Pollock, George F.

President Roosevelt would like to know what he should do with the affidavits Ethan Allen Hitchcock gave him regarding the management of the General Land Office, particularly Assistant Commissioner George F. Pollock. Roosevelt would like to give them to the incoming Commissioner Richard Achilles Ballinger so he can conduct a thorough investigation and clean out the office.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-23

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Clement S. Ucker presents a sworn statement relating to the Union Pacific Coal Company’s case. Ucker attests that there were affidavits and statements enough to form a case showing a conspiracy to defraud the United States government. Additionally there were records restoring the coal lands to the public domain, but these were “allowed to remain dormant in the files” of the office while conspirators tried to acquire the lands.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-04

Creator(s)

Ucker, Clement S., 1873-1930

George C. Stewart testifies to his experiences with corruption in the General Land Office.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-03

Creator(s)

Stewart, George C., 1856-1939

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

Creator(s)

Sparhawk, Benjamin F., -1917

President Roosevelt discusses with Secretary of the Interior Hitchcock why he is “rather puzzled” by the report and statements on the Register and Receiver of the Land Office at Boise, Idaho. Several men in the land office in Idaho may have acted against official conduct, and may be removed from office. Roosevelt asks if they should wait to discuss the issue with the land office upon returning to Washington D. C.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-08

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Max Pracht reports on corruption in the land office that he witnessed while a special agent in Colorado. Pracht details the misuse of government funds by William A. Richards, Commissioner of the General Land Office, and his report of it to Secretary of the Interior Hitchcock and Hitchcock’s private secretary W. Scott Smith. The final two pages detail Pracht and Smith’s relationship.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-22

Creator(s)

Pracht, Max, 1846-1918