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Show iCOUCTS A PULL ' INVESTIGATION I David Eccles- Believes an Attempt at Blackmail is at the Eottom of an Investigation of Oregon Land Deals in Which Serious Charges Are Made. David Eccle, whose name Is coupled with the land deals In Oregon Ore-gon which are to be Investigated by a federal grand Jury, summoned to meet by United States Attorney Mc-Court Mc-Court In Portland on March 1. In an Interview here today states that there has been a long-sustained effort at blackmail which may he the underlying underly-ing animus In the accusations directed direct-ed against the Sumpter Valley railroad, rail-road, Oregon Lumber company and the officials of those companies, Including In-cluding himself: "I am not surprised at these charges," said Mr. Eccles. "because during the last two years I have received re-ceived not less than a dozen letters, attempting to secure monoy from me by blackmail concerning timber. "Tho Sumpter Valley Railroad com- pany has never owned a single nexo of timer land In the state of Oregon, ! but as I am interested in several lumber lum-ber companies in that state which own land, I presume the? are the ones Involved, and no doubt some of tho land held by them has been purchased pur-chased from individuals by local managers. man-agers. "I know that I have never personally person-ally negotiated any such purchases, and I want to say, in most emphatic language, that If any company in which I am Interested has done anything any-thing contrary to law, it Is not only without my knowledge, Hnt contrary to my direction and well understood altitude. "I am quite satisfied that none of the wrongs charged In the dispatches have been committed by any person, because I do not believe that I have In my employ any man who would knowingly do anything contrary to law. "While I naturally skrlnk from publicity pub-licity in connection with such serious charges as mentioned in the press dispatches, claiming to come from the district attorney's office in Portland, yet so far as my conduct Is concerned in conenction with these matters, I court tho utmost Investigation." The press dispatch referred to, which contains some inaccuracies, is as follows: Portland, Ore, Feb, 24. Alleged unlawful acquisition by tho Sumpter Valley railway and the Oregon Lumber Lum-ber company of the major part of 100.000 acres of valuable timber land in Baker county will he tho subject of official Inquiry by the federal grand Jury which has been summoned bo meet by United States Attorney Mc-Court Mc-Court on March 1- Davld Eccles of Ogden, Utah, president pres-ident and manager of the lumber company; com-pany; W. H. Eccles. son of the Ogden man. president and general manager of the Summer Valley rollway. and the other officers and stockholders In the. three corporations will figure in the Investigation. From the district attorney's office it is learned that the alleged Improper acquisition of public pub-lic lands began as early as 1893 and continued until about two years ago. . In all the scheme Is said to Involvo . about 900 entries. j |