Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1870-11-30
DENTS LITTLE JOB.

In an evil hour the President pub.
lished to the country his statement
that it was the MGarraham job that
led TO the dismissal of Sec rotary Cox
If this was true, it was scandalous if
untrue, still worse. Tho result is that
we are having a complete exposition
of the whole case of Dent and For.
ney's client, the notorious MGarra-
ham, in whose behalf Grant interiered
with the regular course of business in
the Interior Department. The Port
land Advertiser, the Cincinnati Com
mercidl and other papers that have
access to the facts, are now making
them public, and they arc exceeding.
ly damaging to the enemies of Secre-
tary Cox. Nor do they leave Gen.
Grant himself in a very enyiable po-
sition. Those brothcrs.in-law of his
on both sides-Corbin and Dent-are
no help TO him in administering the
government, If he would give them
snug consulships five thousand miles
of, it would be better for all concern
cd. His present nuisance is Louis
Dent, who has been hanging around
the White House for the last year or
two and getting his brother,in-law
into trouble. Tho MGarraham claim,
of which Dent is the most influential
agent, involves a tract Of four Span
ish leagues in area, situated in Mon
terey and Fresno counties, California,
about one hundred and twenty-five
miles southeast of San Francisco, and
now occupied by the New ldria Min
ing Company. All that gives il value
is its quicksilver mines, it being al
most useless for agricultural purposes.
With its improvements, it is worth,
perhaps, six millions 1t was first
claimed by one Gomez, a government
clerk in Mexico, who is proved to
have forged titles to Mexican lands.
He declared that he got a grant Of it
from Mexico in 1874, but lost the pa
pers confirming his titles when the
town of Monterey was captured by
Gen. Taylor. In 1854 our land com
missioners rejected his claim on proof
that Gomez had never occupied or
even seen the land, and decided that
the title to tho property was in the
hands of the United States. The Dis
trict Attorney Of California, in 1857,
traded off his title in consideration of
half of the tract for himself, and the
district court, in that year, awarded
the land TO Gomez, who Immediately
sold il TO MGmraham. The New
ldria Mining Company claimed it
against M'Garraham on proofof actual
possession since 1852, by settlers to
whose rights they have succeeded, and
under a law authorizing mines and
mining companies to preempt lands
which they have occupied and i'm
proved This claim would be per-
fectly valid if tho title to the land
were clearly in the United States. 1t
was on this point that Secretary Cox
was taking testimony, or preparing
to do SO, when Dent persuaded the
President TO interfere. The leading
capitalists in the mining company
are Barron & Co., the great quiclSsil-
yer merchants, who, with some for.
eignors, own half the stock W. c.
Ralston, cashier of the Bank Of Cali.
fornia, who owns one-eighth ; and d.
o. Mills, president Of the same bank,
who also owns one.eighth, all men of
tho very first business integrity and
intelligence in California, and not at all
likely to connect their names with or
put their money into an enterprise
not well based and well protected
The decision of the California court in
favor of Gomez in 1857 is described
by Attorney General Black, in a let.
ter written September 6, 1860, in
these words:
"The original claimant is Vincent
p. Gomez. His title is believed to be
a forgery The Land Commissioners
decided against him. An appeal to
the District Court was taken by
fraud, and decree of confirmation
was entered there by a fraudulent
Misrepresentation, which the judge of
the court will correct, If ho has not
already done so, by striking it from
the record. Some investigator of.
the case took place last term in the
Supreme Court and an opinion was
delivered by Mr. Justice Wayne,
which explains pretty fully, but in
very moderate language, the DISCUS.
ting corruption which has character.
lied nearly every part of the proceed.
ing, The decree will bo opened by
the District Court, and another dc.
cree in favor of the United States
in its place by the same
court. If that should fail (Which is
not at all likely an appeal will be
taken to the Supreme Court. In no
event can the claimant ever got the
land, if the interests and rights of the
shall be properly defend.
ed"
There is no reason TO doubt the
truth Of this statement, and it is veri.
fed by the decision of tho Supreme
Court "a Ilnr ,.s.a NFfFs