The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-12-18
Story of a Man Who Has Labored I'M
successfully with Congress for
Nearly Forty Years.
MR.. CLEVELAND'S METHODS
A President Who Is Not Satisfied
with Executive Power.
Congress as Completely Under His Rule
as. If Every Democrat Was APP
pointed by the Dictator.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, Dec. T.-Old Uncle
Billy McGarrahan, the celebrated claim
ant before Congress, is dying by inches
and from torture. To those who have been
about Washington much during the past
thirty-fve years, or who have kept trace
of national legislation, this will be pathetic
news. whether they have any patience with
the merits of the McGarrahan claim or not.
Billy McGarrahan went to California when
lie probably forty-fiye years younger
than now and located, by purchase and set
Element large body of land. He made
partial payments and thought he had Sc
cured the concession, which came from
private parties and the government be-
yond all question. few years rolled by
and 1t was discovered that upun the land
there were immense quicksilver and other
mineral deposits of great value Immedi-
ately ID. o. Mills, the great millionaire OF
California and New York, and number
of his associates bought what was con-
verted into counter claims of title to the
land and dispossessed McGarrahan of pos
session. The latter was a poor young man
and could not raise enough money TO con-
test the possession or properly fight for
the title in the lower courts.
Nearly forty years ago McGarrahan came
to Congress and asked for the enactment
of a law which would enable him to go
before the Court of Claims and prove his
title to the lands. His claim has been
pending constantly in sixteen or eighteer
Congresses, while he has steadily made
this his home and existed upon what only
the Maker of man knows. About twenty
times the bill has passed one or the other
branches of Congress, but has managed
to fail of action in the other
branch before the expiration of that
Congress. Once it passed both branches OF
on the ground that the bill did not prop
erly provide for the interests Of the governs
Claim that McGarrahan was entitled to
the lands the government would have to
make good out Of its own treasury all OF
the many million dollars worth or min
erals which have been taken from the prop
erty during the period in which the lands
have been In the possession OF other hands
| The bill was modified in such a way to
relieve the federal government OF any LA
| bility IL McGarrahan made good his claim,
and introduced in the last Congress, but il
failed OF action in the House after passing
| the Senate. 1t is now before both branches
| OF this Congress. but there is only the
lfghteSt probability that Uncle Billy, as
everybody now calls him, will live TO see
his case in court, even II the bill should be-
come law tomorrow.
/
appearance typical well-bred and we'll
| fed Englishman. He is now probably sixty
eight or seventy years of age, OF medium
| height, round limbed. and stocky OF build
| He is smooth and always cleanly shaver.
| Five years ago there sat upon his WELL
rounded figures one OF the finest faces to
| be found 1t was perfectly round, the conn
pleXion rosy and clear, while there was
about his large and sparkling steelzgrns
eyes twinkle of merriment and good nE
| ture which was irresistible. Ills health
| seemed perfect. He was addicted to none
| of the excuses of man, was free from the
| use of stiuulants or tobacco, and his pr.
vate life seemed TO be irreproachabie- All
| sorts Of stories have from time TO
| time been circulated as to how McGarrahan
has managed to live during these long
| years of contest for his land, nearly all
| of them being to the effect that some
pagng HIS Bgt nome Of them has
| ever cast upon him any reflection as 10
| honesty. When the bin was sent to the
| President for signature three or four years
| ago the old fellow was the happiest NOR
| tai in the world. IL is said that our good
| qualities are always shown on occasions
! Garrahan went TO his friends and assured
| them that he would repay all or his obli-
| cations to them. The old man was stand
| ing in the main corridor leading TO the
| two houses of Congress wnen the news
| came that the President had vetoed his
| bill First he laughed at tho suggestion:
| then as it's reality dawned on him his face
| grew grave, the roses In his cheeks dis
appeared and an ashy hue TOOK Ok their cir
| he wept like a child. A distinguished Com
| gresham at his side patted him on the
| shoulder and said:
| well, Uncle Billy, never mind; we viii
| pass the bill over the veto.
ut is not a question OF how soon Con-
| gress. Will pass this bill again, said the
| old man IN tears, but IL Is a question OF
where l viii get my breakfast Tomorrow
Ever day. excepting Sunday when Con-
| gress was in session the old man has been
at the Capitol trying TO revive linteTeSt IN IN
| health until he is now but the shadow OF
| his former self. His cheeks are sunkfn.
| his eyes are dim and lifeless, and his bent
| form can only be moved with pain. Death
| has laid his hand upon him. and IL is but a
| question Of a short time when he VIII join
| the great majorty. Congress need not now
| pass his bill II names him as the one who
| may establish the claim IN the court, and
| even if his heirs could prosecute the claim
under the bill it would be no object 10 him
| to have il passed, as IL is SAID that ali his
| relatives have died.
| 1t has only been within a few years that
| public men have yentured 10 openly advo-
| cate this claim. So much OF charge and
| countercharge was made and 50 much al
| legation of fraud asserted, that honest
| persons were afraid 10 speak In its bshalf
| lest they would begrilne their own hands
| 1t will be recalled that when the newspaper
| correspondents, during the Forty-seyenth
| Congress. held an Indignation meeting and
| Denounced Speaker Keifer, of Ohio for
turning them out Of their working gallery
that the families OF the Congressman might
| take their seats ana ENJOY tIe pfoCeeunSs
during an exciting period, that the Ohio
| Speaker scornfully announced that this
| whole crusade against him headed by
| Gen. II. V. Boynton, one Of the most hon.
| orfbe and brilliant of. the Washington
| newspaper men, and that the latter was
angry with the Speaker because he would
| not advance on the calendar the McGar-
rahan claim. General Boynton demanded
and secured a congressional investigation
into the charge. and the result was a
| unanimous decision . that whatever there
might be of shOrtconing In the McGarra.
han claim IL could not be asserted that
the old claimant had ever proposed 10 bride
any one or do anything which was repre-
hensib.e He had only smiles and kindness
| with which to secure votes.
DICTATOR CLEVELAND.