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Chapter XXVIII

Grist of the Government's land fraud mill in the shape of indictments and convictions—How the famous Federal Grand Jury of Oregon put a stop to the reign of the looters. In the course of a session lasting several months, the body returns numerous indictments covering about every phase of the land fraud situation, with the result that twenty-seven persons have already been convicted, while other trials are to follow. Resume of the different cases, showing social status of most of those involved.

AFTER the confession of Puter, following his conviction in the 11-7 case, at the request of Francis J. Heney. Special Assistant to the United States Attorney-General, Judge Charles B. Bellinger reconvened the Federal Grand Jury, and in the course of a session lasting from December 17, 1904, to April 8, 1905, and for a few days in August and September of that year, no less than twenty-six indictments were returned by the inquisitorial body, affecting approximately 100 persons, many of whom were prominent. Without doubt, the operations of this Grand Jury were the most important, so far as the public domain is concerned, of any similar body that ever assembled in the United States, and its acts will go down into history as a monument to the overthrow of the looters.

Of the twenty men composing the body, twelve were farmers, two were Portland merchants, two were capitalists, while one fruit grower, one stockraiser, one hotel keeper and a laborer made up the remainder. All were drawn from different sections of the State, twelve counties being represented in the panel.

Too much praise cannot be accorded this famous body for its earnest efforts in probing the corruptive methods employed in acquiring title to the Oregon timber lands. By process of fraud of various kinds, millions of acres of the public domain, comprising practically the cream of an immense area, had passed into the hands of Eastern speculators and large lumber syndicates, whose agents had accomplished their base designs through the bribery of public officials, and by other corruptive tactics of equal degradation.

The Grand Jury was made up entirely of a class of men engaged actively in various industrial pursuits at the time they were chosen to make these investigations. For months they labored incessantly and faithfully at great financial sacrifice, and their unselfishness in this respect should earn for them the everlasting gratitude of all good citizens.

Upon the temporary adjournment of the Federal Grand Jury on February 13, 1905, it passed this set of resolutions:

"Resolved, by the Federal Grand Jury, that we extend our sincere thanks to District Attorney Heney for the uniform kindness and courtesy shown this body, and commend him for his faithful and efficient work on behalf of the Government.

"Resolved that a copy of these resolutions be presented to Mr. Heney with the compliments of this Grand Jury.—W. H. H. Wade, foreman; John W. Jory, secretary; L. A. Vogal, W. P. Button, Joseph Fetzner, George Giustin, Foster Adams, A. Bettinger, A. H. Parsons, George D. Feebler, L. R. Herren, F. G. Buffum, L. N. Edwards, William Shepherd, John Shaw, J. R. Hays, G. Christiensen, Joseph Essner, V. W. Robnett.

Following is a list of indictments returned by the body during 1904 and 1905. Those found in 1906, as herewith indicated, were the acts of a succeeding Grand Jury:

No. 2887—Indictment returned December 23, 1904, charging Franklin Pierce Mays, Horace G. McKinley, S. A. D. Puter, Mario L. Ware, Emma L. Watson, D. W. Tarpley and Robert Simpson with a violation of section 5440, being conspiracy to defraud the Government out of the title to public lands in township 24 south, range 1 east, Willamette meridian.

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