Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-07-12

Soma time ago the Chronicle alluded to
land swindle in Scott county lands, perpe-
trated by some parties in Pittsburg, Cincin-
natl and Memphis. The sWindle was put
up in the shape of Offering to parties paying
certain costs and fees, free lots in the town
OF 'Rydersyille, Scott county," OF course
no such town exists save on paper, and the
costs and fees demanded In advance were
more than land is worth per acre in some
parts of the county.
We hear now of still more outrageous
and gigantic swindle. 1t seems to have
been concocted in Pittsburg, Pa, by parties,
who have been for sometime prospect
ing" for minerals and mountain lands IN
East Tennessee. Unfortunately, under
our laws, patents or grants for lands can be
taken out at any time and for any lands.
A grant could be obtained any day for the
land upon which Knoxville is built. OF
course it would pass no title, and would
not be worth the paper it was printed on,
but still it would be an ''oficia" paper up.
on which some fraud might be based. TAX
ing advantage of this rather loose law, par
ties have, within the last year or two, taken
out grants for thousands of acres or land,
the title TO which is beyond question fixed
in others. In Scot county, grants
have been taken out for some
two hundred thousand acres of
land more than the whole county
contains. In Anderson, Campbell and
Morgan counties, grants have been issued
in the same extravagant way. With these
papers the swindlers have gone to Pitts
burg and other cities and put their lands
upon the market. They have been offered
chesp-so cheap thai men who have bought
them were willing perhaps to take some
risk rather than incur expense in investi-
eating titles. Persons who did not have
much shreWdness have bought these lands,
and now send on here to have their s'titles"
examined. One of our leading law firms
has the subject in hand, and has already
written exposing the very bold fraud. In
vestiga ions are still being made for the
purpose of tracing their extent.
Now, these frauds have been ccncocted
by non-residents Of Tennessee, aided per-
haps by some citizens of the State. The
fraud is shallow one, but yet it must Sc
riously affect us. It will raise a false cry
about our Gland titles" OF course no
shrewd business man buys land dnylohere
without having the title first examined by
competent parties resident of the section
where the lands were bought. The isola-
ton of Scott county, the general prevailing
idea that East Tennessee is rich in mineral
wealth, the grants issued by the State, all
go TO make the fraud possible in a eommu-
nifty where immense fortunes have been &C.
cumulated from iron and coal lands, and
where men can be found to take some risk
to catch prizes.
We sincerely regret that this swindle has
been made possible by our loose system of
issuing grants. Our land titles are as Sc
cure as elsewhere. There is no more risk
in buying real estate in Tennessee than
elsewhere, providing buyers will make such
inquiries IS ordinary prudence suggests.
II is some satisfaction, too, to know that
the fraud is not domestic" Those who
suffer are victims TO the rascality Of their
own neighbors.
We hope to see the fraud thoroughly ex-
posed. When the facts are ready for publ
cation we shall give names and details. We
will see that the country is fully advised OF
the villainous scheme.-KnoruilIe Ctroni.
Gle, July 10.