own use and benefit, and for the use and benefit of no other person or persons whomsoever, and that he has made no contract or agreement to sell the same. The 500 and more who had filed entries under this Act also made affidavits to this effect, and each and every one violated their oaths in almost the same breath they were given.
Whole families came to the Land Office with that object in view, and I encountered one instance where a man, his wife and four grown children had located timber claims and afterwards borrowed $2,500 from a local bank to make payment thereon, giving mortgages on the lands as security. This family had only a short time previously been refused credit for a sack of flour at the grocer's, and under ordinary circumstances the banker would have ordered them all ejected from the financial establishment for their audacity in seeking to borrow money upon such flimsy security, but upon this special occasion the eminent financier looked pleased to see them, and shelled out the coin with an eagerness that betokened its own conclusion. He had reason to be gratified with their patronage, too. because in his coffers was a certified check for an amount covering any sum that he was liable to be called upon to meet in the way of drafts of this character, and besides he was paid a handsome bonus for his services in acting as a "go-between" in the transaction that involved the commission of a direct fraud upon the Government. and of which he was fully cognizant at all stages of the proceedings to acquire these illicit titles.
Immediately after the issue of the final certificate, the tract became negotiable, and the entryman had no sooner emerged from the Land Office after making payment, than he was approached by an agent of the syndicate with an offer to purchase. In every case about the following stereotyped conversation would take place:
"I see that you have just paid up on your timber claim—would you like to sell it?" inquired the suave agent.
"I hadn't thought much about it," responded the timber claimant, with an air of assumed surprise, although it was notorious that he had filed on the land for the benefit of the agent's principals, had borrowed money from the bank with which to pay for it. that he knew had been deposited there by the man who was now negotiating with him. and he was aware also that his whole conversation on the subject with this individual was a lot of horse play that had been rehearsed beforehand many times.
"Well, I am buying up a few of these claims, and if you care to sell I will give you $600 for yours."
The bargain is struck forthwith, and they repair to a convenient notary, where the entryman transfers all his right, title and interest to some person or persons designated by the agent, and receives in payment therefor the note and mortgage he had given the bank less than 20 minutes previously, besides the difference in coin, and the iniquitous deal was concluded.
Another glaring fraud that came under my observation while at Susanville was the case of 16 locators who had gone to the Big Meadows country, a distance of 35 miles, for the purpose of making personal examination of each legal subdivision in order that they might "prove up" on their claims. The executive proclamation suspending entries in the Susanville district permitted final proofs to be made in every instance where the preliminary steps of that character had been taken, and it was essential that the two necessary witnesses should be prepared to testify that they were personally familiar with each legal subdivision contained in the particular entry for which they were witnesses. Usually where a number of persons located in a group this way, they would act as witnesses for each other, and the case at issue was no exception.
They left Susanville early one morning, and returned the following evening, having traveled 70 miles over a rough mountainous road, and during their absence were presumed to have made personal inspection of 16 quarter sections of land scattered over several distinct townships, miles apart, and situated in the
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