Omaha daily bee., 1882-11-05
Farmer Long of Burt County
Compelled to Pay 500 for
His proof Papers"
Which Valentine Held in His
Pocket Till the Money
was Paid.
The Romig Homestead in Cum
ing County Sold by Vel.
While Register.
Perjury, Forgery and Robbery.

In The Tekamah B~urtonian of Octo-
Der Goth, '82, there appeared the fol.
! swing:
Ask Ben. Long, of Decatur, how It is
that he had to give a yoke of oxen worth
$3.50 to Valentine. to have an error cor.
rected which he had not made.
In addition to this inquiry there
were several just as pertinent, but
Mr.. Long was the one they decided to
"ask," there are scores of others ready
to testify against Valentine if inquired
of. Abbott of Decatur, prepared an
affidavit just oil one point; namely
the statement that the payment had
been made while Valentine was regis
ter of the land office, which Mr.. Long
partly answers In his affidavit before
Mr.. Abbott, as at the time he deliv-
cred the oxen, Valentine had been
superseded by WEIGH. Nothing had
been said in The B~urtonian as to time,
place or conditions, the simple re-
quest was to ask if it did happen.
MIR. Longs first affidavit tells just a
grain of truth Valentines sapper
did not want it all. Here is a first
statement, one, by the way, he would
not have made had he known the
whole truth could not be given.
Friends in Decatur soon learned of
the imposition practiced aad Mr..
Price of The Herald saw Mr.. Long
and obtained from him a full state
ment, which he published with the
Abbott affidavit:
State of Nebraska, )ss
Burt County, ~
Benjamin Long, being by me first duly
sworn, on his oath deposes and says that
any statement made that E. K. Valentine,
while register of the land office of the
United States at West Point, ever charged
him (Benj. Long, 500, or any other; ever
took from him a yoke of oxen, or any 9th
er property, to apply as a fee, or in any
ottSr way, either directly or indirectly, is
/holly false. BENZ. LONG.
~ Subscribed in my presence and sworn to
before me this Slst day of October, 1882.
A. G. ABBOTT, Nortary Public.
The p%ettifogger's hand is visible in
the above; he did not want the whole
and did not put it in, even when Mr..
Long desired it; for Long desired to
10 right IN the matte, and not leave
the impression that he desired to cover
up any part of the transaction, 80 he
explains all in this
SECOND AFFIDAVIT.
STATE OF NEBRASKA, GO
BURT COUNTY.
Benjamin Long, being first duly sworn,
h. says that about the year 1870 he made
M proof on his homestead, before IL. X. Val
enf!pe, who was then register of the West
NPoint land office, and that about two years
thereafter, while in the office, MIR. Valen-
tine informed me that my proof was insult
ticient, and when asked if he could inform
me what to do, or could assist me, he said
that in o few days he would be out of the
land office and would take my case.
l then employed Valentine; his fee was
500, which I agreed TO securs to him on a
yoke of X of mine. About q month
after | vent to West Point with additional
proof, and Valentine then took from mt a
mortgage upon the oxen to secure the
agreed fee of 800, and in about
sixty days thereafter L was notified
by him Of the issuance OF my
patent, and not having the money to
pay said fee delivered up my oxen to Val
entine to be sold, with the express agree.
ment that he would pay me all the pro-
ceeds of the sale over 500. The oxen
were sold for $lRJ in about q month after
ward, and after much dunning, and finally
going to West Point, l received an order
on a merchant there for SIS. At the time
of receiving this order | authorized Val to
pay for ne S12 due The Omaha Republi-
can for subscription, but that about one
year thereafter was called upon by said
newspaper or the subscription, n after
much time and trouble was finally ill.,
formed it wa settled. The final proof on
my bopestea was made and passed while
Mr.. Valentine waS in the land mfr ee, and
{ any Mistakewas made or my proof was
insufficient he mould ha We Informed me
IemplOyed him above stated while he was
!. an oficigl in thdlaUA office, and the above
~&SnAlntioued sumsaTe all | ever received
frona Va,2nSIne, nd there il due me from
him n balance otSS from the sale of the
oxen which he has often promised to pay
me, bat has neveIdone 80. / was com
PEELED to pay him te eNhorbitant sum. !
was a poor man VIII a large family, and
the yoke Of oxen taku by him was all /
had for farming puIose, all of which he
knew. / make Enlightenment for the
reason that IN a form affidavit made by
me in relation to the latter a full state
ment of all facts wasiot made for the
reason that the parties 1uesting the same
did not desire it in full. Benz LONG.
Subscribed IN my presee and sworn to
before me by said a~fianthis 2nd day of
November 1872, and / csify this afida-
Wit was read by affiant bore signing the
same. L. D.AMILToN,
County JSdge, Burt tunty. Neb.