He said he was tired of humbug legisla tion and Inquired: "Do you think we can square our selves with our constituents by legis lation like that, by pretending to vir tue, when there is not a man within the sound of my voice that cannot evade these statutes if he ha3 a mind to? You may be able to catch an unfortunate member of the House or Senate some time who has not covered his tracks properly." Payne, of New York, urged that the Williams amendment and Hardwlck substitute be voted down. He wanted the committee on Judiciary carefully to consider such propositions before they are enacted into law. Williams retorted that Payne and other Republicans had made a party question out of the amendment and substitute, whereas it was not a party question, but one dealing with corrup tion. He was aiming at real crime and, if the amendment was not satis factory to the Republicans, "then, In God's name," he said, "draw one for yourselves." The original section was amended, on a motion of Burke, Pensylvanla, so as to apply the penalty Imposed by section 114 only to those cases where purchase and sale of Indorse ments or support for office affects "appointive" offices. An amendment In the shape of a new section was offered by Gaines, Tennessee, designed to prevent lobby ing before Congress. The amendment was lost. An amendment by Ansberry, Ohio, was sought to prohibit any Senator or member acting as an officer, director, attorney, counsel or agent of any com pany or corporation engaged In Inter state transportation, was lost The Randall amendment, which went over from yesterday and which prohib its the giving of transportation to Senators and members by public-serving corporations and the acceptance of same again went over until tomorrow. HANGS HIMSELF AT HIS HOTEL FAMILY TROUBLE DRIVES HARRY STEVENS TO THE' TAKIWG OF HIS LIFE. Harry Stevens committed suicide Sunday night In a room In the Bruns wick Hotel by hanging himself to the upper hinge In the door to his room. He was not found until afternoon Mon day, and had been dead probably 12 hours. Coroner Holman took charge of the remains, which were removed to the morgue, and an Inquest held, the jury rendering a verdict that Ste vens had taken his life while under stress of temporary mental aberration. Stevens was 53 years of age, and came to Oregon City about 10 years ago, and until last week had lived with his wife on the hill. Last Satur day he engaged a room at the Bruns wick Hotel. On Sunday he procured a bottle of chlrrofom liniment, which he took to his room, and drank about one-third of the preparation, dulling his sens! bilitles. He then calmly made a double half-hitch about the upper hinge on the door with a stout shawl strap and fastened the other end around his neck and sank down on the floor and was shortly strangled. W. H. Sllcox, proprietor of the ho tel, became alarmed because Stevens did not appear, and went to the room and tried to gain admittance, but the door was locked and there was no re sponse to his repeated knocking, so he mounted to the skylight and saw the body of Stevens lying In a corner of the room. He called In Sheriff Beatie, who, accompanied by Dr. Carll. made an examination and tele phoned to Coroner Holman. Stevens Is said to have worried con siderably over domestic trouble in his home. Last Saturday he "purchased the Buckles place at Willamette from Mrs. Ellen Buckles, agreeing to pay $750. He paid $500 cash, and also took a bill of sale for the furniture of the house. The unfortunate man was employed In the carpenter shop of the Willam ette Pulp & Paper Company, and was highly respected by his employers and associates. He was a prominent member of Willamette Falls Camp, No. 148, Woodmen of the World, and only last month retired from the po sition of consul of the camp. He car ried $1000 insurance In that order. Stevens is survived by a widow and four children by a former marriage. HUNDRED GUESTS WITNESS MARRIAGE Sunday afternoon friends of Benja min 1 Beard, son of Mr. and Mrs. Wil liam Beard, of Maple Lane, and Miss Elesa Vegellus, daughter of John Vege Uus, witnessed the marriage of this happy couple at Knapp's Hall. The half was decorated for the occasion. The bride was handsomely gowned in cream silk serge, and was attended by Miss Tillle Dickel, of Portland, as maid of honor, and Miss Ina Hunton, of Portland, as bridesmaid. The best man was Lambert Beard, brother of the groom, who was also attended by William Vegellus, brother of the bride. The ceremony was performed by Rev. E. S. Bollinger, pastor of the, Highland Congregational church, of Portland. A special term of the Circuit Court for Benton county was held at Cor vallls Monday by Judge Harris. Ben ton has a reputation of holding short court terms, but this one beats all former records. It lasted only 20 min utes. It took the place of the regular term, which was due to be held In November, but was put out of com mission by the bank holidays. The next regular term convenes the fourth Monday in March. 1 Lewis Kroschol, of Albany, convict ed last Thursday of selling liquor In violation of the local option liquor law, was sentenced by Justice Porter to pay a fine of $400 and serve 30 days In the county jail. , , DRAWING THE COILS MORE CLOSELY AROUND THE LAND FRAUD CONSPIRATORS, 13 MR. HENEY. PUTS IT UP TO HALL In a Way Likely to Secure Conviction. Testimony Points to Collusion Between Officials and the Land Grabbers. Shortly before court adjourned Thursday afternoon, W. W. Stelwer, president of the Butte Creek Land, Livestock Sc. Lumber Company, plead ed guilty to the conspiracy Indictment and was Immediately called by Heney as a witness for the Government against his co-defendants, Hall and Mays. Stelwer related the substance of a conversation be bad with Hall In Portland in 1900, when the District Attorney told Stelwer that it would probably be necessary for hlra (Hall) to prosecute the Butte Creek Company for maintaining unlawful fences. Steiwer's confession and his appear ance as a witness for the prosecution Is another move by Heney by which the Government expects convincingly to fasten the conspiracy charge against both Hall and Mays. The alleged con spiracy has been proved against Stel wer, Hendricks and Zachary, officers of the Butte Creek Company, but the testimony of three witnesses is relied on by the Government further to asso ciate Hall and Mays In that conspi racy. While the testimony of Hen dricks was material to the prosecu tion's case, Stelwer Is considered a more Important witness, since it is expected to show by him that Hall declined to prosecute Stelwer and his associates in consideration of a po litical obligation to Stelwer. There is a rumor that Heney will call Franklin Pierce Mays as a wit ness further to strengthen the Gov ernment's case against Hall. Mays I a brother of Edwin Mays', one of the defendants, and was attorney for the Butte Creek Company. It Is under stood that should be be called he will testify that he interceded with Hall and requested that Stelwer be not prosecuted for maintaining unlawful fences. Stelwer and Mays will be the last Important witnesses for the Govern ment, and Heney expects to close his case either today or Saturday. If Senator Fulton Is to be connected In an unfavorable way with any phase of the alleged conspiracy, the threat ened disclosure by Heney will proba bly develop at today's session in the examination of Stelwer and Mays, should the latter be called. Heney, It is believed, expects to make good on his implied charges against Sena tor Fulton of improper official conduct by securing the admission from Stel wer that Fulton had knowledge of the understanding between Hall and Stel wer and was a party to that agree ment which involved Steiwer's vote for Fulton for United States Senator. By the same witness testimony is ex pected to show that Fulton not only knew of the immunity from prosecu tion Steiwer and his association were enjoying, but that he was a more act ive party to the compact, In that he exerted his Influence with Hall to bring a civil and not a criminal suit . against the officers of the Butte Creek Company when Hall was forced to act. It was nearly 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon, following the examination of C. B. Zachary, that Heney called W. T. Steiwer. Entering the court room, Mr. Steiwer walked to the desk of Clerk J. A. Sladen and entered a plea of guilty and then was sworn as a witness for the Government. Mr. Steiwer said that he first met Hall in the summer or fall of 1900, when he called at the District Attorney's office in the Federal building. After having introduced himself, the witness said ho told Hall that he understood that some complaints had been made against the Butte Creek Company for maintaining unlawful fences. "Mr. Hall then showed me the com plait of E. A. Putnam." testified Mr. Stelwer, "and told me that if the mat ter was put to him right, he would have to take some action. Hall re ferred to the Putnam complaint and sfaid that If Putnam employed an at torney and properly presented his case he, Hall, would be obliged to proceed against the Butte Creek Company and its officers." While on the stand yesterday Hen dricks made unfavorable disclosures against C. E. Loomis, a special agent, who was shown to have "stood in" with the Butte Creek Company, al though knowing the generally fraudu lent character of Its operations, both in inclosing public land and In In ducing settlers to illegally file on Gov ernment land which was afterwards acquired by the company for its own use and benefit. It was also while Hendricks was testifying that a copy of the petition of Wheeler County settlers to Blnger Hermann demanding an Investigation of alleged unlawful fences in Wheeler county by EilwJW, Dixon, a tecla' (Continued on Page 8.)