The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-25
THOSE LAND FRAUDS.
The Timber-Claim Swindlers
Appear i'm Indiana.
THEY STILL WANT SETTLERS.
They Sell Experience Instead OF Tim
ber-Land-CharIie Reed, Thomas
and Weaver at 1t.

:, Ine gang OF timber land swindlers who call
themselves the Maine and Michigan Lumber
company, and OF which Morgan Thomas, the
Notorious Charlie Reed and Amos A. Weaver
are the leading spirits, have turned up again,
THIS time in Portland, Ind, and are at their old
tricks. Hon. A. B. Ball, special agent of the
Iand office, has received letter from A. J.
Mayo, of that town, saying:
There are in this county some people who
claim 10 represent the Maine and Michigan
LUMBER Company, of your state, and claim that
their works are situated north OF Seattle, think
soout lo0 miles. The company is represented
mere py Morgan Thomas, who SAYS he is presl-
oeht OF the company, and by some man whose
name nave forgotten, who says he is secretary,
ana by Amos A. Weaver, who says he is agent
Iney are raising company of thirty-two
men from here to locate in your state
on timber claims. Their mode is this: The ap-
pilcant pays them $50 cash; they then give him
acontract OF said company TO locate him on a
lumber claim in your state, furnish him with
nrst-class return ticket from here pay all travel
ing ana other expenses OF applicant, furnish
MIN $500 to prove his claim with and pay him
soou Tor said claim when the same has been
proven saw these men today, but did not in
vest, as think 1t scheme. Now, If this Is
bona fide and the company is all right, and 4
man is safe in investing, telegraph me at once,
upon receipt of this, and ! win join the com
pany, which is to start from here in two weeks:
! asked the secretary ii he knew you, and he said
nc dlu, but be seemed somewhat confused when
tod him you were correspondent of mine
claims, what they are worth when proven up,
ETC., and whether there is any trouble in secur-
ing them.
1t is not likely that Mr.. Mayo will join the
company after the "reminiscences Mr. Ball can
give him of the Thomas Weaver Reed sgang,
heed being probably the secretary who was con
fused at the mention OF Mr.. Balls name. The
gang has worked Seattle, Tacoma, Whatcom and
fort townsend with this scheme They have
been arrested again and again, but always
capped on straw Eail. After their Port Townsend
experience they went to San Francisco and were
soon heard of from there. Their reputation fol-
lowed them and they now seem to have gone
East and TO be working the unsophistieated In
diana farmers who have heard vague stories of
the great forests of Washington.
The trouble in dealing with these swindlers is
that the land laws provide no means OF punish
Ing them. Even if they did locate settler on
TIMBER claim and he paid up, his contract with
the so-ealled lumber company 10 sell his claim
would inyalidate his title, as the law expressly
requires the settler when proving his claim to
swear that he has made no contract. written or
verbal, TO sell It, The discovery of any such
contract causes the forfeiture of his
claim and any money he may have
paid. Perjury under such circumstances
taken in the land Office do not come under the
provisions of the general law in regard to such
ofenses. When any victim of the swindlers de
mands his money back and threatens to sue
them, they tell him that he has perjured him.
self in making his filing, as he has denied
making any contract TO sell to them. They
threaten him with prosecution for perjury and
thus close his mouth, though they know that
the law does not cover his case.