The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-12-30

THB wDvp.oPDYKD LID1L SUIT
Some lntsrestlng DsveleVnsnss....
The AaFlposa acknowledgements
WDoarss UFlenAs. " !ft -t.E
Tho famous WEED OPDYKB Libel suit IL
now In hearing in the New York courts.
From the opening speech for the defence,
by Judge PrxRsxroxr, we gather the fol-
lowing:
THE MARlPoeA NArrR-eN. YRRMoTrs
"DKAR" YRIKNDe.
We come down now to the Mariposa
oharge-that in this Msriposa transaction
there was very large amount Of money
obtained by Mr.. Opdyke out of General
Fremont. What are the facts about that ?
Now, all know General Fremont. The
world knows his name. There is not q
name more renowned In the history of the
world than his is to-day-at least Of any
living man. BE has been heard Of wher-
ever civilization has gone. He is q very
remarkable man he is q very peculiar
man, q very singular man, q man with
whom politically never had any sympa-
thy; q man of genius, with sort Of poe
try in his nature, . touch Of wildness and
Imagination, which leads him to be . man
of ideas far in advance Of the times in which
he lives; man that has never troubled
himself about money; man that don't
| understand financial matters . man who
is simple as child, and whom when yeu
see put upon that stand, q you viii, you
win see exactly the kind of simple, honest,
singular, peculiar, romantic, remarkable
| man he is; you will find that it fell to his
lot to become the possessor Of the Mari
posa tract in California, . mine that was
considered, and is, perhaps, the richest
in the world. That mine was considered
one Of exceeding value, and one Of
which he, after much toll, and strife,
and litigation, and trouble, had be-
come the owner. = He was in debt,
and it was desirable to get him out of
debt, and it was proposed that he should
mortgage these Mariposa lands for the
sum of one million five hundred thousand
dollars, and make Morris Ketcham the
trustee, and on that mortgage deed bonds
should be issued and the bonds sold in the
market. This was done, and that being
done it was then arranged by the friends.
as they were called, of whom Mr.. George
Opdyke was one of the active ones, Mr..
Morris Ketcham another, Mr.. Hoey an
other, Mr.. Field, Mr.. Opdyke's counsel,
another, that they would get up Mari
posa Mining Company out of the balance
of the concern, and put it into stock on
top Of that mortgage, and call it worth
ten millions of dollars, which, it was sup
posed, was what it was worth. This whole
Mariposa property belonged mostly, at
least ive-eighths of it, to Gen. Fremont
himself So they got together, and they
made, under the laws of the State Of New
York, company called the Mariposa
Mining Company, and issued upon that
stock shares Of one hundred dollars
each. What do you suppose was then re-
quired of these "friends who had aided in
getting up this matter for Gen. Fremont?
It was required that he should give to Mr..
Opdyke, and Mr.. Ketcham, and Mr.. Hoey
together $4,000 of the shares of that
stock-$2, SOC, 000-fOr being his friends.
Two millions five hundred thousand dol
lars for being his friends? Very dear
friends they were-most expensive friends
they were. Now, gentlemen, they never
put into that stock one dollar They
merely turned in Fremout's property to
make the stock, and Mr.. Opdyke, out of
that, had more than $500, 900 as his share,
for his friendship That will be proved to
you, gentlemen, and by Gen. Fremonts
own lips. Then they required that twenty
five thousand dollars which belonged to
Gen. Fremont should be placed with Mr..
Ketchan1, 50 that they could have proxy
on it, and so that they could control the
property, and General Fremont should
have no control over his own property.
He yielded to them, and he says when he
| signed the paper lie understood it was a
proxy, but afterwards, when he tried to
| get it back, he was told it was trust 30
that they could hold his property and thus
control the whole stock of the company in
California. While this thing was going on,
carried on by kilograms between him and
California which cost thousand dollars,
it was given out one day that the office
must close Immediately or it would all fall
through in California, and the thing was
hurried through in this way. And when
this was going on, Mr.. Field, who was
counsel in the case, must have his fees,
which were two hundred thousand dollars,
and he got his two hundred thousand dol
lars in stock for his fees. Gen. Fremont
will tell you this Thus it went on, and
Gen. Fremont concluded that he was plac-
ed in situation where he had not much
control over his own property, and he en-
ployed lawyer for the purpose of trying
to get it back, and in the attempt to gel
back the twenty-five thousand shares they
finally agreed that they would give him
up twenty thousand shares if he would le,
them have five thousand shares at twenty
five cents on the dollar, instead of sixty
cents, which was the price at which it wal
then selling. Whether this is anything
that is improper to be done or whether i
has look of extortion, or anything tina
would make anybody blush is matte
which will be left entirely for you to say
; It is subject upon which / shall 50,
nothing. I am merely telling you wha
am instructed by my client and his wit
: that this will prove to be true
: and it will be for YOU to saw what It Al