The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1892-05-06
MANKATo FREE PRESS.
FRIDAY. MAY 6, 1892.
MRS. MURTAUGH BLOCKADED.
She is Unable to Leave or Approach
her Farm.
Tired of Fighting Their Way to the
Old Homestead. her Children
Leave Her.

An unfortunate condition of affairs
exists upon section 33, Jamestown
Upon the shores of the peaceful wa
tiers of Lake Balantyne is situated
the home and forty-acre farm OF Mrs.
Bridget Murtaugh, where she and
her late husband have planted and
harvested during more than twenty
summers and have battled with as
many Minnesota winters. There they
raised a family of children: and there,
producing from the soil comfortable
living, Mrs. Murtaugh proposed to
end her days in peace, with her chill
dren about her.
1t was twenty-three years ago that
she purchased this tract of land de-
scribed in the recorded deed by metes
and bounds, and containing forty
nine acres. The family has lived in
undisputed possession of this proper
ty until recently. About two years
ago John Brown, Jr., purchased the
Iul III llOl1 Af1ol SolSC Afl ui
laugh, and now he claims that Mrs.
Bridget Murtaugh is entitled to but
! forty acres, and that the other nine
acres belong to him by right of his
deed from Margaret Murtaugh. He
has retained Daniel Buck and Pfau
& Young and possibly other attorneys
to assist him in making good his
claim.
For twenty-three years Mrs. Muir
laugh and her family have travelled
over the land which Mr.. Brown pur-
chased, in order to reach the main
road, three-quarters of a mile distant.
Mr.. Browns land surrounds her prop
erty everywhere except where it abuts
upon the lake or upon marsh. In Or
der to bring her to terms, Mrs. Muir
laugh says, Brown has forbidden heI
or anyone else to cross his farm, and
since March has enforced this prohi-
bition strictly. Since then the Muir
laugh family has been unable to drive
a team across the ''debateable land, y
and whatever member of the family
had the boldness to attempt to reach
the road has been subjected to threats
Of bodily harm, such as being thrown
over the fence, ETC., so Mrs. Murtaugh
reports. She further says that the
family is shut off from attending the
place of holy worship on Sunday, and
from marketing produce or bringing
in supplies. So strict has the embargo
become that she says her two sons
have left the old home, being wearied
with the efforts required in passing
to and from the property, while her
daughter is also about ready to leave.
Mrs. Murtaugh came to the city a
day or two ago in very indignant
mood, and sought relief from the
county attorney. Mr.. Hughes, who
has tender spot in his heart for fe-
males in distress, advised her to drive
across the Brown farm at the accuS-
toned place and not to fear the con-
sequences. He holds that a farmer
cannot be SeQueStered against his
will, and that Mrs. Murtaugh is en-
titled to ingress and egress from her
property, especially as she has had
the unquestioned privilege for over
twenty years. 1t is said that Mrs.
Murtaugh petitioned the County Com
miSsionerS last summer for a cartway
to the main road. and that the Com
miSSioners refused it.
Mr.. Brown was in the city today to
consult his attorneys. His side of the
story is that Mrs Murtaugh aband-
oned the old roadway two years age
and that he fenced it up, supposing
it to be by her consent. She went
over another portion of the farm
Owing to the contest concerning the
nine acres, which he claims is included
in his deed from Margaret Murtaugh
he forbid Mrs. Murtaugh to cross his
land anywhere, and has felled trees
over the old roadway. When the case
will come to the courts is not vet
known.
The FREE PRESS does not pretend
to know the true merits of this case
either as regards the ownership of the
nine acres in question or as to the dis
puted roadway, but it does believe
that Mrs. Murtaugh should have some
way of reaching the main road with
out restraint or danger Mr.. Brown
may be technically right, but if Mrs
Murtaugh's story of his conduct is true
it would seem that he might be able
to acquire his alleged rights to the
land which he claims in some Other
manner than by blockading a worthy
widow within her little property in
the manner which she describes.