St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1883-11-03
A LAND OPERATION IN ST
TAMNIANY.
A CONSPIRACY JUST UNEARTHED TO
OBTAIN Possession OF Ten THOU
SAND ACRES OF LAND.
New Orleans Picayune. I

New Orleans Plcayune.
A few days ago a wealthy gentle.
man who has made extensive pur-
chases of timber lands III this State
instituted inquiries concerning tn.
identity of the heirs of Thomas
Powers. Powers was an English.
man who died many years ago,
leaving two daughters, Josephine
wife Of Michael Commagere, and
Blanche Felicite, wife Of Jean Bap-
tiste Vidal. The present heirs are
Mary Ada Wilt, wife of Henry
Blanc, of yicksburg, and Theodore
Adolphe Wilt, of New Orleans,
heirs Of Blanche Powers; and Mrs.
e. Bordelaise, Miss 4. Commagere,
Eugene Garcia, Miss Josephine
Garcia and Miss Eugene Garcia,
heirs Of Josephine Powers.
Powers had a large claim for
land against the United States.
The matter was carried on in the
courts long after the death of the
original claimant. Finally years
ago the United States Supreme
Court in Washington decided in
favor of the estate of Powers, and
declared the last mentioned heirs
entitled to possession. The Wilt
heirs were then minors and were
represented in the Judgment by
Piree Jules Tuyes. A portion of
the land under the Judgment had
been sold by the United States, and
the National Government paid the
heirs for this in script locatable
upon any Government lands. The
estate disposed of tue script and
allowed the unsold land which they
acquired to remain idle.
By the decree Of the Supreme
Court the heirs of Powers became
the owners of about 10000 acres Of
land in st. Tammany parish. at
the time possession was obtained
the lands were worth so little that
not much attention was paid them.
Since the value has increased con-
siderably, and the eyes of land
spectators were turned toward the
vast area of timber.
When the buyer already men,
toned was approached be said he
would purchase the land if a clear
title could be given him. The fol-
lowing was then placed in his
hands:
Eighteenth Judicial Dist. Court, |
Covington. La, Sept. q, 1883. { |
I, William C. Morgan, Clerk, do
hereby certify that James 0. Pool
has duly qualified as administrator
in the succession of Thomas Pow
ers. deceased. That said Pool, as
administrator, has duly petit:oned
the court for a convocatioE Of a
family meetins That under order
of court dated Doth of September,
1883, a family meeting was held on
The 21st of September, 1883. That
they advised a sale of the property
for cash at private sale. That there
is of record in my Office an order
Of court advising and empowering
said Pool to sell said property at
private sale for cash. That the pro-
,es verbal of the family meeting
las been duly homologated.
In witness thereof ! have fixed
ny official signature and granted +,
ny seal of Office, this 22d day of |,
A. d. 1883. Il
WM. c. MoRGAN, 3
Clerk Dist. Court, 18th Jud. Dist. S
Inquiries among the heirs show S
hat no family meeting was cen. L
ened, as represented in the docu- Q
aent, and none held.
Alter this document was issued O
he party OF parties engaged in the t
and grab at Covington communi- t.
ated with . notary in this city, e
skiing him to hunt up the heirs of i,
'owers and cndeavor to purchase O
he land. The notary, probably
navarro of the doings of his clients,
raced the heirs of powers and Of =
,red to purchase the lands. In {
,s meantime tie wealthy Iand buy u
:, who discovered the fraud which r,
was i:atended to practice on him, r.
as negotiating with the real heirs;
ia MS his valuation Of the land far u
zee, Did the notarys offer, the lat +
: was declined. It was under S.