Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-09-23

Two Recent Extraordinary Instances of
It's Perversion.

well as in some other States. Several
years ago, in Ventura county, wealthy
man named More secured possession OF
Mexican grant calling for a certain
number OF leagues of land. BY processes
VII known among land thieves here, he
managed to "doa" the boundary lines so
as 10 cover a large extent OF rich land, to
which he had not the shadow Of just
claim. His pretantions were contested
by a number Of settlers who took up the
disputed tract under the homes tead law.
The case was bitterly fought through the
courts and before the departments at
Washington. nnally resulting, after sew.
eral years in a complete victory for the
settlers claims. and against th3 greedy
land grabbors. 10 the meantime, how
ever. More re@Orted to various petty per-
secutiOns OF the struggling settlers, which
they We're almost pOwerless to prevent
He turned stock upon the grain fields
which they were too poor TO fence, as ali
their ready money was consumed in fight
ing bis fraudulent claims. lie cut theiI
irrigating bitches and prevented them
from obtaining water, even for domestic
use, and harassed them in the thousand
and one ways which only "A deVilish inGe-
nulty, backed by wealth in unscrupulOus
hands, could suggest. Every effort WAS
made TO protect themselves legally, but
WIS met by vexatiOus counter litigation.
Is it to DO wondered at, then, that finally,
wrought to desperation by seeing their
property destroyed, and fearful lest, as
had too often been the case, wealth should
triumph over justice. resort was finally
had-to what 5 here called the "p0or man $
law'-the rihef
One night More was awakened by the
burning OF some OF his haystacks, and on
going out 90 the fie he was surrounded
by masked men and fell dead, riddled
with bullets from the guns with which
all were armed. The State rang with the
story There was. OF course. no question
as to who were responsible for the deed,
as the dead mans persecution of his
neiahbOrs was known far aud wide. But
the individual identity of those concerned
in the affair was well-kept secret. The
heirs OF MOTe's millions We're not idle,
and finally several arrests were made OF
those who had suffered most at the dead
mans hands. The case came TO trial,
one OF the accused prOfessed to turn
States evidence, and on his testimony
the trss man tried-a whilom preacher
aamed Sprague-was convicted and seu-
fenced 10 >be hanged. The next case
came up, the States evidence witness re-
tTacted all his confession. owned up hav-
ing perjured himeeif all through, and the
otner prisoners We're perforce discharged,
as not sufficient other evidence could be
adduced againstthem. Sprague, convict
ed on evidence cOnfessedly perjured,
would have been hanged but for the Gov
eTnor, who very graciously commuted
his sentence to imprisonment for
lie, and he is now in prison, kept
there by perjury backed by an immense
fortune.
Prominent among those who secured
Sprague's conviction by the means related
was brother Of the dead lGnd-grabber,
himself millionaire and large property
owner. on the coast of Santa Barbara
and included by law within the bounda-
fies OF that county, are several islands,
one OF the largest of which is held by this
man More as sheep ranch. Santa Rosa
Is the name Of this small principally. 1t
is some twenty-eight or thirty miles long
and three or four wide, and affords one OF
the finest sheep ranges in the States.
Over all the occupants Of this island, both
human beings and brutes, More rules as
q king. When this autocrat saws GO
they 90, and stand not upon the order o:
their going. When he says stay, they
stay, or take the consequences. This
monarch Of alp engaged a Chinese cook
for the hands on the island during the
over the thirty miles OF channel which
separate the island from the mainland by
means OF small schooner, also MOTe's
property, whose infrequent trips are the
only means OF communication with the
shore.
Alter time the Chinaman became dis
satisfied with his situation, cut OF as he
was from all communication with his fell
low-countrymen, and expressed wish
-. a.rasH 20. H. IL.
refused 70 allow him 10 do so, and kept
him virtual prisoner on the island for
over year, although many trips were in
tue meantime made back and forth by
the schooner. Every effort Of the home.
sick Chinaman 10 return was systemati-
caiiy thwarted, until finally ono day when
he was sick and a sOluteiy unable "a
work longer, he went down 70 the little
wharf just as the vessel was about start
ing FOR the mainland and announced his
determination to leave. More ordered
him Oh the structure and back to bis
work. The ChinamAn answered by walk
ing on down the wharf. More then drew
hts revolver and struck the poor fellow
over the head, infcting a CHASTITY wound
Naturally the Chiuaman reached for his
sheath knife, which Is universally worr
in that section, but "a shot from his mas
ter's pistol stretched him dead on the dock
VI course bucn Migrant act ever
though committed by man OF influence
upon triendless heather, required thai
some legal notice should be taken of it
So More was nominally arrested, and
when he was brought before the court fol
trial his counsel had the hardwood TO adj.
vance the plea that. though his client un
uoubtealy committed the deed, still the
end OF tue wharf where the victim fell
was DeyOn the low water mark, and
therefore not in the jurisdiction OF the
county Of santa Barbara or for that mat.
ter any other authority. Consequently
he argued, More must be discharged. Tue
Judge held that this mOnstrous doctrine
was correct, and discharged the confessed
manslayer. The local press were strange
ly silent on the subject cOntenting them
selves with bare mention OF the fact OF
More's discharge. To the credit of ID,
District Attorney, however, he has taker
the case on writ OF error 10 the SUI
preme Court, where IL is still Under con
sidoraton.
A veritable epidemic OF murder and
suicide seems 20 have struck this coas
and the newspaper columns are filled
vita accounts OF deeds OF blood, eacl
succeeding one seemingly more bloody
than the others. Hardly n week ago
youth Of 20 shot a beautiful Young girl
the daughter OF ono OF the oldest an,
wealthiest spanish families IN the state
but who had "gone wrong" shortly ofteI
leaving the convent where she was edu
Gated. Ills boyish attentions were dis
tasteful 10 the girl ana after many rebuff