St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-03-10

l. catching timber. 1t Is about seven.
acres in extent.
r., An action involving title to the island
has been commenced in the Minneapo-
lis district court by Jefferson P. Saun-
ders ct al. against the Minneapolis
Loan and Trust company. the Mime.
apOlis Boom company, E. w. Backus.
& Co. and Nelson, Tenny & Co.
The Loan and Trust company claims
the island through presumption right.
The other companies claim the right to
attack boomS thereto. jefferson P.
Saunders claims title thereto through
his father. Hiram Saunders, and has
begun an action in ejectment aginst the
defendants named. Some time before the
Minneapolis Loan and Trust company
brought an action against other claim
ants to quiet title to the island. but,
failing to show good title in itself, the
action was dismissed. In that case
facts were developed that induced the
present suitor to seek to establish his
claim. 1t is claimed that the pre-emp-
ton claim of the Loan and Trust conf
pany is invalid because it was filed in
the land office of Minneapolis. which
was in another district from st. An
thony Falls, and the island being east
of the channel of the river should have
been pre-empted in the st. Anthony
district. The sworn testimony of
Arson Northup has been twice taken
relative to the ownership of the land,
and develops an interesting state of
i facts. Being all old man, his testimony
was taken to be preserved for future
use, and his deposition was also taken
at his home on Smith avenue few days
ago, to he read. i'll evidence in the pend
ing suit. Arson Northup deposes that
- III ,6zr-c
log hut on the island. The island is
nearly circular in form, and four gov
eminent sections cornered near the
center thereof. Saunders was a lumber
man, and built the hut ON these cor
ners evidently for the purpose of claim
ing the four sections of land. He pre-
empted the island in 1854, and, after
building the hut. slept in it at nights
and drove logs On The river during the
day. ~"
'.The records of the register of deeds
at Minneapolis contain two deeds of the
island made by Hiram Saunders to the
defendant. Arson Northup. One of
them Is dated Oct. 81, 1854; the other
April 4, 1856. There IS also another
deed of record from Northup to Frank
jim Steele, dated. in 1856. AS to the
deed of Oct. 81, 1851, to NorIhup, that
never paid anything for it and did not
kdow that it was made. He also sWears
that he never since received title to the 4
Island from Saunders. As to the deed
20 him by Saunders of 1856, N0rthup
says tina. 1t was not signed by Saunders
Or his wife Ellen. and in connection
herewith makes a serious charge
against Parsons, Who lived in Mime
apolis at that time. He testified that at !
that time Franklin Steele was in Wash
tngton city anu was negotiating
It sale of lands to Boston specu-
iators: He wanted Boom island, and |
wrote to that effect to Northup.
A'ho in turn went tetiP arsons, the at
'tbrney named; 9Pafsbns drewuB a deed
for tile Island to NoFsHdp, Signed the
names of Hiram aid SEflen Saunders
thereto and got man NAMED Morgan
to witness the signatures, and then sent |
the deed direetto Steele ill Washing |
ton. ,Northup and Ben Gray both swear
that Saunders Waslfiil the. woods $50 |
miles from Minneapolis or on Long |
Prairie river driving logs for some |
weeks prior to. and after the date of the |
deed. Northup swears he saw Parsons
write tile names of Saunders and his |
wife to the deed. He also testifes that |
when Saunders CAME to Minneapolis |
and learned that the deed had been
made out, as stated, he threatened to
prosecute Parsons. NOrthup states I'M
der oath that he had never had any
legal title to the Island, and never paid
anything therefore.