New-York tribune., 1890-01-12
THE STOLEN LAND PATENT
AN ARMY OF PEOPLE WAITING FOR THE
VERDICT.
THE pLorTERs NOT IDLE MEANwHILE-AN Ex-
TRACT FROM MRS sTARKEY'S TESTIMONY
BEFORE THE COMMISSION OF INQUIRY.

the matter Of the stolen Duluth land patcn-coverins
certain valuable mineral lands averaging IN value
from 100000 up to unknown quantity, pToDa1N
up among the millions-was completed some time ago.
no decision has vet been reached. Meanwhe' ho'
Dnly the claimants and the attorneys interested ou.
also the whole bar practising before the "ehcial ldhu
Office. and the army of home,tcaders erdzci'' SUM
rascrs, cash purchasers and mineral claimants WIN
Others who have interests in the pupn' ldiu'' '0
sttI "waitinc for the verdict which "ceterls
parbus" affects their titles and business d. "c d.
the pockets Of Messrs. Hartman ana MaIle' wiz" uo
other plotters in the ncfari )Is seal Nmic Vhe
report of the Commission of Inquiry Is thuS Nlhe
before the Commissioner, Hartman ~ CO. nave ocon
hv no means idle. The old adaic u'"V p'i"' VI "
,cathor- are ami 10 coneregac with one another IS
horne out by the fact that lonS aruoH appears ID
recent issue Of Duluth new srapcr bearing the ear
,nor,e, of a hVycr of that Cty. who was recently
openlv charged. in regular proceedings ana IN a
priucd brief before the secretary ci the INTERIOR WIN
snbordnatiOn d perjury. In this article II Is directly
charged that the lawyer for the other SIDE refused to
produce eviderce consisting of alleged telegrams'
whereas it is matter Of fact, as shown pv ue
testimony, that the attorney in question. J. h.
Redngton. i, on record follows in the testimony =
"I desire 10 say further to the Commission that, If
they wish it, tlcy welcome to an order from me TO
The Western Union or the Postal Telegraph Company TO
abstract any telegram from me, or 10 me, III cohhcc
t0n with this natter
4 like offer vaS also made by every attorney in the
case. EXCEPT those of Hartman 4 Malct. who refused
point blank to produce any tcegrams, or allow Mr.
Mauet to ,c sworn. The papers upon which this
stolen Duluth patent was issued bore the number
142O. and having been taken from the files OF Di-
vision &C" although notice of contest by Mr. Rcdlng
Ton was noed upon them were brought To Mrs
starkey who i'm the patcnnS division, had the duty
of giving them to the patent writers for due prep
araton of the patent Finding that those representing
the richful owners in the investigation were after
them hot foot the " combine first endeaNorcd to
show that Mrs Starkcy did not make any memorandum
from list presented 10y Luther Harrison in their in
tere,t and to expedite the fraudulent suc, but that
bor memorandum was made from incorrectly trans,
mitted telegram which had misled even them. their
contention being that another case for patent Of
entirely different parcel of land and numbered 1.i22,
was the entry which they really designed To steal
on Monday. December 23, 1850, Mrs. Augusta c.
starkcy being recalled TO the winessstand, testified
By Mr. Potter (of the Commission: OWN
Won state on what day that entry was made of
Duluth cases Oanding witness homestead docket t.
Division b! A.-November To- that is the date
gave them.
Odd you make the entry from the cases them
selyesl Al did. l always make the entries from
the
Q-Were those cases entered in the morning. or in
the afternoon Of the 1Gthl A.-That cannot say.
Mr.. Townsend was away at the time, and was very
busy. l have TO keep the patent writers supplied
Q-You see 42O there do YOU not? Al do.
Q-YOu wrote that, did you not Exhibit Az
A.-Yes, sir.
Odd YOU send for certificate 42O, that is noted
thereon in Division c? Al have authority for
sending for the cases got to Mr. Townsend and say
such case is called up.
Odd YOU send for that case Al did not
send for that case myself ! showed it to Mr. Town
send.
o.-was the case 1920 brought to YOU At
was brought to me. I gave it ont with this lot.
Q.-Who brought it t? Al don't know. II was
brought down with that card flom Mr. Douglass.
Q.-When You presented this slip to Mr. Townsend.
did he return it Al do not remember seeing II
again. The slips l remember 1,i20 and 1872.
il sent W f,r the cases.
Q.-Who If any person. instructed YOU to give
out for patent this lot! A.-Mr. Townsend.
Q.-Whcnl Al think the morning OF
that day. He wa, sick the 15th; he
went home sick that afternoon. /
copied those two numbers 10 show him they were
not with the lot.
BY Mr. Conway 20: the Commission: Q.-The re
oordcr Wa, there portion Of the day Ale went
home in the aftcrnoon.
Odd YOU have instructions 10 give ont
these case, prior 10 November Il
A-No. Sir II wa because had no authority until
Mr.. Townsend came back. l went around and told
him Nj. Harrison desired those to 20 To patent He
said How many have yJuf7 ] said " There were
very few lie said: "Gc them ready and get them
out."
By Mr.. Potter (of the C0mm,,ionl: o. hand the
witness Exhibit L. Nou identify the paper do You
notl Al DO. IT las bee mutlated since had H.
Q.-Do you remember whether the list handed to
Won Wa filed with au!rotatiG, % the entries the
PAGE at the bottom or there blank space on the
lrst page Al caunot eay a, 10 that. lie came
over with this piece If paper twice. ii seems to me
that it wa larger piece Of pal1r have thought OF
il and thought OF aud cannot erase that large piece Of
paper from my memory csn1ot wear tIai IT. wa,
w larger laid it on my desk and -aid il was a
shame mat the attorneys c0uid not send earlier Iu tho
dal. ] finished what rhtres .oud, giving .ldtu''
handed back To- the boy and aid be would have
] went around 10 Mr. Townsend, nr had gone home
sick. copied Two cntrc, o., another piccc of paper
tLcv should ~ 10 patent lie said Very well. how
many have youl~ J aid: VERY few lie said
Q-Thc TWO cntre, you referred 10 a having copied
did you refer to this memorandum, exhibit y
sCDsn @ ~ "n re' " ''ef, r,yoII ~ , nt torc
coIIcd to show him the morning / went there
AID said Here are some homestead entre7 na' Mr
Harrison want, to 20 % patent" lie sad " II they
are approved they belong 10 Division H." He said
Take what entrc, YOU have there and put with tch
and put to patent
Q.-I hand the witnc-, Exhibit E. Did you eyer
that telegram before! Al have not the least
recollection Of seeing ii before, except in my eNamina
Q.-Look at those note, On the enof A.-Ihere is
h%D1n"S % 2 thIIe ) eyer PuI oh ,1Hc eyic~""' w "''
Q.-Do YOU remember having seen those annoiaiionS
the paper in Division b.? Al have seen them
paper in Division f..
Q.-Dd, yoa see nat paper: Al must have
seen H. for | remember one day telegram
brought in. He said AZ was wanted not 1.42O.
Q.-When was this presented TO YOU first IN Diy
sion A-The first time ! saw it when the
boy presented It,
o.,who wa, j. that Informed you that it was
] 422 and not ] .420 that Wa, wanted - think
II was Mr. seymour twho with Luther Harrison, was
counsel for the "cOmblne~I that came over.
Q.-Whcn YOU We're informed a. YOU s,ac Won
think by Nr seymour, that ,42O was not wanted
VA, there any observation remarks made requesting
Won 10 withdraw 1.42O from this lot? A.-So sir:
never a word said about Withdrawing those cases.
Odd auy person request suggest to yor that
] 400 ought not to 20 to patent! A.-No. sir:
a,vc ouf those cases ] would give any cases
moi knowing there was any fraud or suspccting any