Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1894-10-29
MORE CATRONISH,
A Land Grant Deal With History
BuncOing Investors in
New Mexico.
Voluntary Testimony of an Easter
Gentleman Who is Prepared 80
Prove What He States,
o the Editor Of the New Mexican

Brooklyn, Oct. 10, 1894, 3Ol Hicks ST.
Through the considerate kindness of
friend am in receipt of the NEW ME11-
DAN of September 10, containing long
and interesting article on "tax lodging"
Allow me to say that your account of the
affair does not begin to picture the cold
blooded villainy of Eikins and Catron in
connection with the Ortiz and the Mesita
de Juana Lopez grants. If the story is
interesting to your readers l shall be
glad to have you publish my account of
the formation Of the Cerrillos Coal d
Iron company. was one of the princi-
pal, though innocent, actors in that ne
farious business and am prepared to
prevv by irrefutable testimony every
statement which make.
In 1880, or thereabouts, Stephen B.
Elkins, then living in New York City,
induced number of friends to join him
in buying
THE ORTIZ MINE GRANT,
the management and agency of which
had been in his hands for many years.
He assured them that the title was all
right and at that time he did not inter Il
syllable about any conflict of title with
the Juana Lopez grant. His friends,
relying absolutely upon "Steve's" sup.
posed integrity and upon his known
familiarity with the property, invested
$375,00O in cash In the property. The
title deed and stock of the original New
Mexico Mining company we're placed in
the names of S. B. Elkins and ]. B. Chat
fee, as trustees, for all the purchasers.
Afterwards, the title was transferred to
the New Mexico Mining company and the
stock of the rehabilitated company was
distributed pro rata among the owners.
Some time after the consummation of
the purchase and while the syndicate
were filled with joyful anticipations of
huge and speedy returns on their invest
| ment, Catron, seeing
A CHANCE TO HOLD Up
the hands of this wealthy crowd, began to
write Elkins letters threatening suit to
compel settlement Of the pretended
conflict of title. Then, for the first time,
| Elkins was forced to disclose the claim,
made by his partner, Cstron, for these
worthless we're co-partners in the Juana
Lopez grant. Elkins affected at the time
to treat Catron's threats of suit lightly,
and he treasured his alarmed associates
by saying that he "would take care of
Catron." All who know the latter gen.
| tleman need no assurance from me that
he was not to be put of with honeyed
words and promises. He probably knew
enough about the secrets Of Steve's phe-
nomenal prosperity in the territory to
make his former law partner fear his dis
closures.
Elkins, fually made desperate by Cat
ron's threats, changed his tone toward his
still confding associates and assured
them that the prospects of Catron's sue
cessful prosecution of his suit we're suffi-
ciently serious to warrant a compromi &c..
| His associates
WERE HELPLESS AND AoQuIEsOKD.
As result they we're induced to deed
to new company, the C. c. I'll. Co., the
entire northwest corner of the Ortiz mine
grant comprising about $4,000 acres of
anthracite and bituminous coal land of
great present and enormous prospective
value. Elkins and Catron decided to the
new company their pretended interests in
the Ortiz by virtue of the overlap, and
$4,000 acres additional to the northward
of the Ortiz grant. In dividing up the
stock so per cent of the shares were as
signedto @
THE JOINT ooNspIBAToRs,
Elklns and Catron, and the sheared lambs
were permitted to take the remaining 40
per cent. In plain English, the trapped
innocents were "buncoed" into making a
present of si1-tenths Of their magnificent
property to pair Of sharpers who gave
absolutely nothing in return.
am prepared to prove beyond the
possibility of contradiction that Elkins
and Catron as the claimants Of the Me-
sta de Juana Lopez grant, had no more
title to the part of the Ortiz grant which
they claimed than if the latter we're stu
ated in the moon. Their
CONSPIRACY TO px1RAUD
the people was extensively laid bare
during the investigation conducted by
Surveyor General Julian under my direc-
ton In 1886. Should you care to publish
the story at some future time shall be
very happy to communicates it. Further
more shall be pleased to be allowed the
opportunity of pointing out how and why
Just such transactions as the above retard
the prosperity of the territory, and how,
in my opinion, the progress Of your prom
Using and delightful section can be slim
ulated and made permanent.
| (Sipned1 ALFRED j. WOLF.
At Rest.