The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-04-26
STORY OF HOME.
Jessie Benton Fremont Tells How
She Lost Hers.
She and the General Owned the Land Where
Golden Gate Park Now Is-The Government
Took it Without Compensation.

[Specialto TIE Observation-Disclosures Dispatch. !
New York, April 25.-The Herald has
this story: Mrs. Jessie Benton Fremont
widow of General John G. Fremont wrote
story for the last issue of Jennie June's
magazine, The Home Maker, that has caused
much discussion. She called it ga Home
Found and Lost" and directly charges ex-
Congressman John Coburn, of Indiana,
with being responsible for her failure to get
back her home in San Francisco from the
government. According to her story she
went with the general to San Francisco
eight years after their marriage and picked
out an ideal spot for home. 1t was thir-
teen acres of the extreme end of San Jose
or Black Point. The general bought the
property for $4,000 in gold from Mark
Bruagem, San Francisco banker, and had
the deeds made out IN his wife's name.
Then came the civil war and General FIRE.
mont, who had volunteered wrote her to
join him with the children in New York.
In eight days she had rented the establish
ment, sold her furnitue and horses and was
on her way the isthmus of Panama. She
heard soon after her arrival that the gov
eminent had taken her home ''for military
purposes" but Secretary of War Stanton
aooulSu Gu6 SeuSIhl IudG Iu0 occupation
was only temporary and would be sat
lsfactorily settled. After the war General
and Mrs. Fremont tried TO get their prop
erty back, but in vain. To-day the com
mlssloners OF the department has the home
stead for a pleasure ground. The locality
is now known as Golden Gate park, and
the property IS very valuable. There were
fltty-four people deposed by the govern
ment at the time, and fifty of them cot
oft +iyb
act of Congress passed in 1874. But Mrs.
Fremont and three neighbors at the end of
the point are still kept out OF their holdings
The story ends as follows: Twice we
made application to Congress for redress.
Twice the bill passed the Senate to restore
me my property. When the bill reached
the House the last time it was stopped by
a single objection. The Director refused to
| give any reason for his opposition to what
was Otherwise sure of large majority,
despite the remonstrances of his friends.
He was Mr.. Coburn, of Indiana, Re-
publican who had asked and obtained Mr..
Fremont's personal aid for his reelection.
which had been doubtful otherwise. Mir.
Coourn was proof even against the tears
of young girl, whose father was waiting
the verdict that would leave him in poy.
erty or restore him to torture. The father
was suffering from wounds contracted in
the war, and Mr.. Coburn's obstinate, un-
explained objection killed him. l trust
that there are few men capable of such
! cold cruelty as Mr.. Coburn. | may have
success in the renewed effort am making
this winter to regain my lost home"
This article came to ex- Congressman
! Coburn's attention last week and he sent
letter of general denial to The Home
Maker at once for which he demands as
much publicity as was given to Mrs.
Fremont's story. He says that Mrs. Ere
mont has attacked him entirely without
provocation and that she has given an erro
neous statement of the facts He quote.
from the Congressional Record TO show tina
Mrs. FremonJ's bill came before him as ,
member Of the House committee on mill
tary affairs and that on January II, 1872
he read report on it before the
House. The committee investigated the
matter thoroughly, had open hearings OIL
it, and gave opportunity for all testimony
to be handed in. 1t came to the conclusion
! that the claimants have no title to the land.
and must have an equitable claim for pay
Tor improvements upon the lands upo1
which they are mere sQuatters." Tht
| House concurred in this report without ont
dissenting vote Next year, late in thu
evening of March 3, similar
bill passed by the Senate, was han1eC
TO the House MIR. Holman, of Indiana
objected to its passage because 1t had no
been given TO House committee, and Mr.
Negley, of Pennsylvania. objected as it haC
previously been examined and rejected b,
the House. MIR. Coburn, on the other hand
proposed q substitute providing that i'm
provements on the land be paid for to tn
extent of $4,000. But the House refused
to pay anything and the bill was dropped
l have not been at Washington since
March, 1875" concludes ex-Congressmal
Coburn, land if the bill is such popula,
one tail to see why it has not been pre-
sented and passed in the last seventeen
| years.