Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1890-01-11


dozen claimants. and Twas glad to know
that no person was aware OF the pecu-
liar embarrassing circumstances in
which / was placed. However, my
/ dreams Of reace were not long to re-
main undisturbed
About a week after had located my
Cam Young man came riding mp in
| front of my tent, aud after friendly
greeting he inquired of me if l was not
the man who had lost a pony and had
crossed the line into Oklahoma before
! the 22d while hunting it. | was, as it
were, thunderstrucll by these remarks,
but before | could reply he resumed:
Il was satisfied YOU were the man
when | saw that black pony of yours
and YOU are very uniucly, for some
| body will be sure to jump your claim
and YOU will be sure to lose it,
Fearing that this might be his err
rand now | asked him ii he had been
lucky enough to secure n claim, to
which he replied he had. Then l told
him | really was the person referred to,
but that | hoped to come out all right
when the land department was made
acquainted with the circumstances
After talking little while longer he
mounted his horse, saying that he was
going to Guthrie to file on his claim
! had located my tent on the north side
of the claim. which ran down to the
creek, forming quite little bottom, or
valley, which was covered with a
growth of young timber. For several
days did not go out on the prairie. be-
ing busily engaged in cutting poles and
constructing a rude cabin, but one day,
concluding that | would need stock of
supplies, | started to Guthrie to do
some trading. On my return. two days
after, / discovered, to my surprise, that
my claim had been jumped, for in my
absence small pole cabin had been
built on the south end of my claim. [
rode up to the door of the cabin, which
was closed and after knocking and get
ting no response, [ pushed the door
open, and, looking in, was surprised to
notice how neat everything was. "Evi-
IDENTIFY" said [ to myself, "this person
must be a person of considerable re-
fnement, considering the array of toilet
articles to be seen" l closed the door
and stood thinking for while, and
finally it occurred to me that the per-
son who built the cabin might not have
been aware that [ occupied the quarter
section, as my camp was at a very $50
lated place, and | concluded to post n
notice on the door, informing the claim
jumper of my prior claim
to that particular quarter section
This done | rode to my camp to await
developments. did not go back for
several days to see if my contestant had
relinquished the claim he had jumped
or not, but having business that called
me to Guthrie, | went there again. [
finished my business, aud to my sur
prise | found on returning, the follow
il notice written in a delicate hand
posted on my door.
/ To the person lrho built this cabin:
! DO you not know, sir that the fact,
! which can prove, that you were in Okla
homa before the % debars you from acquir-
/ ing a title to this claim? II you do not, you
should read the Presidents proclamation.
l nave come to stay, and you may as well
yacate for mean to hold this claim"
(Signed)
THE PARTY LOCATED OK THE sorTH SIDE"
This was all til ere was Of II. No per-
sons name was attached, but it was
enough to make my blood boil, and l
decided to use more stringent measures
to Gust the Claim Jumper. Accord
ingIy | rode over to the cabin next
night, and finding it empty | proceeded
] ~, Io -,
every direction. Then / went back to
camp, and busted myself all day at
work digging a we'll On the following
day, concluding that it might be well
to see if any attempt had been made tC
rebuild the cabin. | went out on the
prairie to reconnoiter. Sure enough
there was the cabin rebuilt [ began
to think that the Claim jumper was a
least determined person, and intende.
to make his word good as stated in the
note on my door. Being equally deter
mined decided on regular campaign
which | intended to keep up all sum
mer. So back to my own cabin went
and arming myself with Wincheste
rifle and an ak, | set out for the cabil
on the south side determined to demol
ish it or die in the attempt As | cam
in sight of the cabin | barely got
: glimpse of some one closing the door
and as / walked on | carefully watche,
the cabin to see if any person woul,
leave it, but no one was 10 be seen
Arriving at the cabin door L knocke
! several times but receiving no reply
called loudly several times and ther
7 was no answer. Then said in lou
;. tones:
! This is my claim, and ] will not a
! low any Claim Jumper to stay on it,an
! want you to come out aud we wi
! settle the matter. | am q poor ma
) and this is the only chance of securin
, a homestead at present, and being her
=. first / am determined to hold it at a
4 hazards
!. Although these were brave words
! felt a sense of fear on finishing then
! How did | know but what | was tall
ing to some reckless desperate WI
, might be glad Of this chance to fill II
{ with lead. After waiting several m
| ments without any reply, my cpuap
: began TO return, and said to myse
+ that the occupant Of the cabin was
IT,. biz a coward rs | was. aud was trying