The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1888-11-29
TURNED OUT OF DOORS,
DES MONIES RIVER LAND
SQUATTERS EVICTED.
Little Resistance offered to the Federal
Marshals-The End of Years
Of Litigation.

the southern part Of Webster and the west
ern part of Hamilton counties. These writs
were the last OF twenty or more issued at
the instance of Thomas Smell, wealthy
resident at Clinton, Ill who about a year
and half ago purchased some Ii, 900 acres
OF the old Des Moines Navigation company IS
land, the title to which has for thirty years
been in dispute.
Marshal Holbrook has with him a posse
of five men, and he needed them all in eff
fecting some Of these evictions. The most
sensational scene was at the residence of
Mr.. Hover. AS the posse approached the
house they were confronted by loaded
gun in the hands of Mrs. Hover. She threat
ened to shoot, and explained that there was
very sick woman in the house whose life
would be endangered by their entering
The marshal and his men nevertheless bat
tered down the door, and on the second
floor found woman with babe but two
days old, and finally determined to let the
family remain for the time being
Matthias Hollis and family were thrown
out upon the street. Six cows and GUAM
tity of corn in the crib were attached to
pay costs. William H. Spainhower occu-
pied good house on fine farm and was
well fixed generally He was evicted yes
terday and horse and some corn attached.
E. Dillows lived on piece of decided land
in Hamilton county, but worked piece of
river land in addition. AS there was moth
ing to evict him from he was passed. A
man named Hook in Hamilton county was
turned out and four horses and his crops
levied on. Christ Olsen's twenty-fiv head
OF cattle and three horses were attached.
but rather than be turned out of good
home he fastened to town and paid $16 an
acre for his quarter section. C. f. Pigman
also came up and settled on Mr.. Smells
terms. The families Of William Gage,
James COPYRIGHT, and man named Lam
pert were hustled into the public highway
with all their belongings and the doors and
windows Of their houses nailed up.
Mr.. See, a special deputy from Cedar
Rapids, armed with writs issued by the
United States courts at Des Moines has
been at work in Webster and Hamilton
counties for some days in the interest of the
;Litchfield estate of Brooklyn, N. Y, and
after serving twenty or more he returned to
Des Moines for fresh supply. The Itch
field estate claims about 405, 600 acres of
these lands, the title to which, according to
frequent decisions of the United States Su-
preme court, was confirmed to the Des
Moines Navigation & Railroad company,
OF whom he and all other claimants are
grantees Other parties, claiming some
o,OO0 or 5000 acres, have, with single
exception, taken no aggressive action in the
matter but are expected to do so soon This
makes the aggregate of lands in dispute
but little more than CO., 900 acres.
In 1871 and since a large number Of
judgments were rendered against the occu-
pants of these lands, and many Of the de-
PENDANTS filed, and were allowed, claims
for improvements under the 'occupving
claimants y law of Iowa, and these allow
ances were promptly paid The majority
OF the occupants have since purchased the
land occupied by them at from So to S15
per acre and are holding it under the navi-
CATION companys title. Those receiving
pay for the Improvements generally Quit
the premises. The ejectment writs now
being served are mostly based on judgments
obtained nine or ten years ago. The oc-
cupants have frequently been asked to pur-
chase or quit, but have refused to do so.
They have paid no rent and with rare ex-
ceptions no taxes. Meanwhile the naviga-
ton company and its grantees have kept
up the taxes
Among the settlers thus far dispossessed
not one had any title to the lands occupied.
and were simply squatters. They formed
a settlers union and have been endeavorino
to get through Congress a bill directing the
Attorney General of the United States to
bring suit against the State of Iowa to set
aside the title, derived from this State. to
all tine lands in dispute north of Raccoon
fork or the city of Des Moines. The bill
has been pending for nine years. 1t was
passed two years ago and vetoed by Presi-
dent Cleveland, on the ground that Con-
gress had already parted with the title, and
it was therefore purely judicial question,
to be settled by the courts The bill was
again introduced in the present Congress.
passed by the Senate, reported by the
House committee on public lands, but not
called up or acted upon
The only forcible resistance encountered
by the marshals, except the one before
mentioned, was offered to Mr.. Holbrook
about a month ago when he was ejecting a
man named Grosenbaugh in Webster county.
Eolbrook was shot but only SLIGHTLY
wounded. His son is completing the work,
B. F. Boynton, PRECEDENT of the Settlers
union, came in the other day and paid
81, 500 for his quarter section, and as he is
the leader Of the obstructionists it is evident
that the backbone of the opposition is
broken. Not more than thirty writs remain
to be issued, covering about five thousand
acres, and little trouble is anticipated
In Polk. Huboldt and Boone counties the
land is held by parties who purchased from
the navigation company years ago. The
trouble is in two or three townships in the
sout' eastarn part of Webster county and in
Wei ster township of Hamilton county. adj.
joining Webster county on the east.
Foriy-One Men Walking.
NEW YORK, Nov. 26.-Forty- one men
started on a six-day tramp in Madison
Square Garden Sunday night Eight
thousand persons were present. The score
at O'Clock Monday morning was: Little
wood 9, Hughes s, Herty 8, Mason 8, Cart
right 8, Noremac s, Golden s. Hagelman 9.
IL