the same degree of charity that the penitent sinner would display in seeking salvation. Mr. Heney responded in person to the summons, and after requesting me to be seated, inquired the object of my visit, to which I made answer:
"Mr. Heney, I have personal knowledge of fraudulent land transactions in which several prominent citizens are implicated, all of whom, I consider, are equally guilty with myself, if not more so. I have come to you, therefore, to ask that I be granted the privilege of appearing before the Federal Grand Jury for the purpose of testifying in those cases."
"What, might I ask, are the names of the persons against whom you desire to give evidence?" inquired Mr. Heney.
"F. Pierce Mays, United States Senator John H. Mitchell, and several others, whose names I do not care to mention at this time," was my reply.
"If you have no objection," said Mr. Heney, "I should be glad to learn the nature of the testimony you expect to present."
"Well," I replied, "I will state for the present that Mr. Mays was my associate in several land transactions, in some of which Senator Mitchell also took part. One, in particular, that I call to mind, was when I visited Washington, D. C, at the instigation of Mr. Mays, and, although I had met and transacted business with Senator Mitchell prior to this time. Mays handed me a letter to him, which I presented upon my arrival in Washington, and which introduction was the means of giving me a standing with the Senator which I had not previously enjoyed, and which terminated later in my making a deal with him, whereby he agreed to expedite the issuance of patents to certain lands in which Mays and I were interested, and for which service I paid Senator Mitchell the sum of $2000, in the form of two $1000 bills."
"If you can substantiate these statements," replied Mr. Heney, "you may come to my office at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning, when you will be afforded an opportunity to testify before the Grand Jury. I shall expect you," he added, significantly, "to bring with you all papers and documents bearing upon the subject, to corroborate any testimony you may offer at that time."
This I agreed to do, and bidding him good-day, I took my departure. Having in mind his injunction to bring with me all the available documentary evidence in my possession, I immediately telegraphed to my home at Berkeley, Cal., requesting that my private account book be sent to me at once. On the morning of the second day after my talk with Mr. Heney, the book in question arrived in Portland. In the meantime I had arranged with him to defer giving my testimony until the book reached me.
Upon being ushered into the Grand Jury room by Mr. Heney, the latter announced to the inquisitorial body that S. A. D. Puter wished to present evidence in the cases of F. Pierce Mays and United States Senator John H. Mitchell.
Whatever my thoughts before entering that room, I can assure my readers that after glancing about me and examining the faces of those present, I experienced a feeling of awe. Some few of the jurymen I was acquainted with personally; others I had seen, while the majority were total strangers to me. I recognized, however, that the jury was composed of a representative class of men who, in all truth, were endowed- with more than ordinary intelligence, and eminently capable of performing their duties without fear or favor under all circumstances. The more I studied their faces the more confident I became, until I felt satisfied that no guiltless person need fear their decision. Their equal as a jury, collectively speaking, would be hard to find; their superior I have never seen.
After being sworn, the usual form of oath being administered, I took the witness chair and was asked by Mr. Heney to state my name, age, residence and occupation; how long I had lived in Oregon and dealt in timber lands, and how long I had known Senator Mitchell, etc. After answering these and other preliminary questions, the Government prosecutor asked if I had ever had any business transactions with Senator Mitchell.
"Yes," I replied, "I have had several such transactions."
Page 176
