National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1885-06-30
MIR. rLK1Ns EXPLAINS.
He Denies Any Alleged or other Owner
ship I'm the Maxwell Claim.

ship I'm the Maxwell Claim.
The following letter has been sent to the
commissioner Of the general land Office since
the publication OF the report Of the comlnis-
soner to the Secretary Of the Interior;
DEER PARK, SIP. June %, iSs5.-Dcar Sir:
In your recent report to the Secretary Of the
Interior on tho "MnNwcll Grant" In New
Mexico. extracts from which have scon In
the newspapers, the following appears:
"The contract for the survey was given 10
brother of the alleged owner Of the grant and
the alleged owner was tho bOudsman."
lns..mueh as my brother John I. EIlilni,
wns the deputy United states surveyor whl
made thc survey, aud | was on hts bond,
assume you refer to me when YOU use the
Mqig ssfd SS pwncr ya vii t1 aioy y1n no az s,S c5 m
rect am not now aud never was an owner,
directly or iudiectly, IN the maxwell grant"
This grant was confirmed by act OF Congress IN
l,O. Ia 1909, oncr obtaining the written Qpln'
ions Of some of ;hc leading attorneys Of the
country-among them George H. Curtis. Nc.
Eyaris, Judge Noah Dayis, and Mr. Bayorl,
and thut Of Judah Z. Benjamin Of IondOn-1s
TO the validity of the title, which opinions arc
on fllc IN your Office, some foreign capitalists
purchased and paid for ihls grant y iO(Qol,
Mexico 10 own aud develop Il. / had No knowl.
| edge whatever Of tho confirmation Of the grant
by Congress or the sale Ia 1863 until Il was con.
| tummatcd. Amer the organization OF tho
| company | was made It's attorney IN New
/ Mexico, Barlow, Larocque, AMI Mlchtlnnd
DelnW tue utiOIilryA III NeW 1ntA ulu MT
| Benjamin the attorney In London The law
requiring three resident directors In New
Mexico, / consented to act rs u director OF the
| company without any share I'm the manage
! meut and, IN order 10 qualify mo and partly
| MS compensation for being attorney, | was
| gwen few shares Of the capital stOck-lcss
| than one hundred-which proved Of no value.
| In 1873 ceased all active connection rs attor-
noy, and I'm 1875 ] resigned, both as attorney
| and director. In 1873 or 1879 | was employed
| by the receiver Of the company to represent
| him before the Interior Department in an up.
| birdseyo being the attorney Of tho bond
holders. About this time the decision Of
| tbs United states supreme Court In the case
| Of Tameling vs., the United States Freehold
| and Emigration Company reported in 3d Otto,
| the effect of confirmation by Congress of q
! Mexican grant. Upon this decision was in.
| formed that q patent was granted, Mr.. Carl
| Schurz being Secretary Of the Interior. / have
| no interest, directly or indirectly, in the suits
now pending IN the courts to set aside the
thereof find myself Obliged to make this
statement because upon your report n number
| OF papers have connected my name with the
| giant as being an owner and being Interested
In the pending litigation, and therefore. q
| patty 10 what your report makes fraud upon
| the government
would thank you to furnish inc any intor.
| YOU TO believe l was an owner and II not
| already convinced, will show you II Is not
true. May also ask you to have this letter
| placed among the papers on file In your Ollice
In the case Of the Maxwell land grant Very
respectfully S. u. ELKGSs.
| TO the Hon Commissioner OF the General
Land Olcc, Washington, ID. G.