Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1874-10-29
Judgo Waite,s Dislntercsted
S5E3 sSi=sE3s Virtues. 81

The defamation Of the character Of
Mr., Dl,unnell by the Democratic papers
and their laudation Of their immaculate
Judge Waite, has led the Blue Earth
City lj Post tosunearth some Of his transac-
tionsas attorney for claimants Of inden
nifty for damages sustained .by the rava-
ges Of the Sioux Indians during the late
war It says: .s:et
: Y will be remembered that immedia
tely after the Indian troubles on the from.
tier the GOvernrent created q cOmmiss.
ION composed of three members, of whom
the late Colonel Aldrich, Of Minneapolis,
was one. The commissioners met at
Mankato in 1884. All settlers who had
suffered damages from the ravages of the
Sioux were allowed to present their
claims before the commission, either by
person or by attorney. The commission
snaa powertU examine into the nature of
the ,claims presented, and allow such of
them as werejust and reasonable. Judge
Waite was then an attorney in Mankato,
enjoying lucrative practice. Thous
ands OF persons had suffered damages,
and. thousands of claims were likely to
be presented, and the Judge thinking it
"a splendid opportunity to speculate off
from claims of the poor settlers. sent out
emlssaries through the Indian country to
get the names and claims OF those who
| mad suffered by Indian raids : A gen
lehman now living in this place employ
ca m collect names in this locality, and
was paid over sixty dollars for services
rendered. Waite secured the settlement
OF a large number Of claims, and present
cd them to the commission: These
claims were nearly all allowed, but not
at the figures last brought in."
| when the commission had ended
their labors, and made their report, pro-
vision Was made for the payment of all
audited claims within ninety days.
| Waite, however, was not satisfied with
the hfseen and eighteen per cent which
ne was 10 receive from each claim allow
ed, but in his greed for large gains en-
tered into agreement with Tinkcom &
Smith, bankers Of Manka,o, to sell IT, EN-
the claims, they to buy them in at the
lowest possible figures, and divide the
profits with Waite. Such bargain was
consumated after considerable wrangline
The bankers at first declined to pay
Waite his price, but he threatened; o.keeI
tAASAAA AAnoCI1, 1cCclFc lllc uOucy, ana paw
it out to the claimants, unless he received
his terms. They finally agreed to his
terms, and at once employed men, paying
them five per cent. to travel through the
country and buy up the claims. These
agents did their work we'll. They repre-
ssnted to the people that the money
would not be ready for long while, and
they might have to wait q year or more
and thus induced many to part with thei
claims for about half their face. A gen
gleman we'll known is this county, ant
now living here, was one of the agents
employed in this work. We present be
low a transcript of Judge Waite's books
in Major E., H. Smiths hand writin.
showing the amount paid by Tinkcom i
Smith, Waite's fees, and zthe amount o
the steal, taken from the claims, and Iii
vided between Waite and the bankers
Our list embraces seventy-two names O
persons living in this county, but tn
number given is sufficient to show tina
Judge Waite's honesty and public virtue
have been greatly ovcrstimated.