The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-12-01

The Post-Intelligencer recently had q
paragraph from It's washington CORE
| spondent that the secretary OF the interior
has Just refused motion made oy
Charles r. W hittesey. tTeasurer-eiect or
! King county, toI a review OF the decision
I reached August 1, 1885. awarding 10 tie
heirs OF Michael Council the fine farm OF
/ 32e acres OF rich prairie land IN the north
I eastern part Of Pierce county. known as
/ Michael Connell's donation claim, or. more
/ familiarity. as Councils prairie X was
| also said that John A. Stone had last
/ month filed a protest against the issuance
/ OF patent 10 Connelfs heirs, and thai Sec
I rotary Francis had just overru.sd the
| protest.
This would seem 70 be the closing chap
/ ter in trasIcai drama of Indian wars,
/ business disputes, conflicts. Law suits and
/ killings. Three men have lost their lives
+ over this farm. and many thousands or
/ dollars have been spent in litigation 10 es-
/ tablish a good title to it.
/ Michael ConneA was a native or the
| county or Clare. in Ireland, and came IN
/ his youth TO the United States. He wan
/ dered to this coast, and in lSa awaited
himself OF the "benefits"(?l of the Ore
| g0n Donation Act" by settling upon the
| prairie which has ever since borne his
name. In defending his new possession
against the hostile Indians he was slain,
and as he had not been in possession OF
the place for the fun four years required
by that act before final proof could DO
made. and was single man without any
relatives in this country, 50 lar as
known, the land remained in the eondi-
ton of an unprotected claim. with no hslrs
to take up the thread of settlement and
cultivation where IL had been left by the
young pioneer who had fallen n the war
with the Indians. A neighhoring settler.
who had rendered some assistance 10 Con-
nell In starting the ranch, applied 10 the
probate court OF Pierce county for letters
OF administrat ton. and in due time That
court mot regarding it's want OF jurisdic-
ton in the matter caused the land 10 De
sold for the payment or ConnelFs debts,
and the title conveyed 10 the purchaser.
The sale was, of course. void, but NOBODY
seemed at the time 10 think so. Suc1l IL
tie as there was 10 the land passed IN
, time TO James G.. Williams, whose tenure
was as brief as connelgs. and as fatal,
for he was killed by some unknown person
while Oh his way from PuyaIlup 10 the
prairie Ii was generally supposed that
disputes which had arisen out OF the un-
settled condition OF the place were respoa-
sib,e for the killing OF Williams, whom
old settlers in the Puyallup valley VIII
remember by his uncompiimeaiary sopfi-
Quet OF Hog Williams.
After the death of the second victim OF
this Inflated land. coincident as II was
with the rapid development OF the mop IN
dustry in the Puyallup and Stuck valleys,
and the proved fitness of ConneHs pralrle
for that alluring crop, the plot percepAoiy
thickens. Intelligent, strong-wihea anu
persistent men appear upon the scene anu
take a hand in the struggle for the rich
and valuable hop ranch. Mr.. Whittlesey,
then carrying on a real estate ana ADJ
stract business in Tacoma. Joined hahas
with his attorney, Warren b HOOKER,
then OF the law firm of Hooker az Ashton,
and now the chairman OF the rivers anu
harbors committee In the lower house OF
congress. whose support OF the appropri-
alton for the North canal turned me
scales in its favor, and each applied Tor
169 acres of the land under the homestead
law Meanwhile the probate court uuo
passed TO William NJ White. who gave
mortgage for s.. 400 upon the Conneil claim
and upon the adjoining Williamson ooiia-
ton claim.
White had fallen out with James Nc
MILAN, storekeeper al sumner, one OF
the best known and most respected men
in Pierce county; and as they both were
strong, wiilful. uncompromising men, the
quarrel developed into bitter feud. NC
MILAN contrived 70 acquire the white
mortgage and proceeded 10 foreciose IL
This. OF course. increased the bitterness,
against the other. Their attorneys. in
spite of strong opposition from the ch-
| ents. secured a temporary truce and made
| ARA ngoments for the redemption or the
land by White within a given time
Whites attorneys procured the money and
were about TO pay OF the mortgage DEBT,
| when X was discovered that AcMilian,
who was drifting into trouble With his
creditors had transferred all his interest
in the land 10 his father. The creditors
attached the land and tied ND the money
IN the hands OF White and his attnrneys
| This brought negotiations to a standsuM
After further futile litigation. IN which
McMilian's creditors prevented a settle
rnent, the hay crop of 1885 became a new
bone OF eontention between White and
Mcmillan. White was in possession ana
had raised the crop: MCMILLAN had de-
clared that he would have the hay or
blood" and White, hearing OF this declar-
alton. retor;ed that II Mcmillan made the
attempt somebody would "get hurt Nc
Milan. armed with rife and a revolt
yer. started on July II from Sumner with
his moving machine. etc. and proceeded
10 cut the hay White was told ny one or
his sons that Mcmillan was cutting the
hay. Putting small pistol in his pocket.
White went 10 the scene of operations and
asked Mcmillan whether he had "sheriffs
papers" or any other authority for taking
possession and cutting the nay. fackins
ue his rife and pointing II az White and
directing the iatter's attention 90 i, Me-
MILAN answered: This IL my authority"
White said the authority was not sur
fclent and ordered Mcmillan of the place.
adding: You put this n law. and now
Set the law settle e." Mcmillan Kept the
rife aimed az White. who vatniy moved
about 20 get out OF his way. Hot words
were passing. AMI MCMILLAN RAISED the
gun. wheregpon White said Mac, you
are excited. dent shoot" He did shoot.
however. and 50 sid White about the same
instant. The shots lid not XII. White
rushed IN upon MCMILLAN and seized MS
gun, meanwhile with one hand firing his
own pistol Both we're woundesi-NeAil-
Ian fatally. After sending fer physi-
cian and doing all In his power TO save his
antagonists life, White went % Tacoma
ana surrendered himself 20 the sheriff.
The county was thrown into the greatest
excitement. and Whites iife was Tor sons
time in danger, He was tried three times.
James McNamght, Of this city. conducted
the prosecution. having been employees ~
the Mcmillan family 70 assist the prose-
cutting attorney. Judge Fremont Ganp9eSl.
and STATE Senator E. ". Tayis-. The de-
Tense vas conducted by the late Coi j. G.
Haines and John Arthur. The first Jury
stood i 20 FOR zcqu4ttal. but tie ore was
irsxorable. and. after more than twenty
four hours OF de}sbsration with this
twelfth man. the disagreement was seen
20 be incurab.e ard the jury we're DIS
charged The second 5ury we're given tbs
case about p n July ;. 49, Tacoma
was 20 have a great celebration the next
49, -