Oregon land fraud scandal

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The Oregon Land Fraud Scandal of the early 20th century involved public lands in Oregon being illegally obtained with the assistance of public officials. Most of Oregon's U.S. congressional delegation received indictments in the case: U.S. Senator John H. Mitchell and U.S. Representatives John N. Williamson and Binger Hermann.

In Mitchell's case, U.S. District Attorney Francis J. Heney charged that Mitchell had illegally used his position to aid a client in the acquisition of patents to fradulent land claims. Mitchell's law partner and personal secretary both testified against him, and on July 3, 1905, the jury found him guilty. He was sentenced to six months in prison and a $1000 fine. Mitchell appealed, but before the appeal could be heard, he died from complications associated with a tooth extraction.[1]

Williamson's trial also resulted in conviction for subornation of perjury in 1905. The prosecution argued that the three defendants had attempted to illegally obtain land claims under the Timber and Stone Act. Williamson appealed his case to the U.S. Supreme Court, which overturned the verdict in 1908 because of apparent jury tampering and witness intimidation.[2]

In 1907, Hermann was found not guilty of destroying public documents. His second trial for collusion with the actual land fraud was postponed until 1910, and ended in a hung jury and Heney declined to refile charges.[3]

Heney also prosecuted John Hicklin Hall, who was the U.S. Attorney originally charged with investigating the case, but who had been fired in 1905 by President Theodore Roosevelt for not aggressively pursuing the investigation. Heney charged Hall with failure to prosecute fraudulent land companies and for using knowledge of the fraudulent activities for his own political advantage, and the jury convicted Hall in 1908.[4] Hall was later pardoned by President William Howard Taft.[5]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Land Fraud Trial of Senator John Mitchell. Oregon History Project. Retrieved on 2007-03-23.
  2. ^ Williamson-Gessner Fraud. Oregon History Project. Retrieved on 2007-03-23.
  3. ^ Shadows in Public Life. Oregon History Project. Retrieved on 2007-03-23.
  4. ^ Greenberg, Gerald S. (2000). Historical Encyclopedia of U.S. Independent Counsel Investigations. Greenwood Press, pp. 164-166. 
  5. ^ List of Politicians Who Were Pardoned. The Political Graveyard. Retrieved on 2007-06-27.
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