The daily gazette., 1875-12-10
Gigantic Land SsUindlers.
Twelve MiIltOns Of Acres Sold ON Forg-
ed Deeds-Agencies i'm all the Princi-
Cities.
(From tic 81. L0Us 1imes.)

(trom tic 81. L0UiS 1imeS)
1t is claimed that the existence of a
heavy land ring was brought TO light
recently by the nvestigations of the
grand jury of Shannon county, this
State. That body on Saturday last
returned indictments against three
city. charging them with completely
in certain alleged swindling operations
extending over peroid of years, by
which various parties have been
defrauded out of millions of dollars.
| The indictments are against DIR.
Thomas X. Harmon, David S. Bigham
and James FL. Lawton. The last nam
ed gentleman claims to be an English
subject, with his residence at Manches-
ter, England, but he spends consider
able time in this city, and is expected
| here in short time on his return
from visit to England.
Capiases on the indictments men.
TONED were received by Sheriff Tho
mas yesterday but he refused to arrest
Harmon and Bigham on the ground
that the county marshal was the pro-
per party to make the arrests. The
capiases were therefore returned to
Shannon county to be made out and
sent back directed to the county mar
shall.
The parties named in connection
with others,a as appears from testamony
adduced before the Shannon county
grand jury, it is charged, formed a
ring some five years ago for the syste-
matte the extensive forging of deeds to
lands in Northern Arkansas and South.
east Missouri. The ring in addition
to the parties interested here, is said
to have agencies established in Gin
cinnati, Pittsburg, Philadelphia, New
York, and Manchester. England Some
OF the agencies, it is alleged, have
done an excellent business, and
it is estimated that the ring has forged
ard disposed of deeds to at least lo,.
100000 acres of land, worth some
twenty five or thirty millions of dol
lars.
THE LANDS SELECTED.
1t is a wel-known fact that tine great
er part OF the land in the territory to
winch the operations of the Ring have
been confined is owned by non residents,
who pay little or no attention to their
claims, and frequently neglect to pay the
taxes due on the same for years and
much of it is yearly sod by reason of
non-paymeut of taxes.
Another fact that greatly favored the
operations OF the Ring is, that the re-
celpts were very generally destroyed dur
ing the late civil war.
:. The mode of operations pursued by the
ring seems to have been to get possession
OF the year delinquent tax list of these
COZ mites. From these lists was obtained
information concerning the land upon
whlch taxes were not paid, and it was
deemed quite safe to conclude that the
parties owning the land were not watch
ful OF their interests. Forged deeds
were made to such lands, showing titles
through several fictitious parties. The
deeds were ingeniously drawn, having
the proper acknowledgment taken in due
form before David 5. Bigham, notary
public for st. Louis county
The deeds were also properly recorded
IN the counties where the land lies, and
have the appearance of being genuine in
every respect. Whenever parties desired
abstracts of titles they obtained them in
due form. showing the claim of title run
ming back through successive parties to
the government. In some cases deeds
were forged to lands occupied, but as a
rule the ring confined its operations to
the lands of non-residents, which were
unoccupied. No suspicion. attaches to
the recorders of the counties making out
the abstracts OF titles, as they appear in
making out the cheins of title.
VICTIMS IN ENGLAND.
The forged deeds have been sold all
over the country many of them are
held in st. Louis. Lawton has operated
principally in England He is said to be
sharp operator. and victimized his
countrymen out of many thousands of
dollars. One of his favorite plans was
to form colonies to settle IN certain
localities in Missouri, where he repre-
sented he owned immense tracts of land.
He would sell off as far as possible, re-
serving for himself large tract in the
proposed settlement. After completing
his series, and just prior to the time set
for the colony to depart for their new
homes, Mr.. Lawton would find some pre-
tences for abandoning the scheme.
Numbers of these deeds have been ex-
changed for property in other States, the
latter being sold for cash sums below the
real value. The deeds generally call for
quarter and half sections, with the con-
sideration $3.50 and 81 800
Another mode resorted to in disposing
of the deeds was to leave the name of
the grantee blank, and borrow on them
with the understanding that if it was
not repaid in specified time the lender |
should have the right to fill the blank |
with his name. AS the deed called for |
land, the consideration for which was
mentioned in the deed to be two or three |
times greater than the sum desired as Il /
loan, it is easy to see that considerable |
money could be realized in this way.
The operations of the ring have been |
suspected for some time, but the indict-
ments mentioned are the first that have |
been returned against any of the sus-
pected parties.
A New pRAsIATIc SrAR.-A European |
correspondent writes From the 4nqlo- |
Ane,icdn Times take the following ION |
Wednesday afternoon an American girl,
Miss Beatrice Strafford, made her debut |
IL. q ;..4x- IL. = -.