Edwin Hobson, of Eugene, was the last witness of the day. It will be recalled that he was the person who had purchased the "Simpson" claim from McKinley, mention of which transaction is made in another chapter. Some months prior, and shortly before the 24-1 case was expected to come to trial, we learned that Hobson was to be subpoenad as a witness for the Government, so McKinley, with whom Hobson was on very friendly terms, prevailed upon him to leave the State. During the summer, however, the Secret Service Department succeeded in locating him, and he was promptly arrested and landed in the Multnomah county jail at Portland, where he was obliged to remain several days before being released on bail, to appear as a witness whenever the Government wanted him.
Jail life was not exactly "Hobson's choice," by any means, but it served to make a "Good Injun" of him, hence, notwithstanding the fact that he was on the most friendly terms with McKinley, he was ready to tell the whole story of his life from beginning to end, and more too, when placed on the witness stand. In his eagerness to show his good intentions, and at the same time curry as much favor as possible with the prosecution, he even went to the extent of answering questions before they were half asked.
Hobson admitted an acquaintance with Marie L. Ware, Horace G. McKinley and Clyde D. Lloyd, but denied knowing me, although he stated that he had received a letter from me concerning the business relations existing between McKinley, Lloyd and himself.
Against the objections of the defense, deeds were introduced in evidence exhibiting the transfer of all the fraudulent homestead claims to Emma L. Watson. This was done for the purpose of connecting her with the conspiracy. Dan W. Tarpley, one of the defendants, was the notary before whom all the deeds were acknowledged.
Following this, a deed was admitted in evidence showing the transfer of the entire twelve claims from Emma L. Watson to Frederick A. Kribs, aggregating 1,920 acres.
C. A. Wintermeyer, an attorney of Eugene; S. R. Williams, a real estate dealer of the same place; M. B. Rankin, a timber locator of Portland; Fred Poindexter and Mrs. Mary McDonald, keepers of hotels at Prineville, testified as to the friendly relations existing between the defendants, the idea being that on account of these close ties they would not hesitate to enter into a conspiracy of the character before the Court.
Clyde D. Lloyd was the next witness. It will be remembered that he was the young notary public who took the acknowledgment of Robert Simpson, a fictitious person, in transferring a claim in 24-1 to Hobson.
His testimony merely corroborated other witnesses as to the business and social relations existing between McKinley, Tarpley, Miss Ware, Mrs. Watson and myself, and he was followed in quick succession by Mrs. Ella Graves, who conducted an apartment hotise at 135 Tenth street, Portland, her husband, F. W. Graves, a local music dealer, and Mrs. Frances Rodgers, of San Francisco, formerly of Portland, who gave similar testimony.
At this point the Government switched the nature of its evidence, and called George R. Ogden, a clerk in Division "P," of the General Land Office, who identified all the papers connected with the twelve fraudulent entries as having passed through his hands, and stated that under instructions from Commissioner Hermann, he had directed Special Agent C. E. Loomis to investigate the status of the various claims.
Mr. Ogden declared further, that being dissatisfied with the Loomis report, he had authorized Captain S. B. Ormsby, at that time Superintendent of the Cascade Range Forest Reserve, to make additional investigation pertaining to conditions in township 11-7.
Mr. Heney then offered in evidence the reports of Special Agent Loomis covering the twelve homestead entries, and despite the strenuous opposition of the Page 150
