Newspaper Page Text
IHOrUSI INDICTED
U. S. SENATOR MITCHELL AND
CONGRESSMAN HERMANN.
Federal Grand Jury at Portland, Ore.,
Accuses Them of Being Implicated
in Land Frauds in State of Oregon
—Other Prominent Men in the Same
Boat—Explanations in Order.
Portland, Ore., Jan. 1. —"U. S. Sena
tor John If. Mitchell, Representative!
Binger Hermann and George Soren
son, formerly a deputy Sheriff of Mnlt
nomah county, were jointly Indicted
Saturday by the federal grand jury.
The Indictment alleges thai John 11.
Mitchell and Binger Hermann did, In
January. 1902, unlawfully and feloni
ously conspire together, and with each
other, and with s. A. n. Pater, Hor
ace G. McKinley, D. W. Tarpley, Em
ma L. Wai son, Salmon B. Ormsby,
(Mark E. l.oomis and William IF. Da
vis and others, to defraud the govern
ment of the United States out of a
portion of its public lands, situated in
township 11 south, of range 7 east,
by means of forged and false affida
vits and flctituous persons, and that
in the furtherance of such conspiracy,
S. A. D. Cuter did on March 9, 1902,
pay to John H. Mitchell the sum of
$2,oi>i! to secure his influence with Bin
ger Hermann, then commissioner of
the general land office at Washington.
II alleges that, acting upon the sug
gestion and tho wish of Senator Milch
ell, and influenced by him, knowing
that the transactions were unlawful
and felonious, Binger Hermann used
his power as commissioner of the gen
eral land office to expedite 12 claims
in township 11 ranee 7 and had them
passed to patent when he knew them
to bo illegal and not according to re
quirements of the law. The indict
ment also alleges that on March 28,
1904, George Sorenson offered to John
H. Hall, district attorney for the Unit
ed States in Oregon, the sum of $5,000
with intent to influence the said John
11. Hall in his official capacity when
acting on the indictments returned
against S. A. D. Puter, Horace G.
McKinley, et al., to defraud the gov
ernment out of land in township 11
south of range 7 east.
Sorenson is indicted for having of
fered a bribe of $. r.,nno to District At
torney Hall on March 28 last, when
the indictment against the conspira
tors who were convicted in the recent
trial was pending in the federal court.
Tho alleged connection of Senator
Mitchell and Representative Hermann
with the alleged conspiracy dates back
it is said, to the time when Mr. Mitch
ell received the letter from "a promi
nent attorney in Oregon," introducing
S. A. D. Puter as "a responsible busi
ness man of Oregon." Tho govern
ment will, it is said, attempt to prove
that I'utor and Mitchell and Hermann
were well acquainted; that Puter was
an ardent supporter of Mitchell in the
senatorial campaign of 1898, and that
all of them have been personally ac
quainted for years.
In 1902, the government alleges, Pu
ter went to Washington on business
connected with the lands of 11-7, in
which he was at that time interested.
The lands were held up in the general
land office and Puter thought that it
would be of benefit to himself and his
follows to go to Washington and see
what **nnld be done to expedite them
to patent.
Before he left Portland, the govern
ment will attempt to prove, he went
to F. P. Mays and secured from him a
letter to Senator Mitchell, though in
fact, according to the government, he
was already well known to the sena
tor. Arriving at Washington, the land
speculator went, so evidence will be
offered, to tho office of Senator Mitch
ell and conferred with him in regard
to having his claims taken from the
suspended list and put through to pat
ent as soon as possible, un told the
senator, it is alleged, that he had al
erady sunk a large amount of money
in the claims, and that Emma L. Wat
son, a hard working and honest girl,
had also invested in them at his sug
gestion. It was necessary for him to
have some influence with the commis
sioner of the general land office to
secure favorable recognition of his
claims, and he therefore would like
to have the help of Senator Mitchell.
The government will attempt to
prove that he promised to make it
right with the senator in event that he
could secure the good will and assist
ance of Mr. Hermann.
Mitchell's Denial.
"If anybody says Puter ever paid
me any money in connection with land
frauds or anything else he is a d —d
liar!"
John H. Mitchell, Oregon's aged and
veteran senator thus denounced the
indictment against him in an Interview
at the depot in Spokane, while on his
way to Washington, D. C. At the same
time he declared that the indictment
against him was "a cowardly and dam
nable conspiracy, and the chief con
spirators are Secretary Hitchcock and
this man Heney," meaning the special
government prosecutor who secured
his indictment. He says ho wants an
immediate trial.
Senator Mitchell's Career.
Portland, Ore.—Senator John H.
Mitchell's career since he came to Ore
gon in 1860 has been fraught with
manysensational incidents, beginning
during his first term. Bitter opposi
tion resulted in bringing to light the
fact that his name was not Mitchell
at all.
Scandal after scandal was unearth
ed, but the main facts developed were
that Mitchell, whose real- name was
Hippie, had left a wife and family in
Pennsylvania, and, coming to Oregon
to begin a new career, had taken the
name of Mitchell, which was his moth
er's maiden name.
WASHINGTON NEWS.
Over $20,000 worth of property was
wiped out by the recent fire in the bus
iness section of Colfax.
J. A. Tormey, superintendent of the
Spokane city schools, was chosen pres
ident of the Washington State Educa
tional association. ',
■ Rural free delivery route No. 7 has
boon ordered established February 1
at Spokane, Wash., serving 420 peo
ple and 105 houses.
Governor -elect Mead was Saturday
night initiated by the Woodmen of
the World into the branch of their or-,
der at Bellingham, i
The Washington State Horticultural
association held a three days' conven
tion at Wenatchee, beginning Wednes
day of this week.
R. C. Powell, a Spokane boy, has j
been honored at the University of Cal- i
ifornia by being elected to assist in;
the physics department. |
Governor Mcßride has announced
that he will not hear any new applica
tions for pardons during the remain
der of his term of office.
Washington postmasters as follows
have been appointed: Lake Bay, E. H.
Cooper; Napocatta, Henry J. Brown;
Wehsyille, A. George Wehe.
Ben Williams of Seattle, railroad
man, business man and attorney, will
be appointed state labor commissioner
by Governor-elect A. E. Mead.
Forty-five business men of Spokane!
attended the Spokane day celebration
at. the state horticultural convention
at Wenatchee last Wednesday.
Subscriptions of $76,629.30 have
been raised for the new Young Men's
Christian "Association building at Spo
kane, and t4«e construction of the fine
new home is assured.
Fire broke out in the dry goods
Store of D. A. Hanna at North Vakima
and destroyed about $20,000 worth of
■ property. E. O. Keek's clothing store,
in the same building, was also destroy
-1 cd.
Bert Aldrich. a carpenter, was
brought to Colfax recently from Two
' Rivers, Wash., suffering from severe
; injuries received by falling from a
scaffold. His condition is considered
grave.
After a three day's session, which
was remarkable in point of numbers
; and amount of work transacted, the
Washington State Teachers' associa
tion closed its labors at Spokane last
week.
The acting commissioner of the land
office has ordered the withdrawal from
all entry 2800 acres of public lands in
the Walla Walla district. This with
drawal is made on account of the Pa
louse irrigation project.
The Washington state building at
the world's fair, recently offered to
the city of St. Louis, has been sold for
$1200 to a Missouri stock raiser. The
bill of sale does not include the mar
ble staircase, nor the booths of Spo
kane and Seattle. The building cost
about $33,000.
The supreme court of this state has
handed down its decision in the case
involving the validity of the eight hour
law that went up from Spokane, in
which the court holds that the city
ordinances providing that eight hours
shall constitute a day's labor on all
municipal work, and fixing the wages
at $2.25 per day, is valid.
Referring to his message to be de
livered January 14 Mr. Mead says: "It
will recommend the passage of a bill
providing for an appointive railway
commission and an appointive tax
commission as two separate institu
tions, and these possibly will be the
most important matters that I will
touch upon. Generally speaking, I
will not recommend atiy appropria
tions for enlargement or maintenance
of any state institution." Practically
all the Mcßride appointees, the in
coming executive states, will be allow
ed to serve out terms.
Notwithstanding Spokane's reputa
tion as a place where divorces are
easy and swift, over five times as
many marriage licenses were issued
last year as divorces were granted.
The total number of marriage licen
ses issued during the year was 1193.
The superior courts during the same
period granted 216 divorces.
There is a strong likelihood that the
Washington Agricultural college may
lose the services of E. E. Elliott,
professor of agriculture and head of
that department Professor - Elliott
has received an offer of the manage
ment of the experiment station con
nected with the state agricultural col
lege of Kansas.
if LAST PORTARTHUR FALLS
'
GENERAL STOESSEL SENDS LET
TER TO GENERAL NOGI.
Surrender a Certainty— Port Arthur,
If Not Now in Japanese Hands, Socn
Must Capitulate— Slaughter Is Need
less —For Eleven Months This
Great Stronghold Has Held Out.
New York, Jan. 2.—The New York
Sun's Tokio correspondent, cabling
this morning, declares that General
stoesscl has surrendered Port Arthur
to the Japanese. The report as yet
lacks confirmation. The same cor
respondent says the capitulation of
the garrison took place Sunday night
at 9 o'clock.
Tokio, Jan. 2, 10 a. m.—The follow
ing cable has been received from Gen
eral Nogi: "I received a letter relat
ing to surrender from General Stoes
sel, the commander of the Port Arthur
garrison, Sunday night at 9 o'clock.
Headquarters of the Third Japanese '
Army, Jan. 1, via Fusan.— Rus
sians are preparing to evacuate their'
position east of Port Arthur.
London, Jan. 2.— Tin Japanese le
gation is in receipt of reports from
! Tokio which would indicate that the
fall of Port Arthur will be an accom
i plished fact so soon as the defenders
have gathered for the last rally. A
definite statement is made here that.
1 General Nogi, commanding the be
j sieging army, lias received a com
munication from General Stoessel.
Nothing is known here of its contents,
but those who have followed the de
velopments of the past few days
closely insist that the Russian com
mander can not do other than surren
der, and that in all likelihood the let
ter requests terms. Officials of the
I legation state that the entire chain of
'forts and minor fortlucatlons connect
ling Rihlung mountain with II fort
and the strong positions at Panlung
shan are now in the possession of the
Japanese. This, together with the cap
! ture on Saturday of Sungshii mount.
lain, leaves only the main fortress and
several positions of no particular
strength in the hands of the Russians,
exposing their last places of refuge
, to the Japanese fire.
' Washington, Jan. 'Cable advices
.received at the Japanese legation to
■ day are summarized as follows:
"The Port Arthur attackers report
i that, as prearranged, they blew up the
parapet of Surigshu fort at 10 a. m.
Sunday, whereupon they assaulted and
securely occupied the whole fort at
11 a. m. A part of the enemy fled
toward the heights south of the fort,
while the other part was buried in the
earth as a result of the explosion.
"When the earth was removed two
officers and 100 Russian soldiers were
picked out and made prisoners. They
staled that there still were 100 Rus
sians interred by the explosion. The
trophies, which consist of field and
machine guns, etc., are still under in
estimation.
"On Saturday evening our detach
ments facing the east fort of the Pan
lung mountain blew up a part of the
old enclosure of the forts.
"The central corps, driving the en
emy before them, occupied 11 fort at
7 a. m. on January 1, and then cap
tured the fort of ianlung mountain.
"Thus the whole line of Panlung
mountain and II forts were brought
under our occupation. The right wing
commenced a bombardment at 6 a. m.
and they occupied the heights south
of Banyanztaua village, despite the
stubborn resistance of the enemy."
Suspended on Monday.
Tokio, Jan. 2, 1 p. m. —It is un
derstood that hostilities at Port Ar
thur were suspended today and that
the Russian and Japanese chiefs of
staff met at noon at Bhushiying to
discuss terms of surrender.
Nogi's Telegram.
Tokio. — General Nogi's telegram an
nouncing that General stoessel was
prepared to discus.-; terms of capitula
tion reached Tokio early Monday 1
morning. its receipt sent a thrill of
! pleasure through the circle of officials
who have long waited such a com
munication. Besides the barest an-:
nouncement of the receipt of General
Nogi's telegram, nothing is known
about the terms or conditions pro
posed.
The fall of Wantai, popularly known
as Signal hill, following the loss of I
Rihlung, Sungshu and New Panlung,
is regarded here as a clear indication
that the Port Arthur garrison has lost j
its power of serious resistance.
The facts do not reveal it, but it is
probable that the back of the Russian
defense was broken when 203 Meter
hill was captured. ,
Despite the lack of knowledge of
the contents of General Stoessel's let
ter, it is confidently believed that
there will be no hitch and that there
will be a prompt capitulation, ending
one of the most remarkable sieges in
history. '
The Fun Begins at Toklo.
Toklo is wildly Joyous over General
Nogi's telegram announcing that Gen-
■nil Stoessel has sent a letter relating
to the surrender of Port Arthur. With
in ■ few minutes the firing of aerial
bombs and daylight rockets began in
various parti of th« city. Bands ap
peared and surged through tho
streets.
Point to End of Struggle.
London.—Advices from Toklo all
point to the end of the struggle in and
around Port Arthur and some of the
London papers this morning are print
ing unqualified statements that Gen
eral Stoessel has surrendered the rem
nants of his garrison with the remain
ing ttneaptured forts. Absolutely no
confirmation of tins is obtainable here
other than that statement given out at
the Japanese legation.
Will Investigate
Alleged Frauds
Washington, I) C, Jan. B.—An in
vestigation of alleged frauds in Idaho
has been brought about -by affidavit!
addressed to President Roosevelt by
FredlCalyerof Lewiston, Idaho, candi
date tor attorney general (if his state
on the demooatio ticket two years ago.
The affidavits charged frauds against
W. P. Kettenbaoh, president of a trust
oempany; George Kester, Cashier of a
bank, and Claxenoe Bobnett, nil of
Lewiston. The charges are made in
connection with the entry of over a
million dollars'worth of white pin;
through ,T. B. West, register of the
land office at Lewiston". Mr. Guiver
scut the affidavits to Senator Dubois,
who, without comment, transmitted
them to the presidetn. SSiSI
Secretary Hitchcock, to whom, the
affidavits were referred by the presi
dent, instituted the Investigation. In
formation sent to the interior depart
ment charges that frauds at Boise as
well as at Lewiston,and it is intimated
that to iujquiry, when fairly started
will reach out on many direction and
prominent citizens of Idaho may be
conic entangled.
GOOD YEAR FOR WALL STREET.
Receipts at New York Subtreasury
Run Into Billions.
New York.—A summary of the
year's operations on the stock ex
change shows that the volume of bus
iness was greatly in excess of last
year. Dealings in listed stocks show
i d an Inci ci • of over 20,000,000 of
shares, compared with 190, i.
In listed stocks business for ■''",'
was fully 6,600,000 shares in excess oi
1903. while the dealings in govern
ment, state and unlisted bonds was
greater by many millions of dollars.
Customs House Figures.
The business done during the past
year at the New York customs house
was as follows:
Imports, gold and silver, 1903, $29,-
G52.689; 1904, $14,224,016.
Merchandise, 1903, $598,182,210; in
1904, $624,618,834.
Exports, foreign gold and silver, in
1903, $2,306,719; 1904, $2,503,616.
Foreign merchandise, 1903, $12,530,
--371; 1904, $13,466,171.
Domestic gold and silver, 1903, $03,
--740,666; 1904, $139,503,704 (estimat
ed).
Domestic merchandise, 1903, $503,
--495,265; 1904, $491,833,471 (estimat
ed).
In transit trade: Gold and silver,
1903, $7,527,347; 1904, $4,080,509 (the
month of December estimated).
Merchandise, 1903, $64,269,669; 1904
$49,322,822 (month of December esti
mated).
Subtreasury Receipts.
Total receipts at the New York sub
treasury amounted to $2,030,550,594, as
against $1,793,822,239 a year ago.
Total payments were $2,051,183,645,
against $1,798,104,963 in 1903.
Bales in the New York coffee ex
change during the year aggregated
$25,487,500, against $13,010,000 in last
year.
The amount of business done on the
Consolidated Stock & Produce ex
change for the year follows:
Stocks sold, 129,770,920; bushels of
wheat Bold, 671,716,000; bonds sold,
10.000, and mining shares Bold, 1,
--098,800.
New Zion City in Mexico.
Chicago.- John Alexander Dowie, in
addressing his followers in Bbilofa tem
pie, /ion City, Sunday, gave definite
confirmation of the report that he pro
poses to establish a second Zion City.
The new Zion City will be located in
Mexico.
Picked Hour to Die and Died.
East St. Louis. 111.—Mrs. Margaret
Trailor, aged 83 years, who for sev
eral months had predicted that she
would die as the bell heralded the
dawn of the new year, died at the
home of her daughter here Sunday
while the bells were ringing.
A fine epitaph won't boost a man
through the golden gates.
■
A thousand buttons may be pushed;
one opens to popularity.
TORPfDO BOATS ESCIPE
FOUR RUSSIAN DESTROYE..S GET
OUT OF PORT ARTHUR.
Japanese Seem to Be Outside—Last
Ships of Great Slav Fleet Were
Compelled to Leave Their Base to
Prevent Utter Destruction by Jap
anese.
ChefOO, Jan. !*:!.") a. BL.— Four Rus
sian torpedo boat destroyers, th«
Bkori sinini. Vlastnl and Berdltl, ac
companied by a large launch, arrived
here this morning from Port Arthur.
Tun other (hstrovers are reported to
have gone to i ogtau, The activity
ird ihe dei Iro tntngly In
dlcatei an Intention of patting to im
In.
What appears to be Japanese de-
Btroyera can be seen with the aid of
In the dim distant
a bundle of dispatches was sent
ihore from one of the destroyers.
The captain of the Btatni sayi thai
they left Port Arthur because it had
Ii en Impossible r ship:-. i<> live in
the harbor ■ Inc ■ the Japane te cap
tured 203 Meter hill.
The d( encountered no Jap
lips en mute to this port.
I'm- the past the days the Japan
are reported to have been ceaselessly
i' i tning Port Arthur on all sides.
Captain Kartow, commanding the
orpedo boat destroyer Vlastnl, which
put Into harbor this morning from
Port Arthur, says the Japanese ex
pected in enter Port Arthur Tuesday,
but General Stoessel, who was sick,
sviil resist with the remnant of the
I in It "ii on Liaotal mountain. Captain
Kartow denied the report from Toklo
that General Btoessel offered to sur
render yesterday.
The Russians yesterday blew up two
of their own forti near the railway
and completed tne destruction of the
cruiser ayan. The destroyers Bmlrll
Bolki also left Port Arthur. Their
fate In unknown. Port Arthur is de
scribed by today's arrival as a living
hell. The hospitals are said to be
nearly all destroyed.
ANOTHER GREAT CHICAGO TIRE.
Wall Crashed Down— Panic on Street
cars—Firemen in Danger,
Chicago.—A fire thai Btarted on the
i cond Boor of t he -even story b
i Wesl Van Buren
ipied by the Cash Buyers' w
destroyed property valued at $600,000.
Spreading rapidly, the lire soon as-
Burned such large proportions that the
whole district was In danger, and a
second alarm was sent in, followed by
a series of extra calls f.ir additional
men and apparatus. When the iin>
penetrated to the adjoining building,
occupied by the Zeno Manufacturing
company, a four siory structure, the
firemen were ordered to the roofs of
adjacent buildings to fight the flames.
Within a few minutes the flames had
gutted the structure ami had spread
to the Boston Rubber Paint company.
Then the flanns. cracking tin' brick
wails of th<> building, spread to 160-2
We: i Vari Buren street, causing heavy
damage to the Peninsular stove com
pany, which firm occupied the seven
floors.
So fierce did the blase become that
burning sparks carried by a high galo
were driven far over the district and
buildings blocks away caught fire.
Fred Block, a fireman, was struck
on the head by falling bricks ami se
verely injured.
Crushing down through the frail
walls of the structure adjoining came
the towering walls of the Peninsular
Stove company and those of the Cash
Buyers' union tottered and collapsed.
There was a small panic on the Met
ropolitan elevated railway when the
motormen rushed their cars through
the smoke.
The fire is pronounced by Chief
Campion to have mane a more rapid
headway than any in his experience
since the great fire of I*7l.
D. B. Hill Out of Politics.
Albany. X. V.--The retirement of
f inner Senator David I',. Hill from
active politic', after 40 years unin
terrupted participation In the demo
cratic councils in this State and the
.n, took effect Bunday, according
to the authorised statement through
tho Associated Press, August 2!». Is
upon the occasion of Mr. Hill's 61st
birthday.
Will Try Russian Sailor.
Shanghai.—The trial of the sailor
belonging to the Russian cruiser As
kold, who December 15 murdered a
Chinese on the bund as the result of
a dispute over payment for the hire of
a jinricksha, commenced Tuesday at
the Russian consulate. The Russian
consulate will be advised by a Chinese
assessor.
When a woman has oor luck with
her cake she doesn't save any of It for
company.
The easy solution is the last one
tried.
