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VOLUME 14
HENNESSEY. K5NGF13HLH COUNTY. OKLAHOMA. FRIDAY. MARCH 30. 1906.
NUMBER 27
I
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HENNESSEY. OKLAHOMA.
1' SORRY JOB OF WHITEWASHING
Declares Stevens of Texas Anent
Kingfisher Fiasco.
Hitchcock's Reason For Abolishing Kingfisher Land
Office.
that I believe Mr. Whirlow to be
Washington, I) U March IS. -"It
is a sorry job of whitewashing" said
Congressman Stephens, when shown
a copy of Secretary Hitchcock's report
giving his reasons for abolishing the
Kingfisher land office and for not, pro-
ceeding against the parties charged
with irregularities by Inspector T.in
neu. The majority of the members of
the public lands committee, however,
do not agree with Mr Stephens.
The secretary says lie consolidated
the Kingfisher office with the Guthrie
office under the law giving him auth-
ority to close a land office when the
amount of land unsold in tho juris-
diction of an office is less than 100,000
acres, and he says when the Kingfisher
office was shut up, there remained but
57,100 acres unsold. Uo says 90 por
cent of the business conducted at King-
fisher was by mail which can just as
well be conducted from Guthrie, lie
denies that the office was closed because
of the charges against Receiver Admire
and Register iirownlee. On this subject
Secretary Hitchcock says:
•'The discontinuance of the office being
determined upon, it was not deemed
advisable to incur additional expense
by making a further investigation of the
facts, and this especially so in relation
to the charges against Register Brownloe,
who, by the reports of all former in-
spectors, as well as by tho facts dis-
closed by the records of this office, is
shown to have been an efficient, pains-
taking and trustworthy officer."
Inspector l.innen's report,, which is
rich, rare and racy in spots, makes the
following charges:
With relation to the charges filed
against said official:; by Mr. H. W.
Tlieis, a former clerk in said land oflice.
1 have tho honor to state that I have
carefully investigated the same; have
consulted with Mr. Theis and with
numerous attorneys and other persons
who have business before said land of.
flee, alid from all information obtainable
from all sources, I have the honor to
report the following:
First. I find that this office lias not
been reporting all of the plat moneyi
received but that, as a matter of fact,
for several years last past a. consider-
able amount of such moneys lias been
retained by the officers and clerks, or
both for their own private use and bene-
fit.
I made an examination of several
thousands of miscellaneous letters.com-
mencing with January 1, 140!), to June
1, 1005, and picked out of such bund-
les of miscellaneous correspondence all
letters which transmitted moneys to this
office. I thereafter checked said letters
with tiie feo docketers and daily cash
book, to ascertain if such moneys had
been properly entered, and r.fnd that in
a large number of cases said moneys
were nevor entered, reported, or account-
ed for, but were retained by some
person connected with said office.
For your information I transmit hore-
wiili numerous letters transmitting
moneys which were not entered, and a
list of the same giving the name of the
and tho aggregate amount of money re-
ported by the same being $104.IS.
Other moneys received have not bocn
accounted for. For instance, cash
which was taken in over the counter
Tor plais. Clerk Frank D. Dakin ac-
knowleges that he received approxi-
mately $15 plat moneys, which
he retained, that was taken
in cash by him over the counter.
Mrs Frederika Post admits that
she received approximately $10,
which she retained for hor own person-
al use and benefit, which was taken in
over the counter.
1 am satisfied that former clerks re-
ceived and retained plat moneys, and 1
am also satisfied that numerous mis-
cellaneous letters which transmitted
moneyi which were retained wore des-
troyed and thrown in the waste-basket,
so that the evidenco of such moneys
can not bo obtained.
Clerk Frank 1). Dakin also admits
having made copies of naturalization
papers for various persons, charging
them $1 each, which moneys ha retain-
ed. He thinks this will not approxi-
mate more than a total of $15 or $18.
Ho states that ho discontinued tins
practice some two years ago, when he
was informed by Register Iirownlee
that the same was irregular.
story, which h
honest and reputable cili/en and at-I the witness stand
torney, and that his complaint i  .
founded on facts in so far as I am able
to ascertain.
It is stated to mo by soveral persons
that they have been compelled at times
to wait in the land oliice several hours
before either tho register or receiver
would put in an appearance, so that
they might be sworn lo applications to
file or final-proof papers; that th© cause
of these delays at times seriously incon -
venieuced some of the patrons of said
office, etc. It is staled to me that at
such times one or both of said officers
might be found in the back room of
some saloon playing cards or drinking.
1 can not asertaiti that Register Brown-
loo drink-, or over has drank to excess,
but 1 am reliably informed that lie lias
neglected the Government's business
at times in the matter heroin com-
plained of.
Third. With relation to the twelve
Indian allotments in township 14 north.
range 15 west, Indian meridian, which
were restored to entry by your letter
da'. >d November 12, 10iK), I have the
honor lo state I hat the entries made of
slid lands wore as slated in tho com
plaint filed by Mr. Thios. Vour letter
restoring sai 1 l#nds to entry was receiv-
ed ai the local land office on Novembor
10, lilOO. It is stated by Register
Iirownlee that on tho same day ol the
receipt or said latter Mr. John M.
Speice, Cashier of the Peoples' Nat ion-
al bank of - , O .la,, formerly a
clerk in said land office, appeared at
said land office and made inquiry
aboui said Indian allotments, lie was
then informed by Register Iirownlee of
the receipt of said letter throwing open
lates lie will go on
and verify under
'oath if need bo, but who refused to
make affidavit on account of tho long
friendship and close family connec-
tion between Ills family and Receiver
J V. Admire s. His "Story is substan-
tially as follows: That sometime dur-
ing the latlor part of November, 1900.
while ho was visiting at Recoiver Ad-
mire's home, in Kingfisher, Okla., and
while sitting on the porch with Re-
ceiver Admiie. said Admire informed
iiiin that certain valuable Indian al-
lotments had been restored to sel-
llcmeut and asked him if ho did not
want lo make a filing on one of such
valuable tracts. lie. Kwing, agreed
that he did not want to file on a val-
uable tract of land, ho never having
used his homestead entry, and Receiver
Admire then and thero, after describ-
ing the valuable tracts or land which
had just been thrown opei) to settle
inent, furnished him with the num-
bers (description) of ono of said tract
of land, which he Ewing, agreed to lilo
on as a homestead the next morning
Kwing statod that there was a long
and wann personal friendship oxist-
betweon himself and Receiver Ad-
mire, and lie considered this offer to
e on a valuable tract of land a great
kindness on tho part of Receiver Ad-
miro. He agreed to come down to
the land office promptly at H o'clock
the next morning and file on said tract
of land, the description of which was
fin "shed on a slip ol paper by Re-
ceiver Admire. On the following
morning lie, Kwing, while on his way
lot ho laud office, at about 8:20 o'clock
days prior to tho transmission of ins
former decission, opens audjrestoros said
allotments to entry, which said letter
was not transmitted to the local land
we concluded that ho hail gotton infor-
mal ion concerning the matter from
some source and that the best, course
would be to post a notice in the front
office at Kingfisher until November 1 J. ! office." Then follow a long array of alll
1000. It thus appears that two clays
.said allotments to entry. It is believed
Mrs. Post, who has kept the receiver s j t]10 information vas given to said
books for tho past three or four years, i Speice by one James McConnell, then
states that she entered on the tee docket elck in said land otlice, now assistant
all money and amounts that were turn- secretary Qf Oklahoma.
ed over to her by Receiver-jAdtniro, and
that she was never givoa any of the
letters with the amounts as herewith
Shortly thereafter Register Iirownlee
admits of having advised *his father
that said lands were restored to set-
Lransmitted to enter on said tee docket. ' tlement, and his father, Mr Brownloe,
This bunch of 110 letters, with the list of
same, I inciose herewith and mark
"Exhibit C"
Second. I find that Receiver J. V.
Admire is a gentleman addicted to the
use of liquor; that he drinks to ex-
cess on numerous occasions and has
frequently been under the mlluence
of liquor during olTico hours. Ho is
a constant drinker and shows the ef-
fects of same, which has impaired his
health and etficency. It is stated to
me by Mrs. M. C. Baker, manager of
the Kingfisher Hotel, where I stopped
while hero, that Receiver Admire has
during the past six months, on several
occasions, secured a room at said
hotel during tho daytime and during
office hours, which he occupied for
the purpose of recovering from the ef-
fects of overindulgence in liquor.
Mr. W. H. Wolf, clerk of tho King-
fisher Hotel, verifies tho above, and
states that within the past three
weeks Recoiver Admire secured a
room during ofTice hours for the pur-
pose of sleeping off a drunk.
I consulted with various and nu-
merous representative persons of
Kingfisher, Okla., many of whom
agree that Receiver is given to exces-
sive drinking at times, and some persons
complain that he was neglecting the
Government's business.
I inclose hero with aflidavit of Wil-
liam S. Whirlow. an attorney at law
residing at Kingfisher, Okla., who
makes serious complaint covering this
at once wrote to his son, Richard (
Iirownlee, deputy clerk of court, resid-
ing at Okeene, Okla., a brother of
Register Brownlee, advising him that
said allotments were open for settle
rneut, so that ho might file. Said
Richard G. Brownlee imparted the in
formation to Ins friends, Charles M.
and Roland A. Felt, also of Okeene
prior to the honorable Secretary's decis-
ion rejecting said applications, having
been transmitted to tho local olllco by
your oltico, said lands wore thrown opon
and restored to ontry.
Thero is 110 question but that infor-
mation was given out of the land oflico
which enabled friends of the o(fleers
to secure filings, and it is charged that
they profiled thereby, which I can not.
verify, most of these persons who filod
having relinquished and loft tho
country and the few who are remaining
are exceptionally closomouthod.
Register Brownloo stated that his
father brought his (Register lirownlee's)
sister in to file on ono of such t racts
also, and that he pbjootod very stren-
uously to same and threatened to resign
his oflice if his sister made such filing.
Mr. il. W. Thois reiterates all of tho
charges made in his complaints, as
filed. I can not verify his statement
with relation to his finding a shot sack
about a third full of money which
he recites as having fallen from a shelf
in the vault. None of tho clerks or
officers will acknowledge knowing any-
thing about the same. Mr. Thies did
do some private correspondence during
otlice hours for Receiver Admire, who
was presidentof the Commercial Club,
of Kingfisher, Okla 
From an inspection of tho records of
said land office and from information
from t he clerks and oftlcials, L find that
or 8:45, met Receiver Admire on main Mr Thjps lormer ole,.k maae ttll on_
street, in the t ity of Kingfisher, Okla.. | lrio# of. palemg on the p|U(.tl, ,|ocketi
and said Admire then said to Kwing: kepl Ul0 contest dockets, and did mis-
"Of course you understand that if
you make this filing you are to dis-
pose of your relinquishment when wo
get a good opportunity to sell and di-
vide the proceeds obtained therefrom
with me?"
Mr. Kwing says the proposition an-
gered him and ho said:
"I do not agree to do anything of tho
kind—to perjure myself and lose my
homestead right and whack up with
you," and he then and there tore up the
paper with the description of the land
which Receiver Admire had furnished
him, and after some angry words moved
away from said Receiver Admire, and
that they have nevor since been such
Okla., all three of whom proceeded at warm friends, and that he, kwing.
person, postoflico address, the date and
amount of money transmitted, which I and other irregularities. I mark this
exhibit and letters are 110 in number I affidavit "Exhibit I)." I have to state
once to mako filings on said lands.
Said Speice filed for himself, and had
his father-in-law, Mr. Terrence Brady,,
file 011 one tract, and his two brothers-
in-law, John .1. and Charles J. Brady
file on two other tracts. It is staled
by Mr. Charles B. Johnson, a son-in-
law of Receiver Admire, now residing
at Shawnee, Okla., and whom I went
to see with relation to said matter,
that ho also received his information
to enable him to file from said Speice.
Mr. Speice also had ono Henry
Philips, a negro, residing in King-
fisher, Okla., file on ono of said tracts,
and I believe profited from the sale
of the relinquishment thereafter. It
was charged by said Thies and believ-
ed by others that Receiver Ad mi re's
son-in-law, Johnson, got his informa-
tion to enable him to file from his
father-in-law, Receiver J. V. Admire,
but said Johnson states to mo posi-
tively that ho received his information
through said Speice.
Mr. Amos Ewing, formerly of King-
fisher, Okla., where his family now
resides, and who now transacts busi-
ness at Pawhuska, I. T.. when ques-
tioned by me related the following
any
such
cellaneous work. Ho wrote a largo,
poor hand in said records, although I
boliovo him capable of writing a fairly
good hand, and lie used lots of ink and
blotted the books on numerous occas-
ions, and for such reason he was not
ai lowed to mako entries on other rec-
cords. The patent docket and contest
docket show very poor work when ho
had charge of them. I believo it was
largely carelessness rather than incom-
petency. I believe also that when the
services of one clerk in said oflice were
dispensed with that tho two best clerks
wore retained, although attorneys and
others having business before said otlice
speak ol Mr. Thios and his courtesy
davits testifying lo Brownloo's conduct
in offico-soeking to disprove the charges
against him. Among the affidavits is
ono by Brownloo's father stating that
Dennis Flynn, -hen a member of con-
gress, and not Register Brownloe, had
given R. c. Brownloo the inside infor-
mation about the lands in question.
Dosinis T. Flynn contributes his affida-
vit which contains tho following ha/.y
recollection:
"Mv memory is not clear on when thoso
lands were opened, but it was four or
five years ago. I was in congress at
that time, and I have a faint recollect-
ion now that when these lands were
opened, or rather when tho Department
had tho mattor up and was about to
open them, that 1 wrote various parties
who had written mo regard ing them
that tho Department was likoly to tako
action at a certain time. I know no-
thing about tho land, and don't know
anything about it now, but i tako it
that it was like all other matters that
constituents wrote 1110 about—I would
go to the Department and whatever
information was received was commuti-
icatod to them. I nevor had, and have
not had to this date, any iniorest in any
public-land matters personally.
Very often I would receive in the
small mail let tors from both sides of a
contest desiring information. Some-
times I know tho parties, but generally
I did not, but I invariably communica-
ted to all of them whatever information
tho Department furnished ino. And
I do not think it strange that I mav pos-
sibly have advised Judge W. R. Brown-
loe, the father of tho register, about
those lands, because he was in Wash-
ington very often in land matters and
1 always felt that ho was a clean and
honorable attorney, and I gave him any
information that tho Dopartmont would
furnish me about matters that ho
might inquiro about.
I do not beliovoone moment, even if
any of the relatives of the register or
receiver filod 011 any of tiio lands, oven
though tho circumstances may look
differently, that either of them would
have boon guilty of taking advantago
of information communicated to them
officially.
Receiver Admire admits that ho took
an occasional drink, but never enough
made no attempt to file on
land.
Attorney Notfsinger, representative in
tho last legislature of Oklahoma, is
of the opinion that thero were irre-
gularities in the landotficoin connect-
ion with said entries of said Indian
allotments, he having prepared all of
the appeal papers for Attorney Mc-
Knight, who represented the claimants
who first made application to file on
said twelve Indian allotments were tend-
ered tho local office January, 181)9.
Same were rejected because of the with-
drawal by order of the honorable Sec-
retary of the Interior for purposes ot
allotment to the Cheyenne and Arapaho
Indians, which order was dateJl April
I.1. 1802: appeal was taken to your office
and the local office afiirmod.
Appeal was ' again taken to the hon-
orable Secetary of the Interior and
tho decision of the local otlice au<i your
oflice afiirmod by the Secretary's decis-
ion dated Juno 21), 1000, copy of which
decision was transmitted to the local
oliice at Kingfisher by your loiter dated
July 13. 1900. The honorable Secretary
of the Interior, by his letter dated July
II, 1000, addressed to your otlico, two
and willingness to please at all times. lo incapacitate him; denies that he
In conclusion, I desire to state that ! made his clerks do his personal and pri-
many persons speak highly of both vate correspondence, except an occas-
Register Brownlee and Receiver Ad- | jona) letter; denies that I10 appropriated
miro. Tliore is no question but that t|10 money which ho made good after
Register Brownloo is very competent jjnnon's investigation, but merely re-
and, I believe, has generally given sat
isfaction, with tho exception that at
times he would be absent from the
oflice. lo tho inconvenience of tho gen-
oral public and against tho best inter-
est of tli0 public service. Receiver
Admire has performed very little work
in tho land office and has been addicted
paid it as he felt he was responsible
technically, and he denounces as un-
qualifiedly false tho proposition which
ho is alleged to have made to "one
Amos Ewing." Flynn. Bill Grimes.
Ewing and others testify to Admire's
sobriety, efficiency and moral rectitude,
but 10wing in his affidavit makes no ref-
to strong drink, against his own and orence to the charge that Admire otfer-
tiie Government's best interests. to put him ne^t 10 a valuable tract
Register Brownlee denies all the to file on and whack up on the sale of
charges and explains tho leak the relinquishment.
mation about the status of certain lands i "What are ycu going t© do about it?"
re-,'ored, vvhereby certain relatives and tho Leader correspondent asked Mr.
YOU
NEVER
CAN
KNOW
The convenience of a Checking-
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Whenever you feel disposed to test
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FIRST NATIONAL BANK, HENNESSEY, OKLA.
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;:®E:h«hsbk.:3
SHORT
ORDER.
. FRESH FRUIT.
FRE.SH BREftD,
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Corner Main and Oklahoma Ave., Hennessey, Okla..
friends of the olllcals ol'the land oliice
are alleged io have profited, by staling
that while lie and the receiver were
discussing the matter of the lands in
question, .1. M Spice came into the
oliice anil asked whether there had boon
anything done with the lands, and that
lie replied that l,e and tho recoiver wore
at that moment discussing the mattor. ! to the polls for the first time
Iirownlee says, "after Mr. Spice loft rie Daily Leader.
Stophens.
The congressman looked mournfully
 t the document before him. "I am
going to give congress a chance to go on
record as to whether it approves this
kind of government," he said. "I think
ihe question rather is, 'what is Okla-
homa going to do about it when it goes
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PHONES.-Office, 23; Residence. 32 and 46.