The New York herald., 1876-10-30
Efforts of Wealthy Capitalists to
Rob Poor Miners.
PROGRESS OF A GIGANTIC SWlNDLE
Thomas A. Hendricks Counsel for the Az.
gressiye Corporation.
OPERATIONS OF TIE HENDRICKS SISDC COMPANY.

report having reached tho Chronicle oifco that 4
fraudulent mining claim suit was pending in Butte
county, In this State, by which number Of poor
miners threatened with seeing all their property
and future prospects taken from them by
rich and influential company, Carcn-
scie reporter once despatched to
Investigate the matter. and soon asccr,aned
tho following facts:-The party endeavorng to ous,
the poor miners from their claims is the socalcd
Hendricks Mining Company, and its President and
legal adviser Thomas A. Hendricks. OF Indiana Tb
application is for United S.ates patent what is
called Norris Ravnc, which is situated In Butte
county, north of Marysvilc. and the Feather
RIVER
A RICH LOCALITY
In carly days the centre of this ravinc was one OF
the rchesgold bearing grounds discovered in the
State and 1t is said that 81, 900 900 taken
from bedrock So rich was the ground tha. the
pockets in the bedrock wore nlled with gold which
could be taken without watcr. This central chan
mel was worked out long ago, OF but either
side there is wdc strip OF ground which is very rich
IN gold. and only needs water TO make it among tho
richest placer mines the State.
THE rooR MINERS.
On one side OF this ravinc number OF poor miners
have held claims for fifteen twenty years relying
few weeks rain to wash out gold enough to keep
their families for the balance Of tho year They had
taken up these claims nnder the mining laws OF tho
State and Of the district and have complied with all
the requirements of these rules laws aud regulations
Most OF them havo been in undsputsd possession for
moro than nttcen years, being on tho claims with
their families and trusting to the future TO bring water
on tho ground to wash tho immense deposits OF rich
gravel.
ACTION WEALTHY CAPITALISTS.
What was their surprise then, in 1873, to end that
n n auDlicatiOu had been nlcd n Engt
capitalists who had previously secured foothold in
the ravine by purchasing few claims and by means
OF dummies locating few more, for United States
patent Tor 220 acres, covering tho purchases and
locations m,do aud including within its boun.
darlcs many OF the best claims in the
vine, and to which tho company did not oven
set up a claim Most OF these men poor Ger
mans, unacquainsed with the machinery OF and
with but little idea OF the inequality OF contest between
few aborers nghing tho destroyers of their homes
powerful politicians and influential officials. They
finally secured able counsel however, and tho case
was presented before the Commissioner at Washing
ton, where Il has been lingering for two years Tho
land officer al Marysvillc had Immediately ruled
against tho application, for IL fraud its faco
and had no ground on which to stand
THOMAS A. HENDRICKS
defended this infamous case OF stealing before tho
there and copy Of II in this State II is true that
Governor Hendricks name not appended to this ap-
piicatlon, but tho name OF william q. Hendricks his
nephew appended to that document tho supcrin-
tcndent Of what they please to term the Hendricks
Mining Company.
THE APPLICATION
is accompanied by a diagram showing tho original
purchases and locations but the land officials found
out the official plot which they claimed under cover,
cludsd tho claims and property OF number OF tho
bond fde holders, besides covering a strip
ten acres wide down tho ravino TO
Feather River, by which they hoped to get a patent
the only outlet. thus having a complete monopoly
OF the by which the other miners could be shut
In and prevented from washing their gravel Tho
original diagram represented the claims Of tho COM
pany under local mining regulations, but the Official
plot outlined by legal subdivisions jag
ginS across tho ravine into tho other claims
Hendricks Go. did not even go through
the form OF relocating these claims, but relied upon
the influence OF Thomas A. Hendricks, President NJ
Washington 10 rush tho thing through thinking that
tho miners, whose property was in jeopardy, would
not be able to defend themselves
OPPOSITION or THE COMPANY
Tho application sets up that the company has been
in possession OF tho whole claim for fifteen years. and
tnAt tuero no auVeTsc applica-
ton is sworn to by William q. Hendricks,
February "a 1873 Ho also presented a cor.
,idcate from the County Clork that no ad
verso claims had been set up in Court
or course not, for no man cvor dreamed that COM
pany, headed by such as Governor Hendricks
would throw limo around their littlo homes and at
tempt them OF possession and tho FIRST in
timaon they had Of such thing the filing OF the
application in thcland Office.
WORKING FRAUD
The Hendricks family OF which Governor Hendricks
is tho recognized head, have been pursuing tho at
tempted fraud pcrsisently since 1873 Tom Hendricks
out and Viewed the ground preparatory TO organ
izng the company, satisfied that there millions in
1t. He went back, and shortly aftcr tho Hendricks
Mining Company was organized In Indianapolis and
with tho reform Governor OF that state President.
Governor Hendricks thcn camo out and satisfied HIM
self Of tho richness OF the gravel deposit, and
with his ability, by reason OF his
position, to get the patch through and
shut up the ravine the case not having been kicked
out OF court many another worthy ono has
been before, It has lireercd along till now and as there
was danger ofs going against Governor Hendricks in
his for spoils has been back be tried in
the District Court OF Oroville.
Everything that incorporated monopoly with un-
limited means, backed by great political influence and
prestige, do is being done carry this ncfarous
scheme through.
THE rooR CLAIMANTS
The following arc some OF the names OF the poor
claimants, most OF whom Germans e NJ. Spark
j. J. McChlung, A. Fitzz, q. y. Geisse, John Jost,
Joseph Hill, G. N. Lichtenberger, Cornelius
De Young, Fred. Suhr, Potter II. Hust,
Hans Jurgensen, b. Rancrty John Wagner,
Fr:s vass, G. Gsnsborser, A. Cornelius, Richard Helm
rIchs. Sarah Thomas, Joseph Hcndiey, John Bother,
Robert Nash, Ira A. wetherbec, p. A. McRae, W. r.
Dinchlcy. George Hasloop Theodore G. Frssch George
Ducrsing, f. B. Tibbns J. S. McCicarncy, W. 5. Nil.
ler J. l. Baker.
POLICEMAN KILLED.