The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-06-28
SWINDLER
What He Sought to Do with n Bogus
Claim and His Nerve.

Claim and HIS Nerve.
Chicago Tribune.
The arrest of James Addison Peralta Rea-
Wis by a United States marshal Tuesday
marks the closing chapter in the greatest
was learned yesterday from attorney A. f.
Gammage. of Chicago, that Reavis has in
weighed into his service men of no less prom
inence than Colonel Robert G. Ingersoll,
Judge Brodhead, the United States minister
to switzerland; c. p. Huntington, the rail-
way magnate. and Phil Thompson. law
partner of Stephen b. Elkins.
The story of Reavis's career is the story of
a life sparkling with genius and actuated
by the most monumental nerve which the
could well contain. The essential facts of
his life are told by Mr.. Gammage. Twenty
called himself then. was engaged In the
practice of law in San Francisco. Leaving
his chosen profession, he married a Spanish
money sailed for Spain. Arriving at the
capital, he paid his respects TO the Spanish
authorities. He introduced his wife as a
an early American adventurer, who was
granted by the Spanish crown a tract OF
24eo.oO acres of land. embracing nearly all
of Arizona and portions of New Mexico and
Colorado. The Spanish government, how
ever. did not do much for Reavis and his
preren wsInah he,r eSo, ana mib;c5 ave :" ba MN ni no oInins
than letters OF Introduction to the parties
in the United States.
ReaVlS tnen returned 10 America ana Tor
the next twenty-five years. up to the pres
ent. has devoted his time exclusively to
perfecting his scheme. Since leaving his
law practice he has never made a dollar.
travelling about the country and flching his
way on the credit of his pretended land
grant. He went TO New York city and
stood or Manager Stokes. of the Hoff-
man House for thousands of dollars, secur-
ing at that hostelry accommodations for
himself and wife ana a host of guests. He
gave Stokes in consideration for his hotel
accommodations a contract by which he
agreed to assign a portion of his Western
wood, a San Francisco electrician, and bled
him for $4,000; also a pawnbroker for a
considerable sum of money.
1t was not till eight years $50 that
Colonel Ingersoll was lured INTO the case
and gave it a careful investig alton. c. p.
Huntington gave the clever claimant $1,000
sides furnishing him with legal counsel
gratis. Judge Brodhead wagered weeks of
his time and services against the contin-
gency of receiving a liberal slice of the land
grant. +. A. ge, OF this city. was
city and knew him well.
Reavis went TO Denver last summer and
built In that city a ver.table mansion on
the strength of his claim. He kept a coach
and-four and lived in elegant style. During
the last twenty-five years he has gulled
the whole country on a scheme which did
tain ii. His wife. the pretended heiress of
P~eralta, is a typical Spaniard and weighs
about three hundred pounds.
The United States government had al
ways recognized the Peralta claim. but has
disputed Reavis's right to it. Reavis's APP
prehension by the federal authorities will
have the temporary effect, at least, of
quieting the titles of 1900 people who hold
under the Peralta claim, and furnishes the
sequel to the record-breaking land scheme
of modern times.