The New York herald., 1877-01-16
AN EX-JODGE'S 7RUS1EESHIP.
An Important and Complicated Property Suit
Relative TO Point Lookout.
LITIGATED TO DEATH

A Watering Place. Prison. Hospital
and a Home.
There Ia pending In this city, before Mr.. Horny
Nicol referee important suit involving alleged
violation trust the part OF ex-judge the
covery OF than $50 900. including interest," and,
incidentally tho title to piece OF property, which at
one time u was believed would soon become OF the
valuo OF $500, COO
In 81. Nary's county. 10 the State OF Maryland.
stretched all iours with its right cheek washed
BY the waters OF the Potomac River and its Dip
ping into the Chesapeake Bay hes piece OF land we'll
known as Point Lookout For some years preceding
tho Wal. while the Southern blood gradually ris-
ing temperature and tho political and social gap be-
tween the two sections constantly widening, the at.
tenton OF southerners attracted the Point
place where they might enjoy tho brcezes during
the summer soiscc and revel In tho soft salt waves
with tempers unruled by Northern sentiment. II WAS
only within about years preceding the war, how
ever. that this purpose had been partially
realized. and southern families could divide their
attentions between tho mountain a,r Of tho White
Sulphur Springs and tho breezes OF the Point.
Al later place hero had been erected large hoto
capable OF accommodating several hundred guests,
around which clustered separate cottages.
elegant than she Others nesting IN wooded
excusiveness and dgnihsd by tho title ol the Lodge.
Here the oldcn arisocracy OF Maryland, the DIG
trlct OF Columbia and Virginia was about to plant
ITSELF far from the irrtatons OF Northern radicals;
Rayly painted boats about swarm the Foto-
mac and along the coast carrying thther the seekers
OF summer pleasures whom tho conccnsric lines OF
railroads had dumped into Alexandria, Washington and
Baltimore; oyster beds had boeu already planted At
tho door OF the hotel cookhouso the wild ducks Of the
Chesapeake were swarming up TO the very muzzle OF
the sportsmans gun inviting him to snoot the
landlord Of tho hotel ordering the slaughter OF
fresh sheep at every call for mutton chops; the
venerable Revcrdy johnson had engaged his cottage
and about to add his eminent social qualities
the attracveness of the scenc and the farcr portion
OF the guests had shaken of thor timidty and had
their confidence assured by sale plunge the strange
waves, when the guns Of Sumter rudely interrupted
the enjoyment, after but q single season.
HOSPITAL.
During hostilities the peaceful pleasures Of Point
Lookout gave place to the stern Of war. and
there established prison tor Confederate prison
ers and a hospital for Union soldiers. The latter
from the armies Of tho Peninsula and along the
Southern coast, repair damages by rlo bullet
and in discriminating shot aud SHE'LL and nt out for
another cruise the bloody sea Of war. Here ALSO
many Of them-both federal and Contederato-an.
swered thor last roll CALL and the grim bugler
souaded last taps their lights went out and together
they sunk peaceful drsaness sleep amid the silent
blvouuc Of tho dead
A HOME DISABLED soLDIERs.
At the close Of the the government ceased to
occupy tho property its buildings for any purpose
Al the same time provision about being made by
Congress for tho establishment OF soldiers homes
s21a i~d.,
for her patriotic earnestncss and labors Miss Baker
thought u location which had been sufficiently health.
iui for soldiers hospital should be equally for
soldiers home. She urged the selection the Point
tho location Tor Of these proposed homes Con.
gross seemed to avor Il, and II was said tho
Board OF Managers also agreeable If clear title
to the property could bo Obtained. Its area
said TO be 800 acres. more less, tho ebb
and flow OF the tide varied its metes and bounds and
II were the original buildings, together with others
erected by the government; a store, wharf and
number Of outhouses. 10 this added the oyster
led, an almost limtless supply sand and scarcely
less Of mosquitoes The owners also hold large
claim against the government and occupation
of the property during the war.
GETTING TITLE
At that time, we'll could nrst be asccrtained,
the title TO the property was vested In E. g. W. Hall
and " ilam H. Aen the former owning thrce- -fourlhs
and the latter one-fourth and tho interests Of both,
OF other liens being held by them. In round
figures. ut S67 900. With these two Miss Baker seems
to have concluded some kind OF a conditional
tract CT purchase, to be perfected aor future pay
mcnts by her. But Immediately thorc seemod to
spring up from oil quarters Of the State OF Maryland
and Of other States claimants OF inter-
est in tho same properly. Ono Colonel W. H. Dunkin-
presented himself ~ holding titlo 10 II, but his
titlc the Hall party pronounced = forgery Cen
crai William Bayard also claimed title, but his the
Hall party claimed 70 be fraud To these was added
claim by ono Charles DArnAnd, who, W was said,
got title through Dunkinson to interest, and also
Colby both OF whose titles asserted to be
better than Dunkinson's. through whom they derived
them. Whatever may have been the truth in respect
TO these rival aud rival titles, It Is
tha, in 1866. according TO the testimony before the
referee, they had each other by tho ears and were
wrangng In the courts OF Maryland transfers and
transfers, sales rcsaics accumulatng with almost
rwo AGED sPxcuIAroRs.
About this time there lived IN Brooklyn two personal
John Johns. n. Tho iorncr had long been well known
In tho Corn Exchange In this city, wic the latter dur
ing iorty years or thcrcabouls, had brewed ale and
sworn by Jove the OF Jay aud Front Streets
Brooklyn. But Mr. Johnson was man OF largo wealth,
aud he Cornell disposed TO be OF spec
ana iuture uses OF Point Lookout were iald before
them with tho vision OF future fashionable wa
terng place, uankeu on elmer emu ny boiucTs nome
and u government lighthouse, their ugcd imaginntions
became delighted ana charmed.
THEIR THE FUTURE
Again they beheld the soft summer waves bathc tho
glsening shore, and again ascended the smoke 0i tho
excursion steamers they crowded the wharf; once
more there moved upon the grounds throng OF happy
guests the white buildings rejecting tho rays Of
the MONDAY sun, and the odor OF good cheer making
hungry tho very atmos pherc With the blended mel
ody OF the band ,he lawn, the cheerful company
ON the balcony, tho buillrogs IN the swamp and the
katydids the tree falling soothngly on their aged
tho
dreamed oi untold additions to their wealth
THEY INVEST.