Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1878-12-20
"A REVEREND FRAUD"

Edssovs f'Tess d D0keEdioa IL am this
day in receipt ofyour paper Of the 10th ms.
containing an article from one La Due of
Rockport, Dakota. under the above caption,
in which am charged with being ''profes-
sed Baptist minister Of Kenosha, Wis, and .
fraud )" and that I. am guilty of committing
q fraud upon the government and people Of
your territory Of Dakota, by using the seal
Of Hanson county, to locate timber claims in
tie territory. M @
In reply to the charges, I wish to m.k3
the following statement, and most cheerfuty
submit it to the honest verdict Of your peo
pie. During the month of August, /
visited Dakota with the view
ofselecting home for myself. some of NJ
kindred and number of my personal frlends
who desire to locate within yodf borders #
the reports rendered by some who has gone
there should be justified by a personal visit
and observation.
I travelled through Deuel., Codington,
Brookinga, Moody, Minnehaha. McCook and
Han 'on counties, and became fully persua.
ded that not ouly we're the representations
correct, but that no state or territory afford
ed a. strong inducements to families of mod
crate means to settle in as Dakota, and re.
ported the results Of my observations and
convictions to interested and other part les
and urged the importance Of going at once
to select claims while choice aud eligible
selections are to be made. The only inn
pediment of an immediate respopse
to these recommen dations by at least a
score to persons was::the want of available
funds.
A few weeks subsequent to this noticed
an advertisement in daily paper publish
cd at Winons. Mimi, BY the clerk Of one
Of the border counties of the territory aud
deputy for attached counties, statipe thai
hs would be at that place on specified day
to take the afldavits of parties wanting Il
enter homesteads or timber claims in an,
county Of the territory represented by him
This advertisement; continued for abou
two weeks.
Supposing that this was purely legs
process of entering claims wrote to th
clerk Of the district court of Hanson Co
D. T., asking him If he could or would ap
point me deputy to enter the claims {
some parties who were anxious to locat
this fall but unable to 60 out. To this
received the following response:
Rockport, D. T.. Oct. 12, 1s7s.-W L
Stcartz-DEAR SIR:-Your letter receive,
and in reply will say that will look th
laws over and do the best l can to assis
you 10 getting your friends located this fal
II can lawfully appoint you deput
clerk the court will do SO. You cal
take the af1davits there and send them her
and will afax the seal of the court Il
order to make time send $16 with eacl
homestead and timber claim entry made b.
you. Have each party sign an application
as we'll as the affidavit and send both TO me
Go before some notary public and subscrib
TO the oath of Office which l enclose. L
case any Of the papers need any corrections
will see to it before sending them. to tn
land Office. Find enclosed, your appoint
ment of deputy clerk. Sign the af6davi
and return both TO me to record in the cou,
docket; then you will be ready for business
But you will have to send all papers her
for the seal of the court to be affixed befor
they are lawful documents. Attend to thi
and send your party along to locate tn
lands and We will assist them"
Yours, &C.,
J.D. FLICK.