St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-01-05
"A Racy Chapter of Inside His
tory Told by Parties Who
Know It All.
0rdway Johnson Was the
Schemep Who Made ALI
the Music, Both
For the Spontaneous Uprising
of One-State People in
Dakota
And the Gudgeons at Wash
ington and Aberdeen to
Hold the Bag.
Special to the Globe.

Special to the Globe.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 4.-The complica-
lions which surround the Dakota Ques-
ton in the Democratic house originated
at Aberdeen. Dak., in the brain of a
peculiar character. The true story OF
the uprising of the people, was told
recently by participants; a man who is
himself one of the tailors of Tooley
street. In the general land Office there
is celebrated case, Dayton versus Day
ton. in which sort of Jarndyce versus
Jarndyce contest has developed over
the title to a portion of the city
of Aberdeen, Oak. James r. Dayton
with his attorney. j. H. Hauser, both of
Aberdeen, were in the city recently,
and Hauser made argument in the land
case before Assistant Secretary Null
1row. Before leaving the city your
correspondent conversed with both of
the gentlemen upon territorial topics.
Mr.. Dayton said: II am a Democrat,
but l took part in the anti-division
movement because l am business man.
You see, if Dakota were admitted to the
Union as one state, Aberdeen
WOULD BE THE CAPITAL.
The land which now hold at $500, 900,
would be worth S2,0O0,00O within few
wears. You can readily see that do
not want to have Dakota divided and
my reasons are financial rather than
political. l have spent several thou
sand dollars in anti-diviSiOn conventions
and lobbies."
Mr.. Hauser smiled CHEEKY indorse-
ment OF all that was said by his client,
and then added his mite to the history,
saying:
81 am Republican. but my principal
interest isgin Aberdeen, and hence /
opposed division. The house commit
tee OH territories. OF which, Springer is
chairman, has been
BLUFFED OUT OF IT'S BOOTS.
We have committed Springer and the
rest so that they are all tied up, and we.
did it scientifically, too.'
''How was it done?'
"The whole scheme originated with
L. G. Johnson, commonly called Ord
way johnson, because of his ownership
of the town of Ordway. He is the great
est schemer in Dakota. There is not only
fertility of resources under his old felt
hat, but there is steam engine vigor and
pluck in him to carry out his plans"
when and how did he mystify
Springer?"
HE called meeting of about twenty
business men in Aberdeen in Decem-
Der, 1887. He passed word around
quietly TO the men in whom he had con-
tidence, and we met one night in room
in Aberdeen and exchanged ideas about
a. STATEHOOD AND DIVISION.
II made speech. and so did others.
Finally johnson got up and unfolded
his plan. We adopted it at once, and
were ready to adjourn when johnson
stopped us and said that the entire bust
ness must be done Immediately or our
game would he blocked. We subscribed
about $1,000. and johnson went to
work. He stayed up all night, every
printing press in town was set agoing,
score of people were addressing en-
velopes and mailing blank petitions to-
congress protesting against division of
the territory. The associated press sent
word to all the world that at "a spontal
neous uprising of the people of central
Dakota, it had been resolved, and SO
forth. The newspapers of the territory
advertised call for
PEOPLES CONVENTION
to assemble in Aberdeen the following
week. Agents were sent into each
county to push the petitions. We held