McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1883-12-06
Hon. James Laird's Connection with
The So-called Land Frauds
INDICATED.
The Public Can Judge for Itself After
Reading the Facts Herein
Set Forth.
Interesting Reading for the Omaha
Herald and Bee.

TTlOI W Iuc puUllCaIAOA VI "AoS ~
calls its charges, which are made
part of Moore's defense, the Omaha
Herald and Bee allege that improper
influences had been used with the
local land officers at McCook in COLI
nection with the fraudulent entry on
Sinking Water by Hastings men;
that the same were exerted by Hon.
James Laird in his own interests;
that to aid Laird TO perpetrate a frauds
the land office was not opened
when advertised, but the day before;
that the Hastings entry men were not
identified, and that Congressman,
Laird was present when the entries
were made, using his influence in aid
of fraud. /
These charges, and each and every
one made by the Omaha Herald and
Bee that allege or imply wrong, are
false, and were known to be SO when
made. If not, then the absence of
such knowledge was as criminal
as the falsehood, for the facts
could have been had for the asking.
In proof of this see the certified state
ment of the McCook land officers:
WHAT THE M'CooK LAND OFFICERS
SAY.
MCCooK, NEB., Sept. 10, 1883.
To whom it may concern:
We, G.. L. Laws, register, and @. F.
Babcock, receiver, hereby certify that
this office was opened June Is, 1883, at
Ga. NJ, pursuant to notice, published
as required by law for sixty days in
the newspapers of McCook land dis
trict; that Hon. James Laird was
never in this Office at any time; that
he never spoke to either of the land
officers about lands for himself or any
other person /; that he has not now and
never had a claim of any kind of
record in this land district; that
neither of the officers of this district
have any knowledge of any interest
direct or indirect said Laird has, or
ever had, in any claim of any kind in
this district; that on the 18th day of
June, 1883, Harry Randall, August
Schmidt, James B. Wallace. John H.
Clark, John G. Ballard, Arthur
Williams, William F. Schulthies,
Alonzo w. Laird, Hans M. Oliver,
Orlando III. Mcneil, Frank Slime and
George 81. Hulburt made homestead
entries in the vicinity of the Sinking
Water; that the lands covered by all
these entries were properly subject to
such entry as shown by the plats and
books in this office; that Harry Ran
dali, George III. Hulburt, and all
others named, had their applications
filled out and signed before coming to
the land office on that day; that each
mans name was read as signed to his
papers; that each man was
identified, asked if that was his sig
nature, and if he knew the contents of
the affidavit which he had signed and
each answering in the affirmative, all
were sworn; that no two of said appli-
cations were for or covered the same
tract; that George III. Hulburt's entry
was put on the tract he applied to en-
ter; that as he expressed at that time
some doubt as to the correctness of his
application, the register informed him
of his rights told him that if he had
madea mistake, or had been misled by
any one, that he could amend hisappli-
cation before the record was made up !;
that after the record was made up, he
could apply to the commissioner and
have his entry amended that on the
18th day of June, Mr.. Hulburt was
again advised by the register that if he
had been misled or had made mistake
in his entry that he could amend, and
that if he had made settlement and
improvement as he said he had, no
one could get the land away from him !;
that at that time George 81. Hulburt
informed the register that he did
not want to amend his application be-
cause he was not sure that his entry
as then made did not cover the land
he wanted to enter; that we have
neither record or recollection that
Charles B. Moore ever made applica-
ton to enter any land at this office
till July 20, 1888, when he made
homestead and timber culture entries
in township l, ranges 40 and Al that
said Charles B. Moore never spoke to
either one of the local land officers
here concerning an entry of land any.
where till after July l, 1888; that
cold Monro novor asked IN aap