davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The representative., 1894-12-26
CHAPTER XIV.-RESULTS OF THE
WORK OF THE CONNJVr,E

AS result of the work of the committee the
state is gamer by n very large sum of money
The following cas- already collected: 80
1tasca Lumber Co.. Co..............,s2 $40 ono n0
Stapies d Mulvey. y..................... 3,0262
$50. .526 20
In addition there are now suits pending in
the courts follows:
1tasca Lumber Co.. suits ag-
sresa'lhg ..:................'$39 $39, 264 IS
Shevlin. Carpenter Co, 2 SUITS ag- -
r. sresatlnS 47,59S. .0S
T.. 1teylolus SUIT, aggregat1ng. 3, 900. 90
r. H. Shealin, l suit, aggregating. 26 PSI %
F. G. Weber, l suit. aggregating / 14O 10
Powers & Dwyer, l suit, aggregatng 4G NNO. 90
io.di .''.....................$l5 $l5l, 2S4. 2S
IN ADDITION to these tables there are seven
teen suits under way, in which the evidence
Is well worked up and the amount involved
In these are in the aggregate S2o5. .O76. "A.
This will bring the grand total of money re-
covered to the state by virtue of the inyes-
legations to the figure of $780,, ,094 s. 80
AS a result of the committees work many
who have been notorious timber thieves
all their lives have commenced to make true,
reports. In stopping the sale of hardwood
timber the committee has rendered the state
service which will amply compensate it for
all money paid out in the work of prosecut-
ing the Investigations. The committee fur
ther finds that the robbery has extended into
every nook and corner of the state not bar
ring territory where townships are supposed
ly still untouched
The representative., 1894-12-26

the law would have been complied with so
tong as het and the state treasurer had sign
ed them. Mr.. Biermsnn further testified that.
the law in question had been ignored prior
to the time that he became auditor The
ditor admitted that he only knew from hear
say that Gov. Merriam had stated to Mr..
Braden that he knew nothing Of the matter,
and. since two constitute a majority of three,
he had not presented or caused to be pre-
sented to the governor any Of the appraiSals
for his signature. Mr. Clark also gave it
his opinion that the sales Of stumpage had
not been regular under the law. When the
matter was brought up in the legislature it
was thought best to have the governors sig
nature. and since Mr.. B!ermann's advent to
office that rule had prevailed.
But Gov. Merriam made affidavit stating
that none of the estimates appraiSals had
ever been presented to him for his signature.
The committee holds that this a clear
disregard CT the law. and that therefore all
lS91-1892 made by Auditor Biermann were not
legal sales.
Mr.. Biermann further admitted that a num-
Der of estimates for those years had received
the signatures of Col. Bobletter at a later
date. He said that he was led to believe
the matter was one Of mere form only. There
fore the committee concludes that false in
one thing. false in all. should govern the
case. In view Of the facts found the commit
tee finds a conclusion that not one of
the sales OF pine stumpage made by Auditors
Braden and Biermann between March Z
1885. and Jan. l. 1893. legal sale; that
not one legal or valid approval of any esti-
mate has been made by the governor audi
tor and treasurer embraced in these dates.
The representative., 1894-12-26
CHAPTER IX.-STATE APPRAISERS
AND ESTIMATORS.

Speaking of these important officers the
committee says that instead of finding them
to be men noted for their honesty and ef-
hciency. the reverse has been found to be
the case. And this condition of affairs has
been the rule in the auditors office for years
The committee finds little to commend in the
work of these men, and much to condemn.
and is of the opinion that they are aids to
timber thieves rather than protectors of the
states interests
The committee believe that estimators
should be required to take oath of office and
give bond for the faithful performance
OF their duties. and also that law should be
passed making it a crime to return false
estimates and appraisals of timber growing
on state lands, punishable by long impris-
Onment in the states nrison
The representative., 1894-12-26
CHAPTER U.-SALE OF HARDWOOD
STU NPAGE.

The committee has been unable to find any
law under which the state auditor is re-
Guired to sell hardwood timber from the
school lands of the state. Auditor Biermann,
when asked under what provision of the stat
ute he was making such sales. replied II
am afraid there are none, and l have dis
continued the sale of hardwood stumpage
absolutely
The committee finds that thousands OF
acres of school lands, valuable for farming.
whose value was greatly enhanced by a
thrifty growth of hardwood have been
stripped of their timber without authority of
law That no estimates have been made
and that in but rare instances have the state
officers attempted to ascertain the true value
OF the timber When a sale of hardwood
stumpage was made arbitrary entry was
made in the log record in the auditors Of
nee to give the sale semblance Of legality
BY these reprehensible and objectionable
practices the school fund Of the state has
suffered the loss of hundreds of thousands
OF dollars. and in the localities where these
sales have occurred many settlers have suf-
fered loss Of taxable property.
The committee believes that the officials
who have been guilty Of these unlawful prac-
tices should be held to strict accountability
and suggest whether they should not he
prosecuted under their official bond
The representative., 1894-12-26
tHAPTER X.-THE STATE TREASUR-
EK AND HIS COLLECTION OF
STUMPAGE DRAFTS.

The committee find that this disregard of
law, SO far as the handling of business
nected with pine stumpage is concerned
permeates every department of the state
government through which 1t passes.
Tne law provides that IF party owning
draft within ten days after the said draft
has been placed in the hands Of the treasur-
er. the treasurer shall take possession of the
logs In question and sell them; or, in lieu
thereof. turn the draft over to the attorney
general. who shall Immediately proceed to
collect. etc"
The committee finds that this provision
too, has been ignored. In support of this
hnd1ng the committee cites the fact that in
report by the ERaSurer made in OctAher.
The representative., 1894-12-26
THAT INCOME TAX.
steps Are Being Taken to Test It's
Validity.

WASHINGTON, d. c., Dec 22.-The first
steps have been taken in the district en-
preme court to test the constitutionality OF
the income tax. To-Day jeremiah Wilson.
as counsel for John G. Moore, of the New
York banking firm of Moore & Schley. an
piled to Judge Cole. of the equity branch
OF the supreme court 81 the District of
Miller commissioner OF internal revenue
from assessing and collecting a tax upon
his income. Because of the Importance Of
the action, it is expected that the court
will fix early day for the hearing. This
is only one of a number of legal attacks
that VIII soon be made upon the income
tax, and each suit will be based upon dif-
ferent grounds. The moving parties are
New York business men, 1t is the intan-
ton of number of these individuals to re-
fuse to pay the tax and appeal to the
courts in each case.
The representative., 1894-12-26
The Fin de Steele ANGEL.

Her harp is of the newest make;
The things she likes to play
Make even Peters sides to shake,
Whence er she flies his way.
Her wings are of the latest style,
Her halo's quite the thing,
Her laughing eyes an answering smile
From all the choir bring.
And, when she flies the golden street,
She stirs the saints SO madly
They always haste across to meet
And raise their halos gladly.
The representative., 1894-12-26
CHAPTER V.-DVTIES OF SURVEYOR
GENERAL AND HOW DIS
CHARGED.

The committee. after quoting the law
lating to the duties Of the surveyor general
OF logs and lumber. says that, although the
duties are plainly laid down by the letter
OF the law to admit of no misconstruction
yet 1t finds from the records in the offices
and the testimony of officials under OATH that
the provisions of the law have been uniform
ly ignored and that the state has suffered the
loss of thousands of dollars thereby The
committee found that the reports were bad
ly mixed and that the surveyor general
when asked to explain of them stated
that he could not do it. The reports did not
show whether any thefts had been committed
or not The testimony developed that the
deputies relied entirely upon the information
furnished by the parties hauling logs and
that the marks on the logs had not usually"
been examined by the officials. Deputy Sur
veyor General Sinclair admitted as witness
practice where the mark had beeen left of
stumpage cut from state lands He further
admitted that the state had no protection
against trespass, as far as the employees of the
surveyor generals Office were concerned
Several scalers testified that they always
took the word Of lumbermen to ascertain
whether the logs were state logs or not. They
received no instructions from the office OF
the surveyor general
AS conclusions. the committee finds that
the surveyor general of the fifth district
is in every way grossly incompetent and un-
ntted to fill the important Office he now holds
Inc committee reports that they were never
aDle 10 tnd the surveyor general in his Of
nee and were informed that he was seldom at
his oftlce. The committee believes that un-
less honest intelligent citizens are appoint
ed TO these important positions, the sooner
the offices are abolished the better it would
The representative., 1894-12-26
A Matter of Smelling.

Mr. Felis Leo: 1t was like this Mickey Six
white men and II blacks charged on me with
their thunder sticks! l killed eight whites with
blow and
Mr.. Trogodytes Come off! You're lion =
Life,
The representative., 1894-12-26
CHAPTER VI.-STATE SCALERS,

state scalers are persons appointed by the
surveyor general to scale timber cut from
state lands.
Speaking this subject the committee
lnGs that the practice of allowing empioyes
Of lumbermen to be appointed to these DO
:tions is pernicious and invites bribery and
dishonesty. The committee suggests that the
Scalers shuld be appinted for their honesty.
and their tenure Of Office depend solely on the
character OF their work. Deputies are ne
tessity, but should be required to give an
The faithful discharge of their duties and a
law should be passed fixing so severe a pen
atty Tor the making of a false return of tim
her cut from any tract of land that none
would dare TO violate its provisions
The representative., 1894-12-26
CHAPTER II-LEASING MINERAL
LANDS.

inns subject receives a passing notice. In
many cases lands covered by these leases
contain large quantity OF valuable timber
wnch, under the present system is either
entlreiy lost to the state or disposed of at
price little short of a voluntary gift
l noer the mineral lease system the stot.
is poWerlesS to prevent its being rohhed of
all the timber on the land Besides q snec,ss
OF blackmail is being fostered under # aIlow
ing any one to make out a minor lease even
II no mineral exists, Just to compel some ono
TO buy him of In order to secure the stumns
age. = ~ stump
CHAPTER IV.-APPROVAL. OF, EsTI.
MATES AND APPRAIsALs.
The committee found that prior "a Ian
1881, the law requiring that the appraisals and
estimates upon which are based ali sales Of
pine stumpage upon the school lands of the
state. shall be submitted to tho governor
auditor and treasurer, and such. sale recon-
mended by a majority of them was entirely
disregarded in the state auditors Office
For this reason the committee does not hesi-
tate to say that, in their opinion. there was
not one legal or valid approval Of an ap-
pralsa! or estimate and not one legal or valid
sale OF stumpage. . <>&
This conclusion is arrived at on the testi-
mony Of State Auditor Bermann and Mat
thew Clark, the clerk in charge of the
stumpage record. Mr.. Biermann, when asked
u Gov. Merriam had ever approved any of the
ennraiSals. said he dtd not remember and thak
The representative., 1894-12-26

Mr.. Donnelly adds on his own ac-
count that a law should be passed for
bidding the sale of pine because OF
being in danger of fire and recon-
smends that the state should absolutely
refuse to permit any private party to
purchase the stumpage of its pine
land under any and all circumstances.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-01-25
sunday. Jan. II.


! Wolves are doing great damage in
Mercer county.
i The Walsh county court has adjourn
cd to Feb. ID,
Court will not convene in Grand
Forks until Jan. 20, owing to the i'll
ness of Judge Templeton
| La grippe is still raging in Grand
Forks. and ut last accounts nearly a
thousand people were i'll with the NAL
ady.
| Charles Shafer. the young man who
shot himself accidentally ut Mandan Il
week or so ago, has died from his
injuries.
Among the horses burned in the fire
at Langdon was Il thoroughbred owned
by parties in Grand Forks and valued
ut $1,5C0. -a
w. Il. Beaumont Of jamestown has
died from the effects Of gun shot
wound inflicted accidentally by himself
while out hunting.
Ex-Supt Burton, of the Fort Ste
venson Indian school, has moved his
family to Bismarck, where he expects
to remain the winter through.
Capt. Farrell of jamestown, who had
just about completed the invention of
Il new steam wagon, died the next day
after his invention was made public.
Stockmen and ranchmen in the west
ern part Of the state are importing stag
hounds with which they hope to clean
out some Of the numerous prairie
wolves.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-01-25
Criminal Dcfncs.

Worlds fair crooks are arriving in
San Francisco by hundreds.
Threats have been made to assassi-
nate Gov. Lewelling of Kansas.
Farmer Hill was scalped at Sedalia,
Mo-, by an enraged stallion.
Fred Berry was arrested at Guthrie,
Okla, for counterfeiting.
H. D. Blossom, a Montana pioneer,
suicided at Great Falls by poison.
Herman Ever was arrested at st.
Louis charged with being one Of the
gang Of counterfeiters.
Florence Zip and Elizabeth Jones, in
love with the same man, fought Mt Hol-
man, Ind. Florence was knocked out.
Champion Baugher. of Warsaw, Ind,
who assaulted and left for dead Is.
year-old girl, has been captured.
Austin, Tex, sneak thieves got away
with several hundred dollars In cash
and jewelry.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-01-25
signor crispi is a man of robust ply

Signor Crispi is a man Of robust ply
siQue, with an extraordinary capacity
for work. He rises early, does not
waste moment of the day, and puts
all his time to the best possible use.
He is most abstemious in eating and
drinking, and for a period of four years
did not once go to the thea.er, though
he is fond of the drama. Society bores
him, and his politeness and charm Of
manner are consequently lost to 1t.
This, at least, is the testimony Of his
secretary, to whom the statesman is a
great deal of q hero. The public at
large has not credited Crispi with the
possession of too much Of the milk of
human kindness.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-01-25
opals Becoming Les. Unpopular.

The prejudice against opals seems to
be disappearing. Anyhow they are
popular. There are several varieties
of opal and therefore several degrees Of
merit. The precious. or noble, or oricn-
tai opal is the supreme. This has all
the colors. and when these colors are
broken into spangles it is then called
the harlequin opal. Then comes the
fire opal. or girasol, with hyacinth red
and yellow reflcction-the former
comes from Hungary. the latter from
Mexico. The common, or semi-opals,
are nonopalescent. The hydrophanc, or
oculus mundi, is non transparent, but
becomes so by immersion in water or
any transparent fluid. The eachalong
is nearly opaque and Of blush white
color. The hyalitc is colorless, pellucid
and white. The opal jasper or wood
opal, is the petrifaction Of wood, opal
escent, but without the coloring which
makes the noble" gem so precious
Lewiston Journal
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-01-25

An exchange calls the attention OF
the superstitious to the fact that the
American 25-cent piece has Is stars, Ii
letters in the scroll held in the eagles
beak, 10 marginal feathers in each
wing, 13 tail feathers, 13 parallel lines
in the shield, IL horizontal bars and Ii
arrow heads. The Is in each instance
represents the Is original states, q
very unlucky number, for Great Brit
ain, when, in &c Il plus 6 eqpals 13)
the plucky Is decided to make ma
ton Of themselves.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-01-25

The little villa near, Waterloo where
Napoleon planned the historic battle
has been offered for sale by the Bel
gian architect who has long been the
owner Of it. 1t was here too, that the
emperor held his last council Of war.
The charm of the villa is its beautiful
garden, in which Napoleon went be-
fore the battle to survey the panorama
of the surrounding country and perfect
his plans for the fight. Prince Victor
lives but ten miles away ard it is sug.
gested that he should buy the property
for a shooting-box.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-01-25
to light TINT city from the Bismarck

to light that city from the BlsMarc1
electric pl;lnt, S3s 4s
The North Dakota Elevator company
has sold Its property In North Dakota
to tile Monarch Elevator company.
A Great Northern passenger train ran
into Il freight ut LarlmOre and splinter-
ed up several of the cars. One man
was somewhat injured.
The railroad company will put an
other thousand carloads of stone into
the Missouri river to protect the bridge
at Bismarck.
The barn and contents and seven
head of horses. belonging to John Voak
Of Kingston, Sargent county was dcs-
troyed by fire.
Driver Anton Carlson OF the Bis
lnarcll and Washburn stage line, says
that the slcighing - better on his line
now than at any time since he remem-
bcrs--it Is simply perfect.
Charles Bugton. a Nelson county far
mer who is charged with brutally as
saulting his wife, has been placed in
the Grand Forks county Jail for SAFE
keeping until court convenes in that
county. ~
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-01-25
Antiquity of Chess ana checkers.

Chess has been attributed to Pala-
medes, who tlourisllcd ESQ years B. c.;
also to the Hind0os. Some authorities
consider checkers Il very ancient game
also, in fact. the origin of checkers
and chess may be Identical. Strut.
however, considers checkers a "modern
invention" Mr.. NIallct published in
1868 treatise on the subject Of
draughts, and the game is known to
have been played in Europe at least
century before. The Romans had q
game called latrun Gull, which was very
similnr in character to checkers. the
pieces moving diagonally, capturing by
leaping over and obtaining superior
power upon arriving safely ut the thith.
er side of the board. The board. how
ever, consisted Of but sixteen squares,
-pittsburg Dispatch.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-01-25

Another German prince is IT. trouble.
The court of Waechtersbach, in the dis
trict Of Cassel where Jerome Napoleon
once ruled and where Napoleon Ill.
spent his days as a prisoner Of Ger
many, declared Prince Macmillan zu
Ysenburg and Budingen- Waechtersbach
q bankrupt. The young man. has lived
an unusually fast life, and was the sub
ject of much gossip in Munich a few
years ago. He came into conflict with
the laws, in fact, in a way so displeas.
ing to his father that the latter placed
him under "curatel."
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-01-25
Wednesday,, Jan. II.


The North Dakota Elevator company
has sold its property in North Dakota
to the Monarch Elevator company.
a blind pigger at Ashton keeps the
sheriff and other authorities busy dur
ing the cold weather. He has just
be an raided for the third time in thirty
days.
The citizens of Hillsboro are in a
very gleeful state over the conclusion
of the long pending county seat fight,
which has been decided in favor Of
Hillsboro by the supreme court Of the
state.
Michael Daeley, who was sentenced
to years Imprisonment and $1,000
fine in the Turtle Mountain land con-
spiracy cases at Devils Lake, and who
procured bonds pending appeal to the
supreme court, was committed to Jail
there by Deputy Marshal SCHNEIDER on
account Of one of his bOndsmcn having
withdrawn.
Mr.. Barrett of St. Paul is on the
road in the interest Of the st. Paul
stock yards and likewise in the interest
! Of the farming community and all
other people OF the Northwest, in that
he could see farmers get out of the
wheat producing rut. Mr.. Barrett says
! the best pork that comes to their pack
ing establishment is from the Devils
Lake section, where it is produced from
barley and wheat screenings He says
that it is no uncommon thing for men
to make more money out OF half doz-
en- hogs this year than off wheat
farm. In fact, it is found that men
make more money. often, froln the pro-
1uction and sale OF IL single hog than off
of all the balance of the farm, and lie
cites instances. Unquestionably North
! Dakota has gone just rs far as it is
possible to go without diversified inter
ests, and make any progress at all.
Iowa and Southern Minnesota were re-
duced to starvation on wheat, and final.
ly going into farming proper instead
Of wheat manufacture. have tiourished
and those sections are now prosperous
,-Wahpeton Times.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-01-25
IDENTIFIED HIMSELF.
Joe Jefferson Made Himsclf Known
to the Bank Cashier.


to the Bank Cashier.
Joe" Jefferson, the we'll known actor
had an amusing experience in this
city last week. In the character of Rip
Van Wrinkle he possesses a peculiar
personality both in appearance and
speech, which cannot possibly be ilni-
tated, and which is unmistakable wher
once known, says the Philadelphia
Press.
This was illustrated in IN experience
which lie had with Chestnut street
banker. Mr.. Jefferson happened to u
in need OF money at the time.and, walk.
ing into the bank with check in his
hand, he presented it to the cashier
and asked if he could get the money on
the check.
You will have to he identified, Mr..
Jefferson" said the cashier
well, if my little dog Snyder was
here he would know me-" said Mr.. JEFF
ferson, in that inimitable style of his.
THAT is enough for me-" said the
cashier. Here's your money. No 9TH
er man could say that as you say it,
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-01-25

II q ! Il 3is
Jack Meredith, a young man convict
nd of counterfeiting, hanged himself In
his cell at Wheeling, w. Va. with q
strip of blanket.
Henry Somer and his wife were muir
dered in their home In Princetown,
Ohio and their twenty-year-old son Is
missing.
Edward King. his wife and seven
year-old son We're arrested ut Spring
field, Mo-, for passing counterfeit
money.
Three masked men held up passen-
ger train near Nicksburg, Miss, but
We're scared Off before securing any
thing.
The home Of John II. Stephens at
Rushville. ILL.,. was robbed of money
and jewelry valued ut several hundred
dollars.
Joseph Aberle, an illiterate young
man, was arrested at Titfin, for
sending obscene matter through the
mails.
DIR. Louis Sprau, bicyclist of San
dusky, o., was robbed near Tiffin by
highwaymen, who demolished his
wheel 81
A stranger walked into the National
Bank of Mexico, and. picking up a sack
containing $1,000 in silver, walked of
with it.
Samuel Morgan and William Mahan
fought with pistols at French Lick.
Ind., to settle an old feuu, and both
were killed.
A two and one-half- year-old child of
Louis Matter Of Pittshurg died from the
effects Of an assault by John Campbell,
who is in Jail.
The sentence Of George Hardy and
Edward Norris. Washington, D. c.,
murderers, has been committed to life
Imprisonment.
Joseph Walker, sixteen years old. is
under arrest charged with shooting
William and Mrs. Kimball, their 1S-
months-olG child and Mrs. Kimball's
sister at Dodge City, Kan.
For firing a stable while drunk, after
three attempts upon the lives Of his
family, William Rosian was given
twelve hours to leave West Hammond,
Ind.