McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1883-12-06

that neither I. J. Starbuck nor any
other person had access to the plats
before June Is, 1883, or on that day;
that said Starbuck did not see the
plats before that day, and then only at
q distance, across the Office counter;
that George 81. Hulburt, when alone
with the register, asked to see the
plats while that officer was taking
them out of the box in which they
had been shipped from North Platte;
that at the same time said Hulburt
asked whether the first man here
would not have preferred right to
make entry, and gave notice that he
was then "here at 8 a. M" June Is,
1888; he was informed that it would
be impossible to show him the plats
then, but when they were arranged
into towns and ranges (Which the
register was then doing) he would be
accommodated, if possible before Ga.
NJ, when the office was to open that
that said George III. Hulburt was the
only man at the opening of this office
or since, who has sought an advantage
over other entrymen by trying to have
secret understanding with the local
officers, and he is the only man who
has sought to make entries for parties
not here. We further certify that
every application presented on the
18th day of June, 1888, was received
by us and entry of the same marked
on the plats and tract books, and no
one entry confiicted with any other
entry offered or made on that day
that Mr.. I. J. Starbuck was not be-
hind the counter in the land office on
June Is, 1883.
G.. l.. LAWS, Register,
G. F. BABCOCK, Receiver.
COMMISSIONERS MCFARLAND THROWS
LIGHT ON THE SUBJECT.
In the course of its summers lying
about Mr.. Laird, and in answer to the
question as to whom its information
came from and who was responsible
for it, the Omaha Herald referred that
gentleman to the records of the gen.
eral land Office, where it implicitly
said the report of a special agent would
be found on file, which would inn
plicate him in its so-called land frauds.
The subjoined letter of the commits
sioner will demonstrate the falsity of
that charge:
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,1
GENERAL LAND OFFICE,
WASHINGTON, D. c., Sept 20, 1881
Hon. James Laird. Hastings, Neb.
Sir:-I am in receipt of your letter
of the 18th instant relative to an in
vestigation of certain land entries in
the McCook district said to haye been
made by one Myers, an agent of this
department, and stating that you
understand the report of the agent to
reflect in some manner upon yourself
personally, and you request copies of
any papers referring to the matters
above named and particularly any
that in any wise refer to yourself.
You are informed that there is no
agent of this office by the name of
Myers employed in Nebraska, and no
report by any agent nor papers on file
in this Office rejecting in any manner
upon you, or connecting you with I'M
lawful entries of public lands.
Very respectfully,
n. G. MCFARLAND,
Commissioner.
WHAT THE HASTINGS PARTY SAYS.
I The gist of the flood of charges, COM
plants. insinuations, implications,
blackguardisms, scurrility, willful ly-
ing, malice, and other venomous COM
pounds of miscellaneous filth, which,
under the general head of Sinking
Water" has been poured through the
columns of the Omaha Herald and
Bee for nearly quarter of a year,
comes to and amounts to this:
l. James Laird is guilty of making
fraudulent entries of public lands him
self, or
2. Has a secret and guilty know
ledge and interest in such entries by