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Show WILL PROBE ALLEGED LAND FRAUDS IN IDAHO OB BBSHBIM NaBBSBSt GoTcrnmcnt Is . Adrlscd That Conditions In That State Arc Similar to Those 4n WASHINGTON, Jan. 4. Mora sensational sensa-tional developments In connection with the unearthing; of the public land frauds in the far West, are .expected shortly. Fresh' indictments are being; prepared In Portland, Or., where the grand Jury. arlU resume Its sessions on January 10, and persons prominent in publlo life, other than those whose' names already hare .fcetn implicated are involved. An investigation of alleged frauds la Idaho has been brought about by affidavits affi-davits addressed to President Roosevelt by Fred Culver of Lewiston. Ida., candl- data for Attorney-General of his State-on State-on the Democratic ticket two years ago. The affidavits charged frauds against W. F. Kettenbach, president of a trust company; com-pany; George Kestner. cashier of a bank, and Clarence Bobnett, all of Lewiston. The charges are made in connection with the entry of over a million, dollars' worth, of white pine through J. B. West, register reg-ister of land office at Lewiston. Ms, Culver sent the affidavits to Senator Du-bols. Du-bols. who, without comment, transmitted them to the President. Secretary Hitchcock, to whom the affidavits affi-davits were referred by the President, instituted in-stituted the investigation. Information sent to the Interior department charges that frauds have been perpetrated on the land office at Boise, as well as Lewis-ton, Lewis-ton, and It is intimated that the Inquiry when fairly started, will reach out iu many directions and many prominent clt-Isens clt-Isens of Idaho may become entangled. In connection with the Idaho affidavits it is alleged that a syndicate exists, formed to acquire valuable timber lands from the Government. Other affidavits than those mentioned are expected shortly short-ly in the Idaho cases. Within the past three weeks more than 1500 patents on ' timber and homestead lands in the Roeeburg, Or., land office, covering about S80.000 acres of land, have been held. up at the Interior department, pending Investigation. Roseburg Is the home of Representative Hermann, who was recently indicted by the grand Jury in connection with alleged land frauds. An inspector of the Department of the Interior has been ordered to Idaho to investigate in-vestigate the charges made by the affidavit affi-davit aa to frauds in Idaho, arid he is believed be-lieved to have already begun his labors. No information on the subject could be obtained at the Interior department, and Secretary Hitchcock will not discuss it. The papers in the case, however, have been forwarded to the inspector: It is expected ex-pected that he will keep Secretary Hitchcock promptly advised of all developments. |