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Linnen, Edward B., 1864-1928

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Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Ethan Allen Hitchcock

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Ethan Allen Hitchcock

President Roosevelt agrees with Attorney General Charles J. Bonaparte that District Attorney of Wyoming Timothy F. Burke cannot be reappointed due to his lack of enthusiasm regarding laws against the illegal enclosure of public lands, and informs Secretary of the Interior Hitchcock of the situation. Roosevelt has contacted the senators of Wyoming to let them know that Burke will not be reappointed. Roosevelt feels there has been a breakdown within the Department of the Interior in making a successful case against Senator Francis E. Warren, which Roosevelt feels is a more serious case than Burke’s. Edward B. Linnen’s report can be completely discredited and therefore no action can be taken. Roosevelt suggests that a new examination be undertaken by another group of men.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-26

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Ethan Allen Hitchcock

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Ethan Allen Hitchcock

President Roosevelt explains to Secretary of the Interior Hitchcock that he is writing again because  another issue has been raised in regard to Hitchcock’s earlier letter. Roosevelt questions why an exhibit has been provided to him by the Department of the Interior which appears to have been done without Hitchcock’s knowledge. He would like a report from Inspector Edward B. Linnen as to why he sent in the exhibit and what purpose it served. Also, it appears details have been leaked to the press that falsely hold Roosevelt responsible for ordering the investigation into the matter.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-24

Testimony of Benjamin F. Sparhawk

Testimony of Benjamin F. Sparhawk

Benjamin F. Sparhawk of the General Land Office testifies in court as to certain “wrong and irregular” acts by colleagues in his department, including improper approvals of land lieu selections and favoritism in the selection and promotion of employees. Sparhawk particularly implicates John McPhaul, his division chief.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-12-19

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Ethan Allen Hitchcock

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Ethan Allen Hitchcock

President Roosevelt writes to Secretary of the Interior Ethan Allen Hitchcock about Commission of the General Land Office William A. Richards. Roosevelt addresses complaints against Richards from Edward B. Linnen, also of the Department of the Interior concerning things Richards may have done in 1885. Roosevelt feels that the complaint was adequately addressed during the Cleveland administration.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-01

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Ethan Allan Hitchcock

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Ethan Allan Hitchcock

President Roosevelt forwards Secretary of the Interior Hitchcock correspondence he received from William A. Richards, Commissioner of the General Land Office. Richards’s has concluded that the charges made by Chief Inspector Edward B. Linnen towards the Red Bank Cattle Company are fictious and unfounded.  Roosevelt would like to hear Linnen’s response to Richards’ findings.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-02-25

Telegram from Theodore Roosevelt to Thomas Ryan

Telegram from Theodore Roosevelt to Thomas Ryan

President Roosevelt informs Acting Secretary of the Interior Ryan that the three men are considered suspended until he decides on the investigation. He instructs Ryan to notify Commissioner Alford Warriner Cooley and have him consult with Stewart. Additionally, Roosevelt requests an explanation concerning Edward B. Linnen’s involvement with the investigation considering his previous conduct.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-14

Summary of reports regarding the Big Horn Ditch

Summary of reports regarding the Big Horn Ditch

This report summarizes allegations by Inspector Edward B. Linnen related to the construction of a canal in Wyoming which was fraudulently used to claim desert land as having been reclaimed. A second canal was constructed by the company which acquired title to the lands from the original company. In order to effectively irrigate the lands, the second canal had to be constructed in a materially different manner than the first, proving that the first project was a fraud.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-12-01

Letter from Ethan Allen Hitchcock to Theodore Roosevelt

Letter from Ethan Allen Hitchcock to Theodore Roosevelt

Secretary of the Interior Hitchcock provides President Roosevelt with a summary and documentation pertaining to investigations by the Department of the Interior into alleged illegal fencing and land fraud in Wyoming. Hitchcock reports that notices have been issued in 165 cases, proceedings have been instituted in ten with favorable results for the government, two enclosures have been removed in response to notices, two cases are pending before the Special Agent in Charge, one case is pending before the District Attorney, no report has been filed and no action taken in eight cases, and the fences in the remaining cases are presumably still standing. The item includes a detailed list of enclosures.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-11-30

Testimony of A. G. Elston about District “P” of the General Land Office

Testimony of A. G. Elston about District “P” of the General Land Office

Arthur G. Elston testifies about unethical conduct occurring in Division “P” of the General Land Office. Elston describes being urged by his chief, George F. Pollock, to change a report recommending charges against the Schow Brothers and Lovell Irrigation Company for willful trespass in Montana. He believes Pollock was acting under pressure from Congressman Mondell and the Commissioner of the General Land Office. Elston also testifies to being aware of similar instances of improper behavior in regards to public lands in Wyoming and Colorado.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-11-15

Report of allegations contained in Edward B. Linnen’s report on Big Horn Ditch Company

Report of allegations contained in Edward B. Linnen’s report on Big Horn Ditch Company

This report details how the Big Horn Ditch Company dug an irrigation canal in Wyoming in the 1880s that was not deep enough to irrigate the surrounding land. Nevertheless, government land surrounding the canal was reclaimed based on its alleged irrigation, which the author of the report appears to consider fraudulent. Stockholders in the company include William A. Richards, Commissioner of the General Land Office under President Roosevelt and a former governor of Wyoming. Based on this report, special agents in 1904 required that Red Banks Cattle Company, which owned the land in question and had the same major shareholders as the Big Horn Ditch Company, to deconstruct their enclosures and relinquish the land.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10

Letter from Ethan Allen Hitchcock to Theodore Roosevelt

Letter from Ethan Allen Hitchcock to Theodore Roosevelt

Edward B. Linnen is still under suspension. As Linnen was strongly recommended for his position by Governor Richards, Secretary of the Interior Hitchcock is withholding action until the governor returns from the west. Hitchcock also awaits more information from Washington and Oregon for other investigations, and some of that information will not be available until the trials being conducted under Judge William Henry Hunt, which resume on September 5. Linnen believes some of the evidence presented in those trials will seriously compromise Senators Charles William Fulton and Joseph Ralph Burton.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-08-26

Letter from Ethan Allen Hitchcock to Theodore Roosevelt

Letter from Ethan Allen Hitchcock to Theodore Roosevelt

Secretary of the Interior Hitchcock reports on the “disgraceful condition” of the Lake View land office. He encloses a report from Edward B. Linnen, special inspector of the General Land Office. President Roosevelt previously suggested the immediate removal of the office’s register and receiver but Hitchcock has found that this cannot legally be done. The only options are to close the office or appoint successors in the regular manner.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-08-21