Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1882-01-26

istration, and clamored for an early
trial, and when the administration
changed, they secretly hoped that the
whole matter would fizzle out, and even
talked of sueing the Government Off.
cials for defamation of character. But
they wore mistaken in their man, and
when Brewster was appointed Attor
ney General they gave up the ghost.
He has just directed his assistants to
not only vigorously push the criminal
prosecutions, but to commence civil
proceedings against every one of the
innocents and make them disgorge
every cent of their i'll gotten gains. He
also says that he will lead the criminal
cases in person and that means that
somebody will get hurt.
There has been shaking up of dry
bones or fat "ringmen" recently, in the
Land Office, that has resulted in shak-
ing some out of office, and more yet to
DO shook, whom they say, quinine wont
save. During the last eight years there
has been combination of rascals, both
inside and out of the Department, by
whom the Government has been de-
frauded out of large amount of lands.
Judge Mcfarland the present Commits
sioner, who is blest with large amount
of common sense and old time honesty,
and who believes that the Government
should be protected from the ravages
Of rings and dishonest officials, upon
these rumors coming to his notice or
dered an investigation, and in conse-
quence Of which, heads have conmenc-
ed to fall into the waste basket already.
Since 1879 the Stats Of Florida has
obtained over 100000 acres Of the
public domain under tho swamp land
act. When this grant was made tho
rumor got ahoat that, instead Of being
swamp land, much of this enormous
acreage was agricultural and tillable and
had been tilched from the Government
by the fraud of land ring. Schurz
sent down Commission from the Land
Office to make inspection, who reported
everything regular. Since then such
indisputablo evidence that one third of
the grant was agricultural land, has
been presented to the Commissioner
that he dissolved the old Commission;
and it is said Congress will by resolu-
ton appoint Commission to investi.
gate this fraud, and also tho land grabs |
of large bodies of land in New Mexico
The Secretary, within few days
past, made very important decision
affecting the rights Of widows Of de-
ceased homestead settlers under the act |
of March 3, 1879. The act provides
that where a settler has heretofore
made an entry Of less than l6O acres
of land within the limits of a railroad
grant, he may now make an entry of
q sufficient number Of acres to make
l60 acres. In the case under consid-
GRAFTON the deceased homesteader made
an entry Of so acres and after his death
the widow applied to enter an addition.
al 80 acres under said act The Com.
missioner refused the application and
held that the right was a personal one,
which only the person who made the
original entry was entitled to exercise.
The Secretary, on appeal, reversed the
Commissioners decision and held, that
1.-THE provisions of tho act are remedial |
and while the benefciaries take by de.
scriptive words, thus combining the |
grant to personal right. the spirit Of
the act must be observed in recogniz-
ing whomsoever mayrhave been proper
objects of relief, if pointed out with
reasonable clearness by the descriptive
language used"
"The words who had under existing
laws taken a homestead comprehend
and include all persons who in any
by original entry or by opera
ton Of law have succeeded to the right |
to make final proof and payment Of fees
and take the patent for the land. As
this right is cast upon the widow by |
operation of law, she must be held to
have taken the homestead under exist
ing laws, and should not by narrow and
unequitable construction DO deprived
of the benefit Of the amendatory stat
ute." She WAS also permitted to make
the entry without the payment Of any
additional fees or commissions.
LEWISTON.
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