The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-03-24
THEY ARE FRAUDS.
Old Soldiers Should Not Allow Themselves to be
Dipped by S0called Laad Agents.
The following letter from Commissioner
Carter, of the General Land Office, explains it
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
GENERAL LAND OFFICE,

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: My attention
| has been called to printed paper which UNI
| derstand is being put in circulation under the
firm name printed thereon of II. d. Mcknight
& Son, said to be of IrontoD, Ohio. in which the
| following statements are made, referring to GER
| tain Indian lands in Oklahoma, which 1T is sup
posed will be relinqushed by the Indians and
opened to settlement some time during the
coming Spring or early Summer, viz:
| The Government now gives all honoraby dis
| charged Union soldiers, who served 80 days or
more the right TO file claim for 100 acres of this
| land through an attorney, thus saving him the
expense of a trip there. soldier can thus secure
his right TO quarter section OF valuable lana at Inc
small cost of SAT.
The Land Office fees and the Surveyors fees Is
ST. This must be paid by the soldier even if he
goes there himself. For this S27 aud $50 for the
attorney fees and expenses. the attorney out there
will file any Soldiers Declara,ory Statement and
procure the Land Officers receipt for l6O acres of
land, naming the specific quarter seeion
All the Si7 need not be paid at once 1t may be
paid in instruments, as follows: SIS must be sent
with the soldiers application, to insure Surveyors
day of opening. which Will be about April or May;
then the attorney sends The Land Officers re
ceip and on receiving it the $50 must be paid. 1T
would be much better if the S27 could all he cent
with the application. The S20s not asked until the
Land Officers receipt is produced.
Each soldiers discharge or n certified copy must
be sent with his application. All who ME Claims
are presumed to do so for the purpose OF settling
thereon themselves; but they are Mt liberty TO
change their minds and sell their ACCOMPLISHMENTS
to anyone who chooses to purchase, and let the
fellow who gets the REIMBURSEMENT file and prove
up the claim. The law now allows soldier six
months after date of filing to settle on the land. Ii
he concludes not to settle il himself, lie can re.
hnquish and let the one who has the renqush-
ment settle. We reliably informed that there
Will be many buyers for every quarter section, ms
there is not enough land TO supply one. tenth OF
those wanting ii; and, it is valuable. there will
be great demand TO buy claims. rs the Govern
ment does not give any but soldiers the right 10
file claims through attorney.
We have an. agent at Oklahoma, who knows all
about the business, and can, no donht, fle you
better claim than you could if you there your
sell, as he knows the country; ana, "sioe from
this. man is allowed OH the land, to look at it,
until the day fixed to open it. ,mmediateiy "a after
the day of opening, our II. ID. Mcknight will go
there, and for reasonable commission, tnke and
sell your REIMBURSEMENT and get the most for 1t he
can if you conclude not TO go and enter the land
yourself. We have tried to max this matter plain.
If you wish to apply, let us know, and we VIII
prepare and send you a Declaratory Statement to
execute.
Your discharge, or a certified copy by Clerk of
Court, under seal. must be sent with application
Also not less than Si5: j. would he better to send
all the SGT ut The $40 is not due until the re-
ceipt Is produced. .'"b -
1t is true that under sections 1904 and 2309.
Revised Statutes, any soldier or sailor who
served for not less than 80 days in tho United
States army or navy during the war Of the re-
bellion, who was honcrably discharged and
who has not before exercised his right under
statement for 100 acres or less of any lands
open to homestead entry but this will not Sc
cure him title to the land or appropriate it
to his exclusive use as against any other quail
fed person who may desire to acquire title
thereto. 1t would merely gain for him the
right to go in person upon the land, make set
Element thereon, and enter the land ut the Dis
trict Land Office within six months from the
date of the filing, which, if done, would be an
nc fba Ia bp
right to perfect title by making residence and
cultivation for the prescribed period and pay
ing the price for the land which Congress may
hereafter determine upon, not less, probably,
than 81 % per acre. Until the settlement and
entry are made, the land would remain open
to settlement or entry by any other party, aud
the claim of any party so making settlement or
entry would be superior, unless the party max
ing tho filing should afterward make settle
ment and entry in good faith within the time
prescribed therefor.
1t will be seen that the right Of party fling
a decla.atory statement depends upon his good
faith in desiring the land for his own personal
use as home, and if the filing is done with
the intention of relinquishing, for q consdcra
ton or otherwise, with the view to give some
advantage to another party, it is fraudulent,
and on detection will be treated as n nullity,
any adverse settler or entryman taking the
land
The legal charge or fee for the filing Of
declaratory statement within the limits of
Oklahoma is s.. The Government charges
nothing more. Tho additional fees or charges
spoken OF in the foregoing quotation from the
circular mentioned. are over and above the fee
charged by the Government. and are for the
benefit of persons proposing to act for the de-
clarant as attorneys, agents, or otherwise.
The scheme indicated in the circular men,
toned appears to offer inducements to frauds
against intending settlers and the Government,
and the public are warned against it.
Very respectfully,
THos. II. CARTER, Commissioner