The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1877-11-02

How tho Fraud Was Carried On-A Spec
linen Of the Worthless Title Deeds.

How tho Fraud Was Carried On-A Spec
linen OF the Worthless Title Deeds.
From the kansas City Times. 2oth.
The principle topic Of general CONVEX
sation yesterday was the recent arrest Of
Messrs. Ham, Miller and Stevens,
charged with forging land titles and sig
natures In the State Of Texas. There
was little or nothing new developed with
regard to the arrests. The accused
persons were taken away and are by
this time in Groesbcck, the county seat
OF Limestone County, where the indict-
ments were found against them. There
they will be confronted by various and
sundry charges and indictments from
other counties in Texas, and for a time
AT least there will be lots Of work for the
lawyers. A closer investigation Of the
land swindle changes It's character some
what from its first aspect. II Is not by
any means such large conspiracy rs
the first sensational reports would have
led people Ia believe. The managers
and manipulators are fewer in number
than al first reported; but the sale Of
fraudulent Texas land scrip Is none the
less extensive. II Is being sold by agents
all over the country where people can
be found who will buy il. A lot Of this
scrip was found in this city yesterday
by reporter. Three warrants, each
for GO acres OF land, had been left at a
wholesale liquor house on Delaware
Street AS security for two gallons Of
whisky. Mr.. +. A. Stevens introduced
the man named Walters mentioned in
Yesterdays Times, who was making
trades for merchandise, giving Texas
land scrip a security and payment
One IT the warrants was presented by
Mr.. W. G. Glass To the reporter, who
thereby became the proprietor Of Gao
acres Of land. The deed reads n fol-
lows:
No. 2s6. Land Scrip. $40 Acres.
THE STATE or TExAs-GENERAL LAND
OFFICE.
This certificate titles John II. Brooks
and James Burleson, contractors for OPEN
Ing and cleaning out channel in the sabine
River, 20 GO acres OF land, 10 be located up
on any 81 the vacant and unappropriatcd
public domain Of the state 81 Texas, in ac-
cordance with the provisions OF :. an act 10
improve the navigation az the sabine, Neches
and Angelina Rivers and Pine Island Bayou,
in the state ~ Texas" approved April -,
1874, information having been received from
the Comptroller, A. required by said act,
that a distance 81 fifty three miles has been
completed BY said contractors, in accord
ance with the provisions ~ said act.
The lands obtained under the provisions
OF this act shall be alenated hy said con-
tractors a. follows: One-fuurih in eight
wears, one-fourthin twelve years. 0ne-fourih
In sixteen years from the date u the certid-
cafes; provided thar the same shall not he
sold 10 any company or corporation. except
80 far rs may be necessary for the proper
use and necessary for the conducting The
business Of such company or corporation,
or 10 any person, firm or company IN trust
for said contractors, and failure 10 COM
ply with, or any violation ~ the provisions
81 this section. shall work forfeiture Of all
lands not altenaied A. required by this act.
The lands granted 20 said contractors are
10 be located In alternate sections and sur
viewed in the following manner:
/. Two sections Of land adjoining and con-
Meeting with each other must be surveyed,
one for the State and the other for the con-
tractors.
=. The surveys 10 be made square, unless
prevented by previous entries or nayigable
streams.
.. whenthe field notes have been returned
10 The General Land Office, the Commissioner
viii number the surveys and report the re-
suit to the surveyor, who viii iii up the
blanks left In his record for that purpose ac-
cordingly.
CA matter ~ convenience in describing
the surveys. when reporting the numbers,
the surveyor should number the field notes
temporarily. IN pencil.l
4. In dividing the surveys a fraction of
over so acres will be counted a. awhole sec
tun. and two fractions " less than $40 acreS
will be regarded A. section.
;. The even numbers will be reserved 10
the State and the odd numbers 70 the con-
tractors.
In testimony whereof hereunto set nv
hand and afiix the impress Of The seal of said
Office this nineteenth day ~ January, 1875.
Seal J. y. GRoos.
Commissioner.
This titlc-deed or land-warrant i
not worth the paper It was printed on.
a. the scrip was obtained from the Land
Commissioner Of Texas fraduIently and
in consideration Of work never per-
formed BIZ the contractors. The com
pany which claimed 10 have slrcdged
and cleaned out the Sabine and other
rivers mentioned in the above title never
performed the work they claimed "a
have performed, and the State has since
then repudiated the claim and annulled
the issue II this scrip. There i very
large amount Of t0na nile or genuine
land scrip ia the market and number
Of persons reported 10 be engaged In
~cllip lnls Dopus strip tIc tnilItlN IN
nocent Of the crime alleged against
them. All the land being offered for
sale and sold here and in St. Louis Is
not covered by bogss titles. Several
names have been used By sensational
papers in connection with this Texas
land swindlc who have no connection
whatever with the affair. The report
that large number ~ court-houscs had
been burned in Texas BY the gang inter-
estcd In this land steal i much cxagger-
ated by the Jonrnal, and the use Of
names II prominent citizens said % be
implicated here and in 81. Louis was
,Nhnll.- min itind hr funt. Ihn nNiAt-