| Show I HITCHCOCK UN ON WITNESS STAND SUNU Binger Hermann Hr ni Compelled to Resign Res Under Threat at of Dismissal Washington March 12 The trial of ot Binger Hermann Herrnann on ot the the charge charge of or de destroying de records records of ot the land office pro proceeded pr today with the uj testimony test on of M MX t I IJ tr X J r a former fonner cl land office L j i ras the defense cI ens today toda and identified Id many any 11 letters re ye relating relating lating to the creation r th tala tam forest reserve in l Oregon besides explaining the methods of o bookkeeping ing lag In the forest divisiOn of the land office wherein a complete le record ordot of this ence was w s set rth E A UI Hitchcock former fonner fo ner secretary s of the interior was put Ut upon the stand lb by bythe bythe the this afternoon t He Ho de detailed detailed tailed the circumstances leading up to the retirement of Mr 11 Hermann Heimann the land office which he stated t m In l an answer answer answer to a question was vas not voluntary Mr Ir Hitchcock identified the tho Holsin Holsinger HolsInger ger report rep rt was the basis of the theall alleged all ged land fraud cases eases against 1 Hyde H d Dimond Benson and Schneider He I Said that hat ha hO learned of this t report some soma sometime time after atter It bad had been mide and not through Mr Hermann He took the he he matter up with the president and some 00 time In December 1902 1002 Mr Her Ifer Hermann Hermann mann was asked resign On Jan 18 following Mr rr Hermann Herrnann was again urged to resign because cause of matters contained in this report and was told that lr If he did not do so he would be dismissed At Atthe the request of the late Senator Mitchell Mr tr 11 Her Hermann Hermann Hermann mann was wa given gl time his hi affairs and his resignation was ac M accepted accepted on Feb 1 1903 Took Action at Once On Mr lr Hitchcock slId said Commissioner Hermann had dictated a 11 letter to hi l his gehl chief f of division in charge of the entries of the JI n son firm directing it him to up all of their applications for foe forland land This letter had been dictated by b Hermann Bermann after aft the Hel Helsinger Helsinger Helsinger singer report had reached rea hed the land l nd office and before Secretary Hitchcock had bad seen it When Wien the secretary had seen the Hel Helsinger singer einger report he broadened the scope e of or the commissioners rs order so flO o as aa to prevent all aU lieu lands selections until an investigation gation gatlon could he le Mad had MadE hadE ad adE E A W Scott Smith who ho said he be was a journalist up to the time he b cam private Tate rate secretary se to Mr Hitchcock in ht 1899 went over ocr the ground gro nd covered re T b y Air Mr Ir Hitchcock relative to the resignation of ot Mr Hermann lIermann He lIe said Mr Hermann Hermana seemed very ery much m ch agitated and und affected I when told by b the secretary that his yes res resignation re ignation was desired Mr Ir Hermann gave the secretary as a reason for tor delay In ln his hi resignation that his hi daughter was aboUt it to be married The late Senator Mitchell ll Mr Ir Smith said saw Bow the secretary several times and also the president p ident in efforts to delay d la Mr Ir Hermanns resignation It was wag I his belief that the ing r report rt was oas wagin in inthe Inthe the land office ten teo days das or two we ks be lie before before fore for its existence was known mown to the sec secretary secretary retal It is Ia understood d the prosecution will not conclude Its Us testimony until time next nest week |
