, 1872-12-28

History OF the BEAVER Lake Lands
Bow the school Children of Indiana
Out of 100000.
Special Despatch to Tbs Chicago Tribune.
INDIANAPOLIS, Deo. 27.-Your readers doubt
lsss hive noticed that Congress passed an act
a few days since granting to tho State OF In
diana quit claim to the reclaimed lands of the
bed Of Beaver Lake, in Newton County, Indiana,
comprising some sixteen thousand acres Of the
most fertile soil in the north part OF the State.
As these lands have been the subject Of much
fraud, litigation, and excitement in Northwest
ern Indiana, and entered largely into the poll
tics Of that section Of the State, their history
may not be uninteresting, and is
briefly Us follows: Congress donated to
this State in 1850 all the swamp lands
within her bordors the proceeds Of which we're
to be applied to tho scnool Fund Of the State.
These lands we're estimated at one time to bo
worth So, ,000,00o but they we're all frittered away
by the Democratic State officials, between 1850
and 1856, in the most monBtrous Bwindle ever
perpetrated upon any State or people. They
we're decided to various Democratic officials in all
parts Of the State in repayment for ditching
that WAS never either commenced or finished,
and finally tho State had neither lands nor any
dren we're robbed of 81 900. Two OF these
"1and-grabbers," John P. Dunn, at that time
Auditor OF State, and his surety, n. G..
Bright, have obtained largo. portion
Of IA: lands on tho border Of Beaver
scribcd above, and By virtue of this property,
clai7asd the adjacent bed OF Beaver Lake, as
"ripa-ian. proprietors." It was a monstrous
claim with no shadow Of right. They laid off
tho land, which was ten feet under water into
forty acre lots, each taking alternate lots and
in this plot lay all tho title they or their assign
ocs ever had. Dunn turned out to be de-
faulter as Auditor Of the State, and to indemnify
Bright, his surety, he decided to Bright all his
interest in the Beaver Lake lands to indemnify
that gentleman against loss, whereupon Bright
State in settlement of Dunn's defalcations-a
sharp practice certainly. Subsequently, the
States interest and that Of the
original appropriation" were sold,
ana came' more ,,;29 or 1e5n directly
nois, the present claimants and benefoiaries Of
the original outrage. A few years ago, after 8
large part Of the lake (Which lay within short
distance OF the Kankakee River, and being If
teen feet higher than that stream, WAS drained
into it,, collision occurred between the "squat-
ters," who claimed that it belonged to tho Cen
ercl Government, and WAS subject to occupancy
and purchase like other public lands, and the
assignees Of the old robbery. The matter was
then referred to the Commissioner Of the Cen
era1 Land Office, at Washington, rho decided
that ''t the lake did not pass to the State with
the swamp land donation Of 1850, because it
had not been and could not have been surveyed"
Then came an appeal to Congress to confirm
tho title drived from the original claimants.
Several bills were introduced in both the
Senate and House in the interests of the various
claimants, all OF which ended in Congress giving
it to tue State on the ground that 'sit was
drnined by the State and her assiglees." The
question that now occurs is how far does the
act Of Congress m.ke good the title derived
through tho original plunderers. The "ripa-
rian title Of Dunn and Bright, which WIS Ill
tho title they ever had, was no title at all, and
tho parties who purchased the interest of Bright
were bound to know that they bought it at their
peril. Now, for the first time, Congress has
given perfect title to the land, and all sales
make good her title to the present owners,
should she also make good q title to the Bright
lind in which she. never had any interest? Does
not the State own at least half interest in those
lands, and should tho School Fund be deprived
Of $780, 600 that is Justly her own ? Certainly,
100000 out Of S2,0o0,o0o worth Of lands is lit
tie enough for the State to claim. The atten-
ton of the next session Of the Legislature will
be called to the facts and the natter will be
tested in tho Courts.
The following newly State officers have
already been inducted into their respective
Offices Attorney General, James Denny Clerk
Of the Supreme Court, Charles Scholl Superin-
tendent Of Public instruction, J. S. Hopkins.
The following will assume their positions On the
dates named: Governor Thomas 4. Hendricks,
Jan. 13 Secretary of State N. NJ. Curry, Jan.
II; Treasurer J. B. Glover, Feb g.; Auditor
J. 4. Wudman, Jan. Is.