THE MOEXIXG OREGOXIAX," SATURDAY, MAY 23, f 1908.
4.
PUTER'S BOOK IS
OFFTHE PRESSES
'Looters of Public Domain"
Grilled in Volume of Near
ly 500 Pages.
WRITTEN IN PRISON CELL
Charge That the Northern Pacific
Grabbed 330,000 .Acres, Though
Congressional Act Included In
Oregon Land-Fraud History.
S. A. D. Puter's book. ""Looters of
the Public Domain." a comprehensive
exposition of the Oregon land-frauds,
has been published and placed on gale.
It is an elaborate compilation and
contains much of detail regarding
wholesale land grabbing in this state,
which has not heretofore been pub
lished. It consists of nearly 600 pages
and includes about 200 splendid illus
trations, among which is a steel en
graved frontispiece of Francis J. He
ney. besides half-tones and line etch
ings of all of the principal actors In
the land-fraud drama. The complete
title of the book is: "Looters of the
Public Domain; by S. a. D. Puter.
King of the Oregon Land-Fraud Ring,
in Collaboration with Horace Stevens."
Practically all of the manuscript for
Puter's portion of the work was writ
ten In a prison cell, while the land
grabber was an Inmate of the Multno
mah County Jail, under a two-year's
sentence for conspiracy to defraud the
Government of its public lands. Aside
'from the numerous captions, the book
contains approximately 275,000 words.
Mr. PuteSr. "the land-fraud king,"
spares neither friend nor- foe in his
interesting and sensational recitals,
and leaves very little to the imagina
tion in any of his exposures, which
require 25 chapters for him to de
scribe, besides six chapters, that are
handled by Stevens personally. The
latter also wrote the Introduction,
which contains about 600 words. Ow
ing to the vast amount of reading
matter in the book, together with the
extent of Its sensational revelations,
it would be impossible to cover the
various features with any degree of
completeness without extended com
ment upon each Bubject.
Xortliern Pacific Singled Out.
The Northern Pacific Railroad Com
pany is alleged to have been responsi
ble to, securing the passage by Con
gress of an act creating Mount Rainier
National Park, whereby, it is charged,
that corporation, by the exclusive
privileges conferred by the act, was
enabled to grab about 120,000 acres
of valuable timber lands in this state,
as well as 120,000 acres In Idaho, and
about 100,000 acres In Washington. C.
A. Smith and various other wealthy
lumbermen of "Wisconsin are shown up
and the part they played in robbing
the people of Oregon of their posses
sions. The celebrated "11-7" case is
given In detail. Puter's explanation
of his confession to Heney differs ma
terially from that already published.
Of especial Interest is the chapter In
which Puter in his own words tells of
his escape from Burns In Boston. Roose
velt's forestry policy Is defended vigor
ously and ex-Secretary Hitchcock is
given credit for his efforts to suppress
the land steals In this state.
In brief, Puter tells about his connec
tion with different fraudulent land trans
actions covering a period of 30 years,
his operations being confined principally
to the Pacific Coast. Peculiar Interest
attaches to nearly all hiB recitals, as
many persons of National reputation are
Involved in some of the disclosures. That
the book will create a decided sensation
In certain quarters Is a foregone conclu
sion. Big Land Graft Charged.
A fierce attack Is made upon the North
ern Pacific Railroad Company for its al
leged scheme of securing the passage
of the Congressional ant of March 2, 1899,
creating the Mt. Rainier National Park,
whereby it is claimed the corporation
was granted exclusive privileges in the
matter of making lieu selections, thus
enabling it to grab 33.00O acres of the
best timber lands of Oregon, with only
about 30 miles of completed roadbed in
this state, the act providing that the
railway company should have the right
to make such selections in any state
penetrated by its lines. In this way It
is charged that 120,000 acres were also
acquired In 'Idaho, besides 100,000 acres
In Washington, in exchange for worth
less holdings in the Mt. Rainier forest
reserve. The Northern Pacific is ac
cused further of having employed bull
dozing tactics In preventing settlers from
obtaining a foothold In unsurveyed town
shins In the states named, and Instances
are cited to sustain this contention. In
cidentally, it is hinted that R. A. Ballin
grr, late Commissioner of the - General
Land Office, who resigned March 4 last
and was succeeded by Fred Dennett, was
friendly to the Northern Pacific in the
matter of its lieu selections, and that his
appointment to the office was part of a
game to secure their approval by the
Land Department In Washington, D. C.
One of the most interesting chapters in
the book relates to Puter's motives for
aiding the Government against his for
mer pais, wherein he describes the man
ner in which Fred A. Kribs was driven
into a corner and fbTced to "peach" on
his associates. In this way the evidence
against Senator Mitchell was secured, re
sulting in his conviction for accepting
fees for expediting patents to the fraud
ulent timber entries that had been made
in behalf of C. A. Smith. Puter declares
openly that had F. P. Mays. Willard N.
Jones and F. A. Kribs not turned a cold
shoulder upon him after his. conviction
in the 11-7 case and had come to bis
rescue with bonds on that occasion, he
would have been the last person on earth
to have exposed them, but having been
"turned down like a white chip" by this
trio, as he expresses it, after having been
long implicated with them in fraudulent
land transactions, their indifference to
his fate, aroused all the vindictiveness
In his nature, and he went to Heney on
his own volition and gave him the in
formation that has sounded the doom of
the Oregon land frauds. This view of
the situation is at direct variance with
Uncoln Stetfens' recent version of the
matter in the American Magazine, where
in William J. Burns is given full credit
for having brought about Puter's so
called confessions.
A. B. Hammond Mentioned, Too.
A great deal of unwritten history per
taining to the land frauds appears
throughout the book, a considerable por
tion of which will have a tendency to
cause much anxiety in various quarters.
Details of a well-laid plot to raid the
public domain in the Deschutes country
during 1902-3 are given, wherein Puter
secured financial backing from several
prominent capitalists to acquire title to
17.2t acres of magnificent timber land
fur speculative purposes. Among those
mixed up' in this affair, according to the
author, was A. B. Hammond. the
wealthy Pacific- Coast lumberman, who
has vast property interests throughout
Oregon and California; N. H. Withee,
of La Crosse, Wis., and William H.
Bradley, of Tomahawk. Wis. slnce de
ceased), besides several other Eastern
lumbermen. -
A complete history of the famous
township "11-7" conspiracy Is given,' and
much that has never heretofore seen the
light of-day is presented In the chapter
relating to these frauds. It was in con
nection with this, case that Puter and
his associates were convicted by a jury
in the Federal Court on December 6,
1904, and the trial of the defendants
marked the first appearance of Francis
J. Heney In Oregon as a public prosecu
tor. In his account of the trial and con
viction of the "11-7" gang. Puter de
clares that himself and associates were
to be sacrificed as a burnt offering for
the sins of those "higher up," and that
ex-United States Attorney John H. Hall
was to be the high priest at the cere
mony. Hall is also accused of being ac
tuated by animosity against the defend
ants on account of the failure of Puter
and McKinley to pay him $5000 for hav
ing the indictments against them dis
missed. , Story of Burns' Daring.
The story of Puter's capture by Secret
Service Agent William J. Burns at the
Fenway branch postofflce In Boston on
the night of March 26, 1906, and his sub
sequent escape from the . famous. Gov
ernment sleuth, will doubtless create
considerable of a stir, as it differs ma
terially from any account heretofore
given publicity. According to Puter,
there ' was a fierce battle on the side
walk between Burns and himself, for
possession of the tatter's revolver, and
when the land-fraud king got the upper
'
if- ; 1
, a
1
Stephea A. D. Puter, Whose Book
Is Out.
hand in the struggle, and advanced
threateningly towards the great detective.
Burns is charged with imploring "For
God's sake, Steve, don't shoot!" and
then seeking safety in flight behind a
friendly lamp-post.
Considerable space is devoted to a de
scription of hie prison life in the Mult
nomah County Jail, wherein Sheriff Ste
vens comes in far a. great deal of praise
In connection with his conduct of the in
stitution. .
Does Sot Spare Himself.
Puter makes no effort to spare himself
in any of the recitals, but boldly ac
knowledges his own wrongdoing, indicat
ing a disposition to. "take up the burdens
of life on Improved plans" as soon as the
news reached him, December 31 last, that
he had been pardoned by the President.
Upon- the completion of Puter's portion
of the book, Horace Stevens, his col
laborator, takes up the thread of the
narrative, and In the course of six chap
ters makes some startling revelations
chief among which is his history of the
oil-land litlgaton In Kem County, Cal
fornia, wherein some serious charges are
made reflecting upon the integrity of
Judge E. M. Ross, of the United States
Circuit Court of Appeals, ninth circuit
Stevens was formerly in the Government
service as an assistant to special Inspec
tor, Department of the Interior, but re
signed February 10 last for the purpose
of finishing Puter's book, upon which he
has been working during his spare mo
ments ever since the idea was conceived
of publishing it.
BESTCREAMERY BUTTER
Roll 50c
Skamokawa Butter, roll.55
Dairy Butter, roll.40, 45
Full Cream Cheese, 2 lbs35
Eggs, dozen .20
Ranch, Eggs, strictly fresh,
two dozen 45
Best Sugar-cured Hams,
pound . .. .15
Remember,
Saturday is Chicken Day.
La Grande Creamery
264 Yamhill.
CHICKENS 18c
Best Butter, roll ....T0S 55 f
Dairy Butter, roll . . . : 40
RANCH EGGS, dozen 20
Chinook Salmon, 2 lbs. .-2o
Halibut, 3 pounds 25j
Large Shad, each ....15
Shad Roe, pound 15
COLUMBIA FISH CO.
THIRD AND ANKENT.
Phones Main 5, A 5556.
IF I0D WANT THE BEST
The market affords in
Poultry, Oysters
and Fish
Be sure to call on
G.C0VACH8C0.
275 FIRST STREET.
We handle this line only.
Phones A S535, Main 535.
West Side delivery only.
BY LILIAN TINGLE.
THERE was a good supply of wild
pigeons when ' I made my market
rounds, but Z cafraot say for certain
whether they are available today, for
the owner was debating in 'his mind the
wisdom of shipping the whole lot to Se
attle. "Nearly all the bon-tons" have
gone up there to see the fleet," he said,
"and people are always more anxious for
choice things to eat when they are away
and don't kick about prices either. Then
they'll come back and tell what fine meals
they had and ask why they can't get
the same things at home."
I don't know what the price will be
to those "bon-tons" in Seattle, but in
Portland the pigeons were sold at 75
cents a pair. The sight of them sug
gested the "Wilde lauben nut spargels
pitzen" (wild pigeons with asparagus
tips), which is one of the famous dishes
In a certain well-known German water
ing place noted for "good eating."
There was nothing else of any special
note In the flesh and fowl line and poul
try prices were unchanged. In the fish
department, however, there was plenty of
variety salmon, sea trout, striped bass,
black bass, halibut, rock cod, black cod,
shad, sturgeon, croppies, perch, flounders,
sole, catfish, crab, shrimps and clams.
The prices are about the same as last
week. Shad roe is 25 sents a pound. Don't
forget the delicious things croquettes,
scallops, salads, tlmbale and sandwich
fillings that can be made from it.
The price of strawberries Has sup
posedly been kept up by the recent
cold weather. Some were 10 cents a
box, but the best ones still ran as
high as 20 cents. There were Oregon
cherries at 15 cents a pound and oth
ers at 20 cents. Gooseberries cost 10
"cents a pound; rhubarb five or six
pounds for 26 cents Of foreign fruits
the newest were small mangoes from
Mexico. Mangoes are delicious when
you know how to choose and eat them.
I saw one man, however, who did not
appreciate them. In a lordly "hang-the-expense"
sort of way he flung
down the nickel entitling him to one,
and promptly took a bite. Was ,he
disappointed in the flavor or did he
knock his pet tooth on the stone? I
only know that he muttered a word
best not recorded and that the mango
went suddenly a-flylng into the mid
dle of the street.
Harry' Wood Market Go.
CORNER FIRST AND ALDER STREETS
You Can't Do Better Than Buy Meats of Us
Very Special Bargainslonsb:1" -. : gg
BUTTER POT I All Boiling Veal
. ,., ROAST BEEF Sausage
SS:&i.6c. 6c and 7c 5c 2 lbs. 25c
Sj SVeu4 liL Spring Lanib Halibut and Genuine imported
'Saturday. A Wc have a very Salmon Hollander Herring
Counter with all choice lot at OailnOn Per Keg of 36
Meats per lb.
j 5c 5l12.J&aPclO&,12ic 85c
DONT FORGET THAT OUR SHOP IS ON THE CORNER OF FIRST AND ALDER
STREETS. WE GUARANTEE EVERYTHING FIRST-CLASS OR MONEY REFUNDED
i
Pineapples are 25 and 35 cents just
now, sfnd there were alligator pears at
25 cents, too. I noticed a particularly
fine shipment of grape-fruit just 'in
the largest and best appearing I have
seen for some time.
Green "Windsor" beans were to be
had at 15 cents a pound. These are
not green "limas," though the two
are sometimes confused. fiy -
1 in A
PEOP
J1U
First and Taylor Sts., Phones Main 1412.A1412
SPECIAL FOR
SATURDAY
ONLY
Leg of Mutton 9c Pound
Carnation Cream, 2 for . . 15c
7 lbs. French Prunes . . . . 25c
7 lbs. Navy Beans ... . . 25c
Sugar 17 Pounds for $1.00
Comb Honey .
1000 Matches .
13 Bars Soap .
1 Gallon JSyrup .
1 Package Postum
10c
5c
25c
45c
20c
2 Dozen Ranch Eggs 45c
Good Table Butter, roll . ,
Creamery Butter, roll . ,
Best Creamery Butter, roll
6 lbs. Pitted Plums . .
45c
50c
55c
25c
LOIF
39
a
Perfect Leavening Phosphate Hygienic
BAKING POWDER
Is greatly superior to the obsolete and less whole
some cream of tartar and bicarbonate of soda com
pound. Hislop's is sold at 25 the one-pound tin.
No Baking Powder Better
, . '
No Baking Powder Worth More
GET IN LINE WITH THE
MARCH OF PROGRESS
INSIST ON GETTING HISLOP'S
Soda Crackers with crack to them
Soda Crackers with snap to them
Soda Crackers with taste to them
Uneeda Biscuit
Oven-fresh Oven-crisp Oven-clean
'tf In dust tight.
Neper sold in bulk.
NATIONAL BISCUIT COMPANY
15
v
There's no better preparation for the
day's duties than a cup of piping hot
Cocoa- at breakfast. It invigorates,
nourishes, strengthens, without artificial
stimulation. Does Coffee?
CD)
LESSIWAN A CENTA XUP
is made with scrupulous, conscientious
care and old-fashioned attention to
cleanliness, purity, goodness and quality.
No Cocoa at any price can be better or
more delicious. Your grocer sells and
recommends it
D. Ghirardelli Company
San Francisco
Saxony Is the most densely populated of
the German states, bavin had at the tint
of the last remui a. population of
300.7 a aquare kilometer. The averare of
th whole empire is 112 a auuara kilometar.
Owlnir to the spreading by rats of trtrhl
bosla amons swine the German Imperial
Chancellor has luued a rH;?e for the ex
tcrmftiatloa of the rat in any district where
trichinosis occurs.
In Texas the state Imposes a tax of M
per cent on the cross proceeds of the sale
nf firearms. None is, therefore, for sale.
They are "rented" for CO years at Uxe regu
lar sale price.