he also sent john mosby to remove the fences. many of richard's fences supposedly protected homesteads of soldiers' widows, based on fraudulent documentation. mosby's colorado methods failed, however, since the omaha grand jury refused to authorize an indictment against richards or anyone but nonresident agent w. r. lesser. mosby was recalled to washington to appease nebraska's senators, but other attorneys were sent out, who secured indictments. richards and his english brother in law william g. comstock were convicted in 1905 despite their argument that the government land hadn't been surveyed. the local judge sentenced them to $300 fine apiece and six hours in custody, which they spent celebrating at the omaha cattlemen's club, and which led president roosevelt to fire both the u.s. attorney and u.s. marshall. the next year richards and comstock were indicted on a new charge of conspiracy to deprive the government of public land, convicted and fined $1,500 fines as well as sentenced to a year in jail. after three years of appeals, the convictions and sentences were upheld, so they were sent to prison in hastings, nebraska for a year beginning in 1901.