The Van Buren press., 1874-02-10
AN ALLEGED COLOSSAL FRAUD.
Something for Land Buyers to Read
More than Three Counties In Mis-
souri, and Six or Seven Counties
in Arkansas Gobbled-Nsw
Yorkers Said to be
Victimlzed
From the Forsyth (Mo.l Pioneer.

On last Tuesday evening gentleman
Of the name Of Lyon arrived IN our VII
lagc for the purpose of locating IN this
county. lie halls from Virginia, and
has bought a section OF land from one
p S. Hoagland.
1t turns out that the land is held un-
der an old Spanish grant. which Is worth
less so far as the records show we 90
not like to meddle with other men pusl-
ness, but we have concluded to ventllate
the swindle, and run the risk ola suit for
damages, believing that the facts Will bear
us out in denouncing it as one OF tae
most gigantic land swindles ever perpe-
trated, and that the public will justify our
act.
On the 2Sth day of February, 1871,
one S T. Hoyt of New York city hled
with the Recorder Of this County an ab-
stract Of title purporting to be grant
made in the year 1898 by Baron de Car
ondelete, Governor General OF the Prov
ipce of Louisiana, to one Don Joseph
Vallere, who died leaving this tract OF
land to his heirs, and on the NTH DAY OF
June, 1S4l, the Valliere heirs made pow
er Of attorney to one Greed Taylor to
dispose of said lands, and on the same
day Creed Taylor conveyed the land to
one John Wilson, and on the 23d day of
August, 1863, John Wilson conveyed all
Of said lands to S I. Hoyt, embracing
the following territory: Ten leagues on
both banks of the Rio Blanco (White
river), Beginning at the most western
branch Of said river, thence running ten
lcaoues in southwestcrly direction,
thence on the south on a parallel line
with said river at distance OF ten
leagues until it iutersects the Rio Cioulos
(supposed to be the Buffalo at point
ten leagues in direct line win "hl,e
river. following this as far as the NOUN
of Norte Grande, (suPposed 10 De the
North fork up the same to a point ten
leagues in direct line with its mouth,
from thence ascending the " hite river
to North in westerly direction ten
leagues from the same as far as its source,
thence to the place Of beginning
This grant covers Ozark, fancy, an"
Stone. and a portion OF Douglas. Chris
tian, Barry, and Mcdonald counties in
this State, and large portion OF wash
ington, Madison, Carroll, Boone and Ma,
rion, Baxter, and also a small portion Of
Benton and johnson counties III Arkan'
sas, or an area of about 900 square miles,
Mr.. Hoyt has sold thousands of acres Of
this claim to honest, hard working men
all over the Union; his victims are scat
tered from the Atlantic to the Pacific,
and from Maine to Texas. In many in
stances the same tract Of land has been
sold and transferred TO as many as three
or four different parties. Mr. Hoyt, not
satisfied with what he could do, has en-
ployed other parties to assist him. These
men appear to have their headquarters or
principal place Of business in New York
city, and a branch Office in all the prnci-
pal cities in the Union, and especially in
Chicago
We are in daily receipt Of letters from
men residing in all parts OF the country
inquirng about the titles and taxes on
lands held under this Spanish title. We
invariably answer them, giving true
statement of the facts as far as our space
will permit, and several of the parties
have brought suits to recover the money
paid for the lands, but we do not know
Of a single instance where the parties
have gone directly on TO 5. L. Hoyt, con-
sequently we have come to the conclu-i
sion that he has managed to keep some
irresponsible party between him and the
parties who purchase with view to set
tlement But this time iL is likely that
he will have to dsgorge some OF hls i'll
gotten gains, rs we learn that Mr. Hoag-
land, who sold 10 Mr. Lyon, is respons-
ible man, and that he bought directly
from S. T. Hoyt. In order to deude
his victims Mr. L., or some of his col
leagues, have drawn up legal opinions
purporting to have been written by Dan.
iel Webster, Rufus Choate, and other
prominent jurists, and we have no idea
that either of the men ever saw the alb
stract of title purportng to come from
the Spanish Government. Nor do we
believe that the heirs of Nalliere ever
made power of attorney to Creed lay
lor or any other man to dispose of any
such grant, and we doubt very much
there being any such man in existence as
John Wilson
Mr.. II. committed one very grave blum.
der in arranging bis title papers. He
claims that John Wilson conveyed this
mammoth tract of land to him on the
23d day of August, 1868, and if we are
not mistaken that day came on Sunday.
Mr.. Ii ought t. have examined calen.
dar for that year before he had his papers
drawn up, so as to have them date on
business day Of the week.