St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-04-21
THE DOUGLAS FRAUD
On the Boards in New Shape
and Will Cause a Lively
Sensation.
It Is Charged That Day and
Mccoy Are Involved in
the Deal.
Gen. Campbell Has Secured
Affidavits From Gov.
Ordway.
About Two Hundred Thou.
About Two Hundred Thou,
sand Dollars Said to Be
the Figures.
To the Editor of the Globe.

10 the Editor or the Globe.
The history of the so-called Douglas
county fraud" is well known to all the
Old-timers in Dakota. The recent war
fare of factions in the territory has
brought the issue to the front again, and
full exposure of those villanous and
fraudulent deals seems imminent.
Involving as it does the Hon. NJ. III.
Day and c. L. Mccoy, it will stir up
sensation of no small proportions.
Hon. Hugh j. Campbell, ex-United
States district attorney for Dakota, has
has been at Washington, d. c., for the
last two weeks in close consultation
with his old enemy, ex-Gov. Ordway.
Mr.. Campbell has not been in Washing
ton for any political purpose, but in the
interest of his client, the people of
Douglas county, Dakota. His business
with eX-GOv. Ordway pertained only to
this case, and he left the capital with
the sworn deposition of the ex-governor
containing all the facts and circum,
stances connected with the
DOUGLAS COUNTY FRAUD.
In the first year of EX-GOy. Ordway's
administration, he having been APP
pointed by Garfield in 1881, petition
was presented to him, with the required
fifty signatures attached, asking for the
organization of Douglas county. Hon.
M. III. Day. who was then member of
the legislature, and G. Il. Mccoy used
their influence with Gov. Ordway to se-
cure the organization, and on the rec-
concentration of Mr.. Day, a board of
commissioners was appointed; and
man named Brown, who was settler
in the region organized, was made
chairman. Gov. Ordway claims that he
acted solely on the information furs
niShed by
DAY AND Mccoy,
the papers in the case being apparently
all right. Nothing further was heard
of the matter until two years later when
suit was begun by Eastern parties hold
ing warrants issued by the county Of
Douglas to recover upon the paper,
which had been secured from Messrs.
Day and Mccoy, and was held as col
lateral. 1t then transpired that the re-
| giOn which had been organized as Doug.
las county, had been nothing but vir-
gin prairie at the time of its organizes
ton, with scarcely an inhabitant ex-
cept he who was known as
"OLD MAN BROWN"
raScally farmer from Iowa, and it was
further shown that the petition with the
fifty signatures had been forged. That
petition is still in the hands of eX-GOy.
Ordway, and will be introduced in evi.
dence when the suit now pending comes
to trial.
In the meantime the county of Doug.
las had become populated with q
worthy class of citizens, and set Of
county officials were elected who
REPUDIATED THE WARRANTS
issued and signed by Brown and negO-
tiated by Day and Mccoy, as fraudu-
lent. The exact amount of these fraud
ulent warrants has never been known,
but 1t is said to be in the neighbOrhood
of 100000. "Old man Brown" issued
warrants for bridge building, road grad
ing and all sorts of Improvements which
were never contemplated. He was q
sort of monarch of
ALL HE SURVEYED,
aud when he wanted anything he just
filled out nicely autographed warrant
of the county of Douglas. When thu
fraud became known "Old Man Brown"
skipped out and his whereabouts the
officials have been unable to ascertain,
until recently. "Old Man Brown" is al
present under the surveillance of a de,
tectiye employed by the county Of
Douglas, and warrant
FOR HIS ARREST
mas Deen forwarded 10 GOV. CnurcH Wnd
has issued the necessary requisitiOn.
Among the witnesses who have been
summoned in the case is Dr. Kemp, OF
Brainerd, MINI. There are also other
witnesses in this state, and one who is
at present residing in New Jersey. II
is expected that Brown will confess ev-
erything. and his confession may i'm.
plicate parties who have hitherto held
themselves up as models of Jeffersonian
honesty. When he is returned to Da
kota, the ball will open lively. sc. E.