The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1881-04-22
NORTHERN PACIFIC.
Its Old Land Commissioner Sued for Swindling
the Company

company.
Our readers have doubtless read the notice
of the Northern Pacific Railroad Company
In which the successor of James b. Power as
Land Commissioner was announced. Nc
reason was assigned for it at the time. The
following dispatch is explanatory as regards
change in the Commssionership.
ST. PAUL, April 1O.-A great sensation
was caused not only in the Northwest, but
also throughout the country, by the puhlica-
ton to-day of series of suits filed in the
Federal Court against ex-Land Commission.
er James b. Power, of st. Paul, now in New
York, and also against Helen Power, as well
as Chief Clerk Kindred. of the same depart.
ment, and his wife, and also other members
of each of these gentlemen's families. The
complainant is the Northern Pacific Rail
road Company, and the complaint charges
that some time in December, 1875, the com.
pany employed James b. Power and Chas
+. Kindred as its agents for the sale Of the
lands belonging to the land grant, and that
they have continued to act as its agents from
that time until they were discharged from
the companys service-kindred in Deem
Der, 1880, and Power in February, 1881
that as such agents their duty was to negoti-
ate sale of the company's lands and to enter
into contract for such sale, but to negotiate
sales only to actual and bona fde settlers
and at prices that should represent fail
value of the lands sold, not to be less in any
case than their appraised price; to sell lands
valuable for timber only in small lots and
only to actual settlers and at prices based
upon the quantity of timber standing on the
land in addition to the value OF the land it.
self; to collect and receive payments fol-
land, and in general to look after and pro.
mote the interests of the company in all
things. Power and Kindred are charged
with conspiring with otherpersons to deprive
the plaintiff of the benefit which he derived
from the sale of large quantities of its lands
whereby they acquired the title of large
quantities of said lands and the proceeds in
whole or part of other large quantities OF
lands for their own private use and benefit
The bill of complaint specifically charges A
violations Of his duty by Mr.. Power in sell
ing tracts of land for money and with the
money thus obtained purchasing stock of the
company. This stock was received by the
company for the lands and was much below
par, the cOnspirators making the difference
between the money and the price of the
stock.
In the bill to which Mark Paine is party
it is charged that Power and Kindred con-
ipired with Paine, in the fall or winter of
1880, to cheat the company out Of some val
liable pine lands in the county of St. Louis,
by selling the land for $500, whereas the
timber was worth $4,000. Many other
transactions are charged against the defend
ants. The method of the alleged conspira-
third party; then one or the other of the
principals would obtain the preferred stock
of the company at figure away below par
and turn it over to the company as having
been received on the contract from the per-
son owning the land. Then the plan was
for the third party to convey to the princi-
pals or hold in trust for them. The COM
planant company claims to have lost land
and money in large amounts, to it as yet I'M
known, and asks that the title of the land
shall pass back to the company, and for
damages and other proper relief. The de-
PENDANTS are all out of the city aud it is i'm
possible to secure their side of the story.