Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1894-05-31
INDEMNITY LANDS.
steenerson's Hobby.
His False Hopes
Shattered.
The ED1roR, The WARREN Shear.

The EDIToR, The WARREN SHEAF
Sir
When Mr.. Amnnd johnson, 8
Foldahl, sent yon Mr.. Steenerson's
letter re Indemnity Lands for pub
lication he did that gentleman q,
injustice by withholding his name
because his manifest earnestness de
served recognition, however defective
his communication may have been
in logic, and in law.
Mr.. STEVENSON states that the
railway company sholds the abso.
lutte title and ownership ofthelands'
and further that cit is wrong for him
to hold out false hopes to settlers
yet he proceeds to hold out false
hopes to them, by Offering to make
q motion for n rehearing OF a case,
already finally and irrevocably dis.
posed Of.
In his defence to the ejectment
suits, brought by this company in
1890, against some so squatters on
the company's lands in Marshall
county, Mr.. Steenerson's contentious
most signally failed, and the settlers
were elected from the lard most of
which was sold to Others, while the
del,lded people lost their homes, and
the heavy costs incurred by those
who appealed, ruined most OF them,
rs there were no exemptions from
seizure in such cases.
| submitted this last letter of Mr..
Steenerson's to a Land attorney OF
national reputation, who answers:
cit is somewhat difficult to under
stand precisely what he means. Gle
raised similar questions in the pre-
vious eiectment SUITS" The dist
riot court in overriding his conten-
tions merely followed the decision OF
the supreme court Of the United
States, in similar cases.
"These indemnity lands were select
ed by the company early in 1880
and were patented in February 1899.
During most OF the period the con-
tentions named were under the con
sideration OF the department., and
were finally denied by secretary La
mar, whose decision however merely
followed the settled law as laid down
by the supreme court OF the United
States, and l am satisfied that SINH
lar questions, il now presented,
would not be entertained, and it
would be q waste Of money on the
part Of the settlers upon those in
demnity lands, to pay an attorney
for the purpose OF attempting to
raise such questions.
The settlers would best consult
their interests by calling upon me,
aud accepting the favorable terms
offered by the company, before The
land they occupy is sold to others.
Now as to the removal of build
ings &c. Some people mistakenly
suppose that the buildings, fencing
and other improvements OF a NOV.
able nature may be legally removed
from the land. This fallacious idea
is so we'll understood that it is amaz-
ing anyone can be so deceived. The
recent trial in the district court OF
Marshall county kennedy versus
Turner" demonstrated the absurdity
OF any such contention. The defend
ent, a squatter on the company's
land, erected on skids a frame dwell
ling house, with the avowed object
OF removing it, If the decision then
pending in the ejectment snitagainst
farmer went against him. The land
WAS sold TO Kennedy, and when the
writ Of ejectment was issued against
Mr.. Stccnerson's client, Turner, he
removed the building. Kennedy
then brought IN action, in replevin,
in the justice court ut Stephen, was
defeated before a jury, appealed to
the district court and was successful.
Turner then appealed to hesupreme
court, which as Il matter OF course
decided in favor OF Kennedy, the law
being very clear on this question.
Turner wns saddled with the heavy
costs OF the three trials; besides all
the worry and loss of time in con-
nrclion with the suit.
The object Of Ibis letter is to llisa-
bnse the settlers of entertaining
''faIse hopes that they will be per-
mittel to occupy and crop these
lands, to which, they hive no legal
right, and if Mr.. STEVENSON is sin
cerc in his expression Of good inten-
tons, he will advise them That it
will be to there best interests to
nuke arrangements with the COM
pany, without delay, So that they
mny secure their homes.
Between the settlers aud the COM
pnny there should be the strongest
community OF interests; because in
the settlers success would be the COM
pany's greatest prosperity. At pres
ent the company is striving to OBJ