Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-05-12
WAR IN TULkRE.
Tragic elimination Of the Land
Difficulty.
EJEGTMENT PROCESS RESISTED.
Bloody Work Over Dis
puted Titles.
FOUR OF THE SETTLERS KILLED
Statement by the United States Mar
shal Regarding the Affair.
FOUR oF THE SETTLERS KILLED
ESPECIAL BY TELEGRAPH To THE RECORD -uSroS.l


SAN Francisco, May 11th.-The contest
between the railroad company and settlers on
lands claimed by the company in what is
known as Mussel Slough District, in Tulare
and Fresno counties, eliminated to-day in a
tragedy. United States Marshal Poole left
here day or two ago to serve writs of eject
ment on certain settlers, by virtue of the de-
cision of the Circuit Court, in favor of the
railroad company. This afternoon Deputy
Marshal Worth, of this city, received the
following dispatch from Marshal Poole SIN
attempting to execute the writ four men were
killed and two wounded" No further par
ticulars are yet received. The settlers are
express determination to resist all attempts
at ejectment.
FURTHER PARTICULARS.
VIsALIA, May 11th.-A League picnic
took place at Hanford to-day, at which about
200 persons were present.
United States Marshal Poole and W. III.
Clark, the railroad company's land grader,
arrived at Hanford this morning to dispossess
the settlers, and left at half past o'clock to
| serve processes of ejectment ON William
Broden and Others. The Leaguers col
lected, followed the Marshal, overlook him
three miles north of Grangeville, and COM
manded him and the grader to surrender,
which they did. Then they commanded
h.
pany, and companion named Hartt, to sur
render. Instead of surrendering they leaped
from their wagon and fired with shotgun
and rife, killing James Harris, Iver Knutson
and John Henderson, and wounding Arch
McGregor, VIM. Broden, d. Kelly and Hay
maker-all settlers The settlers returned
the fire, wounding Hartt fatally, and as Crow
retreated at some distance shot struck him,
killing him instantly. There is great excite
ment at Hanford and vicinity, but the leaders
of the League advise prudence.
MARSHAL PooLE's REPORT.
San Francisco, May 11th.-An interview
with the railroad authorities in this city dis
closes that NJ ID. Hartt and w. j. Crow had
lands from the railroad company, the settlers
on which refused to surrender possession.
Hartt and Crow demanded to be put in pos
session, and yesterday United States Marshal
Poole went down for that purpose, taking
with him Mr.. Clark, an agent of the COM
pany, to point out the pieces of land in dis
pute, Hartt and Crow accompanying them
The following was received by the company
from Poole this afternoon:
put Hartt in possession of one tract. He
and Crow followed Clark and l to another
section, where we met defendant, Storer
who talked with Crow about compromising.
Storer rode off, saying he would see his part
ner and what he thought of it. Soon after
he left about forty mounted men made toward
US. / left my buggy with Clark and advanced
to meet them. After brief conversation
with them they suddenly covered me with
rifles and pistols. Some of them rode rapidly
toward the wagon occupied by Crow and
Hartt. One of the horses struck my leg with
his foot and threw me down. Am not GER
tain who fired first; think three possibly
four, settlers were killed and one or two
wounded. Hartt was shot in the groin, fatally,
l think. Clark and myself are not hurt.
A. w. POOLE, U. S. Marshal.
1t is further learned that after the shooting
occurred the settlers ran the telegraph oper-
ator at the Hanford depot-who is also agent
of the railroad company-out of town, and
there has been no telegraphic communication
with that place since noon, but news is mo-
mentarily expected from runners dispatched
to the nearest station on the main line of the
Southern Pacific.
OPERATORS STATEMENT.
GOSHEN, May 11th.-I can give no definite
information. l was requested by the
Leaguers to leave about the time the trouble
commenced, and the Leaguers took possession
of the telegraph Office in order to stop tele
graphic communication.
B. DoNAGER, Operator at Hanford.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
KINGsBURY, May 11th.-About $50 this
morning United States Deputy Marshal
Poole, accompanied by w. H. Clark, was in
the vicinity of Hanford for the purpose of
serving writs on She settlers on railroad lands
who had refused to give up possession in those
cases where such had been decided against
them by the United States Courts. Marshal
Poole had put M. D. Hartt and Walter
Crow in possession of one tract,
and the four men were proceeding
to another piece of land, when they saw
about forty mounted men riding towards
them. The United States Marshal left his
buggy and advanced to meet them. After
brief conversation with them they suddenly
covered him with rifles and pistols, and part
of them rode rapidly toward the wagon in the
rear, in which Hartt and Crow were seated.
One of the horses struck Marshal Poole,
throwing him down. It is not known who
commenced the firing. Three settlers =
Knutson, Henderson and Harris-are re-
ported killed, and -McGregor-ba
wounded. M. D. Hartt is supposed to be
fatally shot in the groin. Great excitement
prevails here, and the supposition is that
Crow, who escaped this morning, will be
killed If he is overtaken. Marshal Poole and
Clark are all right.
STATEMENT OF THE RAILROAD OFFICIALS.
SAN FRANCISCO, May 11th.-The Southern
Pacific Railroad Company authorities furnish
the following version of the Mussel Slough
district affair: The Act of Congress under
| which the company holds title was passed in
July, 1866, and took effect on the filing by
| the company of a map of its route, January
3, 1867. The Act carefully reserved all the
rights of settlers which had accrued prior to
January 8, 1867, and the uniform ruling of
the Interior Department has been favorable
to those who had any show of right attaching
on or before that date The patents related
back to that date, and in no case has the
Land Department failed to recognize the
| equities of those in possession st the time the
railroad grant became operative Late in
1876. or early in 1877, the company asked for
the issuance of patents for lands in Mussel
Slough district. In conformity with that
request they were issued in 1877
| for those pieces on which there was