in detail. I also informed Mr. Heney that I had full knowledge concerning between 75 and 80 claims, or quarter sections of 160 acres each, located in Coos and Douglas counties, Oregon, which were acquired by Smith in a similar manner to those referred to.
He was very much interested, and desirous of learning full particulars. I did not, of course, disclose to him my real object in bringing these cases to the light of day, which, as my readers may surmise, was for the purpose of forcing Kribs to show his hand in order to strengthen the case against Senator Mitchell.
I then furnished Mr. Heney with a complete list of names of the entrymen, together with full descriptions of the lands involved, after which he wired to the General Land Office at Washington for all final proof papers and other documents pertaining to the titles.
Upon their receipt at his office in Portland, the proof papers were immediately turned over to William J. Burns, of the Government Secret Service, with instructions to round up all the entrymen, or as many of them as could be found, and to subpoena them to appear before the Federal Grand Jury and give testimony. Burns at once dispatched his army of assistants to all parts of the State, wherever it was likely one or more of the entrymen could be found, the majority of them being unearthed at Sweet Home, a remote district of Linn County, Oregon, while a number were gathered in from around Roseburg.
As fast as they were served with subpoenaes, their future movements were carefully watched by Secret Service men from the very moment that service of subpoena was secured until their arrival in Portland, and up to the time for their appearance before Burns and making their affidavits. These precautionary measures developed the fact that some 25 or 30 of the entrymen, who had been subpoenaed from Sweet Home, had first consulted the two Mealey Brothers of that place previous to going to Portland, their object being, as it was discovered afterwards, to apprise the Mealeys of the situation and receive instructions, as it will be remembered that it was through the Mealey brothers that they had filed locations in the interest of Smith.
