OCR Text |
Show 1 The Secretary of tho Interior recently recent-ly directed the dismissal of a govern-incut govern-incut clerk employed in tho genenll land oflieo for tho approval of a case for patenting where the land was notoriously no-toriously mineral in Us character. Evidently Evi-dently the clerk had been subsidized in tho interest of the grauleo at all events his connection with tho is-j is-j siiauco of the patent was such as lo sat-lN sat-lN isfy the secretary that he was uot longer long-er tilted for the position in tin; department depart-ment in which ho wus employed. Secretary Sec-retary Noble went still further. He has ordered au Investigation into tho methods employed by tho attorneys in the case, and if they art! found guilty of collusion willi tho elerk they will bo disb.ired from further practice in tho interiur department. The parties iuter-psled iuter-psled in tho patent have also been directed di-rected lo return the saniclo the general laud ollicu for cancellation, and upon their refusal to do so they are 'hrealen-ed 'hrealen-ed with prejudice in other cases which they have pending for adjudication before be-fore the departmeut. lu past administrations adminis-trations there has no doubt been a great deal of fraud practiced in securing land patents, aud it is gratifying to see that the business of the interior department is being closely watched in all its details. |