Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1870-11-30

A telegram was received IRON the
counsel employed by the New Idria
Mining Company at Washington q few
days ago, directing that all the owl
dence taken in the celebrated McGar-
rahan case should DO printed and
there with the utmost dis
patch. I have procured a copy of the
book, and as the subject has recently
become Of very great interest I make
the following condensation Of its coii-
tents:
The Pauoche Grant,
the subject Of the claim IN question, Is
situated In Fresno county. 1t derives
Its name from a peculiar species of
sweet cane or weed which grows in the
vicinity, aud from which the Indians
IN early days made n kind of sugar,
called by them "panoche." In the
latter part of 1851 n party Of pros
pectors took up the ground alleged to
be covered by the grant, and in 1852
formed a company for the purpose OF
working it, believing that it contained
silver. On discovering their mistake
the enterprise was abandoned; but In
the meantime some of the company
found that It contained cinnabar, and
remained In possession until Us, when
they Joined In the organization OF the
New Idria Mining Company. Since
that time the New Idria has invested
hundreds OF thousands Of dollars In
permanent improvements, and Is still
working the mine.
The BnsIs Of McGnrrahnns Claim.
On the I'D of December, 1851, Me-
Garrahan purchased Of Vicenti Gomez,
for the sum Of 81, 100, one half of the
tract known as the Panoche Grande
Rancho, consisting Of three square
leagues of land, which Gomez claimed
under a Mexican grant dating from the
year1s44. A thorough research through
the archives of the Mexican Govern
ment shows that In 1911 Gomez did
petition for the grant, and that the
Mexican Governor reported In favor
Of the application, but there the mat
ter ended. Gomez never sought n
patent, no further action was taken.
and he to all intents and purposes re-
nounced his intention Of taking up the
rancho. Moreover. from the evidence
of numerous witnesses, 1t appears that
tho grant applied for, though near the
property claimed. did not actually en-
brace the rugged, mountainous land
now In possession Of the New ldria
Company, contemplated n fertile tract
in a valley beyond, some thirteen miles
away.
Gsniez's Character.
Gomez alleges that the land In ques-
ton was legally granted to him, and
that his original title papers have been
lost or destroyed. In support OF this
assertion he brings forward one wit
mesa Mexican-who says he saw the
papers IN Gomez's possession. The
character of Gomez, and the crcdcnce
to be attached to his testimony, may
be- imagined from the fact that he has
been n witness in the prosecution Of no
less than twelve Mexican land claims,
most of which were asccrtaincd to be
frauds or forgeriss. He was also the
chief instrument In the forgery and
false swearing that took place in the
great Limantour frauds, by which Id
mantour sought to recover three fourths
of the GROUND OH which San Francisco
Il built, together with tho Farallones,
Alcltraz and Ycrba Buena Islands.
McGnrrahan's LobbyinGs.
In 1862 McGarrahan made r fictitious
sale of his interest In the fraudulent
claim to the Rancho Grande Quicksil-
YER Mining Company, receiving In coil
sideration five million dollars of paid
up stock. Thus armed with the sill
ews Of war, lie commenced Il vigorous
campaign by distributing nearly one
million dollars OF stock among politi-
clans, lawyers, editors, congressman
and the professional lobby for the pur-
pose Of procuring the passage Of n law
to confirm his title. Senators Cameron
and Chandler, Forney and the Dent
family generally were early won over
to McGarrahan's interest, and 1t was
through their exertions that Attorney
General Hoar was bowed out Of Office
lust as lie had prepared an opinion adj
verse to the claimants. Efforts were
also made to influence ~ex-Sccretlry
Cox. rs he mentions in his recent letter
to the President, but finding that he
was incorruptible, the intriSuers forced
him into retirement. In view Of these
facts, many dispassiOnate people-ahd
Republicans Mt that-are asking very
seriously II President Grants integ-
rity Is above suspicion, for surely the
Man Of the Wilderness could not be so
hoodwinked as to become an uncon-
scious tool In the hands of these
schemers. IT,
,... In the Courts.
The history Of the claim in the diff
ferent Courts would take up more
space than you have at your disposal.
1t il one OF the most extraordinary
narratives of fraud. forgery and cor
ruption that ever disgraced n lawsuit.
But when it is remembered that the
prize commended for is worth ten mil
lion dollars, and that a small army Of