Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1890-05-15
CHEAP LAND.
"A SENATOR FROM A NEW STATE
UTILIZEZ A LOCOMOTIVE.
Frontier Life--How I Outwitted a Law
yer.

piece of property, did you?" said a
Senator from one of the new States.
..Well, it's rather curious sort of a
story, aud dates back about thirteen
wears, 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, the 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 it looked
as though was going to lose it.
"But there was a 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 it was man named
Jones, living four miles out of Mime
apois on farm. Without delay l
took train for Minneapolis and went
to see Jones, who said that he could
not be 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 of the land with
out notifying the holder of the title to
the property that he had any such
ownership. That was all clear enough
to me when learned the fact that one
of the firm Of lawyers in Sioux Falls
was Jones' uncle. So l made up my
mind that l must obtain from Jones q
title.
got ex-,Judge Sanders of Minneap-
oils, an old friend of Jones's, to go
with me to see Jones, and l explained
to Jones the matter in dctail-the pre-
else value of the land, the manner in
which came into possession of it, the
validity of his own title, and all the
details. Even had I SO desired, it
would not have done for me to dis
guise anything, because any misrep-
rcsentation on my part would render
my title invalid. merely urged that,
ON the strength of certain circumstance
es which gave me moral right to the
land, he ought to give me title and so
place me in possession of my own
again. His own friend, the Judge,
urged like argument, and Jones fin
ally agreed to give me title for the
nominal payment of $40. The papers
were drawn and went on my way re-
joicing, with my full and clear tide to
the property, which was then worth
$4,000. Unluckily Jones had COM
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 at the hotel and
demanded the deed back. This meant
that he had received word from his
uncle to hold on to the land at all haz.
ards, because it rightfully belonged &c
him. OF course l would not give UP
the deed, and then ensued most ex.
'traordinary contest.
"Although had the deed my tit'c te
the property was not made until thai
deed was recorded at Sioux Falls. Jones
might make the transaction naught by
simply executing another deed an(
placing it on record first. The only
thing for me to do was to anticipat,
any such action on his part by getting
to Sioux Falls myself as quickly as pos
sib!e. So | took the first train fol
Sioux Falls, and after got ON boart
kept sharp lookout. The only person
who excited any suspicion in my mint
was deformcd little man whom
knew to be Il lawyer, and who ap
preached me before we had got yer,
far on our 25O-mile journey. CONVEX
sation followed during which allaye'
his suspicion that l was wide-awak
and confirmed my own notion that h
was an agent of the enemy. Indeed
became satisfied that he actually ha
a deed in his pocket which it was hi
purpose to have recorded before mine
Several times he got off at stations an
telegraphed ahead to Sioux Falls, as
managed to learn, for a team of fas
horses and carriage to meet him g
the depot on his arrival. l saw at tbs
rate was likely to be beaten unless
could devise some scheme. / set m
wits to work, and an idea occurred t
me.
left the deformed man and went I
have little talk with the conductor
the result of which did not appea
until we had got within three miles Q
Sioux Falls. AT that point the trai
came to full stop, and the locome
tive, from which it was detached
went on to the depot. l was on the loco
motive, which the other passengers a
supposed had gone for water, inclut
ang the deformed lawyer, who though
that was in rear car and was chucl
dlng already over his anticipate
victory. When had been landed i
the city the locomotive went back fo
the train. and tho doeo...l - -