The Arizona champion., 1890-03-29
TOWNSHIP DECISION.
A History of the Contest from Begin ing to End-FinaI Decision m Favor of the Claimants.

ED. CHAMPION: Now that we have final decision in the ToNn- site case we are free to report what
 has been done, as now it will not
 aid our opponent to know our side
 of the case.
 We had three distinct contests in
 the Land Office at Prescott First over our proof, next over the ath- davits for contest, and last over the contest evidence. Our proof was accepted but against onr argument
 she was allowed to shift her ground
 from that of mere protestant to that of a contestant, as protestant she had no ri2ht except to attack
 our proof and to become contestant
 after our final proof was accepted she would have had to make sworn application to the general Land Office for permissi n to contest.
 Then when we, after hard days fight showed that she had no foot
 ing even as contestant ny reason of
 the ihsutiiciency of her afidavits
 for contest she was rightfuily allow
 ed to amend. But when wc want
 ed to attack the amended aliilavits
 Register Burgess wodld not hear us,
 claiming that it would only operate
 to delay, and as long as we could
 not convince him that she had no
 staniing whatever as against the
 special grant to us, ha was right.
 But the Commissioner sustained our
 position when we got the case there
 by saying that the Special Act was conclusive and bound by it, the L nd Office had no right to enter tain contest. But when we were enabled finally to get the contest proof in the Land Office we had very little trouble. The Register and Receiver at once Ngave us the decision and from that time on the main difficulty has been, time. As what 1 have said may seem a refec- tion upon Register Burgess and Receiver Butler, allow me to say that Mir. Butler had just come into office and necessarily depended up on Mr. Burgess and chat Mir. Bur gess was actuated throughout by an earnest desire to do the right. That he was honestly mistaken in fearing that if she were not allowed to con test here she might cause Us more delay in the General Land Office Is not at all to his discredit.
 Then the officers at Prescott de- livered their decision the contestant was entitled to thirty days to appeal in and of course took every day. When 1t got to the General Land Office Commissioner Grof had ilst come into the office. We made a strenuous fight to get him to refer the matter at once to the Secretary of the Interior in which case we should have had final decision long since. Bat as, while we admittedly gave good reasons for such course. 1t was against the practice and we could only show two prece 'ents and | those only in cases of much | general interest, he refused our mo- 5ion, but did make the clse special md pass upon 1t at once. Upon hat decision she is given sixty days l O appeal with ten days more to ,llow for notice by mail to reach | Ter and the Land Office frcm he: hen we are allowed thirty days to answer the brief and argument on lppeal and then she still has anoth- 1T thirty days to reply to our ans wer. should say first that Commissioner 1rof gave us our decision ahead of | ourteen months of business and i head of other townsite cases peni- ng, ia which the attorneys on one ide hal recelved a fee of thou ind dollars. But Co proceed-she -.ok at the time allowed her and Aen tried t3 delay, oi at least her attorneys did, Pesamable by her nst.utt.ans. We kept ahead of imo allowed on our side and at Ia st n the eieVench day after her time Va uP and all papers filed we got he unLl decision, and it Is fin l. 'Eere Is no fa5ier appeal. Should ny ona douDt it let him coa7a soI ny o!ii;c 2n4 oo o,..,.4to4 ion tie ,,J-s.
 Taa1 we were ale to got matters '.'ou.,h aJ l,pi fly k aii dne to tle ."er-y and 2a,h of oar W4shia2t n ttrorahy, IJot Gro. II. Lock 'aod, J'i:n wiion there is no bette. sau h Washington for expaiitn, si' Ii ties in 5ie Depa;tment of tac -lta''io" H. was tor years Chef j'e,E th2rela anl Is lAm;llar with 've.y uooA :a i5.
 o"e Word mere, ai we ire in- 3.m-i tue co"t-st.,nt believes m5st 'f Us to he aasuay4I ay persoaai lat'e against her. W:tb the ex- .12ti24s y. ye.y fay, ali on oa
 iJo wAa have mentioned the sad- act In my pre- 'ence commi5e.rta .er .or having oeeu ursei into ths position of "cat's Fe~" for others, .nI at the in i5etion of others. Ani weA my we commiserate ter .or as i am cred!bly informed, the contest has cast her already nine