The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-03-01

"li OliOoO y St'io h'to DCCh " oN"ANS "a
endless trouble to the people living
in what is known as the disputed
territory. This dispute involves a
triangular piece of land about three
quarters of a mile wide, on the
Pennsylvania line, with its point
terminating some thlrty-eight miles
south of the Fairfax stone. Both
States claiming this triangular piece
of land and are now and have been
attempting to exercise jurisdiction
over it. Serious conflicts and
breaches of the peace have arisen
between citizens of the two States
which both have treated as crimes
within their respective jurisdiction,
and attempted to punish. Each
State has levied and collected taxes
on the same land. People claiming
to be citizens of West Virginia
claim title to land from the State of
Virginia. People claiming to be
citizens of Maryland claim title to
the same land under the State of
Maryland. In many instances both
States have granted patents upon
the same lands. Many efforts have
been made to settle the dispute, but
none have been successful.
In 1890 the Legislature of Mary
land directed the Attorney General
to take steps to obtain a decision of
the Supreme Court OF the United
States to settle and fix the line
above referred to. The Attorney
General thereupon filed a bill in
equity in the Supreme Court to
carry out the purpose of the law.
The State of West Virginit has an
swered the bill filed by Maryland.
have received copies OF these in
teresting documents, and in order
that our people may get fair and
full understanding of this subject
which is Of such vast Importance to
them, | propose to publish through
the Nescs the claims Of the respec-
tive States with the facts upon
which they are based. As the mat
ter is before the court | shall give
the matters alleged without COM
ment.
In order that those who read may
have a definite idea about the
toubles to which citizens have been
subjected, | give petition which
was sent to the governor Of Msry-
land about the year 1882, signed by
people living on the disputed terri
tory. 1t is as follows:
TO the Honorable and General As
senbly Of Aaryland::
Yoar undersigned petitioners beg
leave to represent to your honor,
able body that they have lived for q
long time (some five and from that
to twenty years. on tract Of land
called the ''Diadem in Allegany
county, Md" and have cleared con
siderable on our plantations. About
five years back Mr.. William Eli
OFT and Abraham Jeffries laid q
Virginia land warrant on the same
tract Of land and demanded posses
sion of our Improvements. We re-
fused on the plea that we lived in
Maryland, on another mans land.
We were shortly after notified to
attend at Kingwood court, where
an ejectment suit was brought
against us. We refused as before
on the same grounds that We lived
in Maryland and would not attend
to any precept from the other side
of the line. We some time after
were visited by the sheriff and re-
quested to give possession. We
again refused as before, and he left
us in possession of our homes. A
few days after the sheriff with q
force Of eighteen armed men, some
with guns, some with axes and
others with dirks and knives and
again demanded possession. The
man of the house refused and i'm
mediately the door was dashed to
pieces and the family torn from
their house, the furniture thrown
out of doors in the midst of heavy
rain, from which treatment he re-
ceived considerable damage and
great inconvenience. We have been
paving taxes in AllegaLy county
and are now called upon to pay
taxes in the county of Preston and
our property threatened to be sold
if these demands are not promptly
paid.
''We have long been in Maryland
and have no other protection. We
trust the honorable Legislature will
consider our cases and give us some
relief from our oppressors for which
we feel in duty bound to pray.
Henry Slnes, Adam Feather, John
Summers, s. Summers.
From that time to the present
the people of this section of the
State have been appealing to the
Legislature for relief. The follow
ing is the bill filed on the part of
-