The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1875-12-15
THE CONTESTED LAND CASE IN LAR.
AMIE CITY.
How One Of Oar Citizens Was Cheated
Out Of His Property.
From Tho Ny. Hem'dI

IRON tho ny HeTa q
The alleged land swindling opera
tions of the Union Pacific Railroad,
revealed in the case Of Carroll against
Hodgeman and the company, "A re
hearing of which has BEEN ordered by
Land Commissioner Burdett, islikely
to be followed by further similar dis
closures, twelve additional claims
having been already filed for adjudi-
cntion. The facts II the Carroll =
expose "a scheme of rascality that
finds no palliatiun. The allegations
made before the Lard Commissioner
are briefly as follows:
Michael A. Carroll, in 1867, set
tied in good faith under the pre-emp-
tiOn laws upon the land i'm dispute,
amounting to about seventy-thrPe
acres in Laramie CITY, the plot being
now covered by property of the rail-
road, comprising a hotel, depot,
roundhouse and Hike buildings belong
ing to a railway establishment in the
year 1865. HOdgeInan had settled on
an adjoining tract and flied Il declura-
tory statement with the Surveyor
General, there being at the time no
local land office open. This stntement,
with a description of the land, he
caused to Ire put on the county re-
cords in the year 1870. Meantime he
was In the service of the company,
starting as brake aud being pro-
NOTED to engineer aud to conductor.
The land thus dcScrib al l. altogether
separate from Carrull's land, as APP
pears from the wording of the dcs-
a-s.Nszw I1-N W..f 1870 49, v.AN $50.
surveyed. Meantime the railrOnd
company had taken possession of the
seventy-three acres, forming part of
the section owned by Carroll. Hodge
man, seeing the blunder of the COM
pany, thought to avail himself of it.
Accordingly, when theapproved gov
erument surveys were filed ar the
local land Office ut Cheyenne, he went
there, sixty miles distant, with two
witnesses, proved up his claim to
Carroll's land, paid the cash entry
under the Homestead law and got
his patent or title to the land from
the United States. He then made
issue with the railroad company. who
underworld to vitiate his claim on
the ground that his entry upon the
land was made for speculation and
not in good faith. The company
were of the falsity of his
title. After some litigation they
bought his claimed interest, and, be-
ing Ia turn proceeded against by Car
roll, who meantime had discovered
the trespass of the railroad on his
land, but not until he had been fur
nished with the official survey, went
to work TO defend HOdgeman and
themselves. 1t should be mentioned
here that the local officers mt Chpy-
enne failed to forward Carroll's
protest and other papers To
Washington and the Land
Commissioner, in their absence, and
not knowing OF an adverse claim, is
sued the patent to Hodgeman under
date of April !, 1875. On the very
next day the claim of Carroll was
filed through A. H.. jackson, his
attorney doing business in Washing
ton, who in horned Commissioner
Burdett of the suspicious action of
the local officers at Cheyenne. The
Commissioners in turn declared his
determination to discharge these Off
GERS, if proof of their partialily
toward Hodgeman should he given
him.. This proof was given him and
they were discharged. The proof so
adduced was subsequently enlarged
by the full evidence of Carrulls direct
claim and the fraud VIII Oh Is alleged
to have been connected with the case
was, it is asserted, made SO apparent
hat the Land Commissioner directed
the re-opening of the case Thirty
days notice has been given to all
parties of the intended rehearing,
which will take place at the local
Office in Cheyenne. When the testi-
mOny has bRpn all taken the case
will be referred to Attorney General
Pierrepont, in order that he may
bring an action in the name of the
United States for the rescission or
forfeiture of Hodgeman's patent.