The state herald., 1890-05-09
CHEAP LAND.
A SENATOR FROM A NEW STATE
UTILIZEZ A LOCOMOTIVE.
Frontier Lifs--How Outwitted q Law
Yer.

"You never heard how made use
of q locomotive to secure n valuable
piece of property, did you?" said a
Senator from one of the new States.
"Well, it's rather curious sort of a
story, and dates back about thirteen
years, to time when things out on the
frontier were comparatively primitive.
l had invested all the money had in
the world in half section of land on
which the city Of Souix Falls now
stands, only to find subsequently that
my title to the property was weak,
owing to deed recorded after | had
made the purchase, tho person who
made the sale to me having meanwhile
died. On the strength of this deed
suit was brought against me to recover
thrce-fourths of the land, and 1t looked
as though was going to lose it.
"But there was mystery about the
case, somehow. l could not find out
for some time in whose behalf it was
that the suit was instituted, but finally
i discovered that 1t was man named
Jones, living four miles out of Minnc-
apolis on farm. Without delay !
took train for Minneapolis and went
TO sec Jones, who said that he could
not bc the man sought, for the reason
that he had never owned any land in
Dakota. Nevertheless l made up my
mind that he was the person who actu-
ally had the title, although he was not
aware of the fact. The lawyers in
Sioux Falls through whose firm the
suit against me had been instituted,
were simply trying to swindle with a
view to getting hold ce the land with
out notifying the holder of the title ia
the property that he had any such
ownership. That was all clear enough
to mo when learned the fact that ono
of the firm of lawyers in Sioux Falls
was Jones' uncle. So made up my
mind that must obtain from Jones q
title.
got ex-.Judge Sanders of Minneap-
oils, All old friend of Jones's, to 60
with me to see Jones, and explained
to Jones the matter in dctail-thc pre-.
ciso value of the land, the manner in
which came into possession of it, the
validity of his own title, and all the
dctails. Even had so desired, IL
would not have done for me to dis
guise anything, because any misrep-
resentation on my part would render
my title invalid. merely urged that,
on the strength of certain circumstanc.
cs which gave me moral right TO the
land, he ought TO give me title and Sc
place INC in possession of nv own
again. His own friend, the Judge,
urged like argument, and Jones fin
ally agreed to give mo title for tho
nominal payment of $40. The papers
were drawn and went on my way re-
joicing, with my full and clear title to
the property, which was then worth
100000. Unluckily Jones had CON-
municated with his uncle, the lawyer
in Sioux Falls. during this interval be-
tween our two interviews. and didn't
have time TO get out of Minneapolis
before Jones turned up nj the hotel and
demanded the decd back. This meant
that he had received word from his
uncle TO hold on to the land at all haz-
ards, because il rightfully belonged TO
him. OF course would net give up
the deed, and then ensucd q most cx-
traordinary contest.
"Although had the deed my tit,e to
the property was not made until that
deed was recorded at Sioux Falls. Jones
might make the transaction naught by
simply executing another deed and
placing il on record first. The only
thing for me TO do was TO anticipate
any such action on his part by getting
to Sioux Falls myself as quickly us pos.
sib'c. So l took tho first train for
Sioux Falls, and after got on board
kept sharp lookout. The only person
who excited any suspicion in my mind
was u dcformcd little man whom
knew to be u lawyer, and who APP
preached me before we had got very
far on our 250-milc journey. Conver-
saiion followed during which allayed
his suspicion that | was widc-awakc
and confirmed my own notion that he
was nm agent of the enemy. Indeed,
| became satisfied that he actually had
deed in his pocket which IL was his
purpose 10 have recorded before mine.
Several times he got of at stations and
lelcgraphcd ahead to Sioux Falls, ms !
managed TO learn, for n team of fast
horses and carriage TO meet hun al
the depot on his arrival. saw at that
rate was likely TO be beaten unless
could devise some scheme. | set my
wits 20 work, and mn idea occurred Il
me.
left the dcformcd man and went "a
have little talk with the conductor,
the result of which did not appear
until We had got within three miles OF
Sioux Falls. AT that point the train
came TO n full stop, and the locomo'
live. from which II was detached.
went on to the depot. was on the loco.
moiSc, which the other passengers nl
supposed had gone .or wa'cr, includ.
ing the dcformed lawyer, who thought
TINT was IN u rear ear aud was chuck.
ling already over his anticipated
victory. When had been landed In
the city the locomotive went back for
the train, and the dcformcd man upon
reaching the depot jumped Into ear,
riagc and was driven ns quickly n.
possible to the Court House, where he
threw down his deed, saying that he
wanted IL recorded nj once. But the
clerk said that he was just finishing tho
record Of another deed handed To him
half mn hour before 70 certain half
section Of land. Tho lawyer took q
lock u. the record aud saw that he was
beaten, though he could not imagine
NJ the time how II Ind been done.
.Ioncs's uncle who engineered tho at.
tempted swindlc, afierward voted for
mo when ran for the Legislature, be.
cause hc said that was the only
man who had ever gotten away with
lin IN n business natter Washing
ton Star.
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