The Russellville Democrat., 1876-03-02
THE ALLEGED FICTITIOUS
 LAND TITLES.
The Last RoOrback to Injure
 Arkansas.
From the spirit of Arkansas.

From the SptTlt or AFhuhsas.
 Certain newspapers in the Unit. sd States, prompted by parties who seem to find their account in crying down and detracting from a growing prosperity which they have not the capacity honestly to share, make a business of pub fishing every he which these men choose to manufacture, out of whole cloth, to the di credit of our state and the injury of its in terests. The last special de- spatch" of this character is head ed "Stolen States. Particulars of the Stupcndous and Systematic Land Robberies in Missouri and Arkansas Millions of acres of non Residents property Fraudu- lently Disposed of at Ruinous Figure .-Stupendous Land swim dle." The special correspond ent' proceeds to give the details of an s'immense land swindle," by which, according to the testimony before tho grand jury of shannon county" Missouri, ring was formed, five years ago, for the systematic forgery of deeds to lands ''in northern Arkansas and southeast Missouri" The ring had agents, it appears, in several principal cities of the United States, and in Manchester, Eng land. The yearly delinquent tax lists of the various counties were procured, and, by the assistance ofinformation thus derived, "forg ed deeds were made out" to such Iands, showing title through sev- eral fictitious parties" One . batch of seventy of these deeds was traced, as is stated, to one notary in Pittsburgh, Pa. In the counties in question, the records, it seems had been generally de- stroyed, during the war" fact which greatly facilitated this gi- gantic system of fraud. Colonies were formed, in various parts of Europe, for settlement on the lands thus stolen, half and quar- ter sections were sold for cash, money borrowed on deeds, and the Old Boy played generally.
 Now whether any of tkis tre- mendous discovery had any foun- dation in truth so far as relates to Missouri, we do not know, and unto thls day have not inquired. It is noteworthy that not another word has appeared on the subject, in any of our exchanges. But as regarded Arkansas, we knew, to all intents and purposes, that the story was pure invention, and q weak one, of the enemy; and in order to lay it finally at rest, we at once forwarded to the Recorder (who in some cases is the County Clerk, in others the clerk of the Circuit Court of the county) oi every county in. the state the fol lowing circular:
 Dear Sir-A story is going the rounds about extensive fraud ulenr land sales by forged deeds during five years past, in northern Arkansas and in southern Missou Ii, the land belonging mostly tC non.residents, and the deeds gen erally for 160 and 330 acres consideration, $750 and $500 - and usually acknowledged by David S. Bingham, notary public for St. Louis county. Do yot ! know of anything of this kind il your county? The rumor, unless eontradicted, will do incalculabl, damage to the landed interests o our state.
 An early reply (for publica tion will oblige Yours truly,
 "T. B. MILLS & Co.
 "IiTTLE ROCK, Dec. 2l, 1875"
 We have already received re plies from these officers, in almos every county in the state-in tn tier of northern counties, adjoir ing Missouri, from every one eS cept the two extreme northwest ern counties, Washington an
 Benton, which arc far rcmot
 tom the locality of the allcgc