, 1874-06-05


tho Apostles, in that they arc fshors Of mep-
Consrosgrnon. The resemblance stops at this
pont, Tho Btory Of tho Fisher fraud IL, In |
brlef, thiss In 1918, when tho Crock war was at
its height in Florida, tho Crooks destroyed the
houacs, herds aud crops Of ono George fisher. |
Thon tho troopH camo up and probably saVed tho
lives OF tho family. 1t was groat pity. Auon. |
tho original TiBlor died. Ha widow consolod
heraolf With NOW husband. Thoy lived together
nearly SCORE OF yoars In honest poverty. Thon
they triad to gain dishonest woalth. The hua-
band Of Mira Fisher pettionod Congress for
damagos, alleging that the pursuing soldiers had
destroyed part of tho crops, hords. etc. This WIS
about 1882 Congress ejectod the unproVan claim.
Dy 1848 tho Fishers wero really In need Of
money. In came thoir petition. It was deciaca
that tho troops did half tho damage Accord
ingly tho indo{augablo family got an award OF
$s,879, which was just half tho originnt ioas.
Thln aum waa probably absorbed in lawyers foes,
for the hoggars boggod again the eamo yoar'
Tlis time thoy got intorest for sixteen yoar6 on
tho award. This amounted to s8. .9o7.94. This
kept them only year. In 1910 they bagged ill.,
forest from 1878 to e32-to-wit, $40, ,00a.8o. As
they Ind now boon paid moro than thoy orig
| inatly claimed, With interest dating back to
tvonty yoare bosoro they made tho claim, thoy
t might lavo bcon aatisaod. But they wero not.
In 1864 thoy handed in therogular petition. ThiB
time they were sohuGed. tn 1858 John 3. Floyd
was Secretary Of War. Here was agolaou chance.
I 1uirr n a
War Department. Floyd figured on 1t and dis
covered that throe-fourtha Of tho damago had
bocn done by tho troopB! So tho Eishers got q
little less thai. 10000 cash. In 1860, after
their documents had boon improved by forgories,
and tho prices Of the produce and cattlo had
loon put ut 1guroH that Parisian would have
thought exorbitant during tho aieso. they
atsackcd Floyd again. That Watchdog o1
tue Troasury now made up his mind that all the
damage Ind boon dono by our troops. Ho accord
ingly ordered tho payment Of 500, 0,619.85 to the
Fialor hoire. Before this could bo done conEroa
!. interpoaed, much as 1t did III tho ohorpennine
0 lob. During tho War stealing was not dono If
! this Way, The chance cau1o, however, after
= wards. tho Tiahora had survived. OF course
Y Tho hoirs to olaimB poyor die out. Will Aunek
J, Jams ayor ho bngeft Of doseendanta2 In Jul,
p 1870, Senator Carrot Davis presented tho Fishe
d c1aim for 800, ,510.85. In tho Galary for Angus
y of that year Mark Twain published tho story c
IS tho swindle. TT apparently killed IT, The Fisl
10 ers sent III ok- Congressman from California
- Buffalo 10 s'eoe" TWIN. Yho latter f3nolinet
IT, however, to be siiaoced. Trio to his word. /
,s haa again oxpoaed tho fraud. Thoro ia need
r. exposure, for, incredible W IT soems, tho HouI
is Committee on Military Affairs has just reporte
III in favor Of paying this FlaAos claim! II
n. heirs Of q nan whoHo farm was rayaged by /
n diaps In 1913 h&yo already boon pald s6f
57osB, or about eight times their original oai1
nd on tho fa1ae plea that United statos troo
No did tho dau,nge, and now ask for 90o,8 ,8is moi
lis soih inlorest,-aua committee of presumat
as sano, non.idiotio men report In favor Of givt
It to thon It thls sort Of thing ia to 60 Q
tue best thing man who w1Hhes to lon
bia children wealthy can do do Ia to grow t.
mt blados Of grass whore ono grow bofore' get
Of 1udlan pony to out thom, awear that oaSa
It, horse did 1t, and thon d'o. grateful ooun
ho will my bis heirs whateyor they choose to ask