Arizona republican., 1896-04-18
THE[R TITLE IS CLBAR
A Decision Of Local Inn
portanCe.
Rendered by the United States
Supreme Court.
Settlement of the Famous Suit
Against the Title of Central


The famous Central Place suits
were decided last Thursday in the su-
preme court of the United States, the
decision being Ito the defendants in AL
three cases, comprising Bryan against
Kales, Bryan against Brosius and
Bryan against Pinney. Thus litiga-
tion is disposed of THAT has vexed the
citizens of Phoenix for years, involv-
ing as it did cloud on the titles of
some of the most valuable property in
Phoenix and its suburbs.
The suits were began away back in
1887, when the Maricopa & Phoenix
had just entered the town and when
there was something of boom in
reality. The property i'm question was
held by a very multitude of individ
ual holders, though each was secured
by a guarantee decd, and public in
dignation ran so high that public
meetings were held ito protest against
the jumpers" newspaper THAT de
Tended them was ostracised and mob
violence was for time tihr reatened
against the claimants. After a while,
however, the proposition was made
plain that it was but "a matter of law
that was to be decided and that it
would be better to allow the equities
to be fairly settled than to resort to
idle deeds of violence. So the cases
have since hung ON i'm the courts.
Judgment rendered for the defendants
in the district court was sustained in
the supreme court of the territory and
now the supreme court decision for
the defendants has been sustained in
the court of last resort
There are so many side lights on the
case that its explanation would be a.
most impossible as50 amy space thar
could be ito it given by any ordinary
newspaper article. First, 1T should be
stated that, despite the fact that he
does not appear on record as defend
amt, the benefit of the decision will be
reaped by Col. J. 7. Simms, who has
fought the case clear through ait his
own expense, which asSruredly has NOT
been Light, as he has had the pay of
about six lawyers ITO provide for beside
the regular court costs. These latter
will, of course, be returned by the ap-
peal bondsmen of THE plaintiffs.
The property i'm question comprised
Central Place, quarter section be-
tween THE Cave Greek road (now Sew
enth street, and Central avenue, one
half mile north of the city, to the east
of Simms' addition. The second bit
in dispute was what is known as the
Garside ranch, lying east of tine Brill
ranch, a mile northeast of the city
The third is lot SO of the city of Phoe-
nix, the corner block of ten lots abut-
ting on what is locally known as the
Five Points. A fourth lis the Beckett
ranch, southeast of the city one-half
mile.
The start of the trouble lay at the
time of the death of ]. M. Bryan,
usually known as Greed Bryant" an
aid settler, who did a heavy business as
a blacksmith at the northwestern cor
ner of town, back in the days when the
Black canyon road was the passage
way Through Phoenix for the heavy
teams that hauled supplies into north
ern Arizona. When he died he was
debtor unto Banker Kales, who secured
for himself the appointment of admin
istrator. Then in his capacity of
banker he sued himself as admanis-
traitor and confessed Judgment. By
the judgment the property above list
ed was sold at public sale in front of
the court house, Ka,es himself bid
ding in portion of it.
This sale was held in 1888. About
Two years thereafter the quarter sec
ton north of the city passed into the
possession of Col. Simms, who had
made considerable money as a con-
tractor on the Atlantic & Pacific rail
road construction work; the north
eastern quarter section went ITO one
Garside and the city block was in the
possession of Judge P.nney, who about
that time sold the wesetrn half to NJ
H. Sherman Simms had bought also
three quarter sections west and north
of the quarter This, however, was the
first plated by him and was by him
sold off ito the very last lot to investors
and homeseekers, giving to each war
ranty deeds. 1t was he who named it
Central Place. from it's frontage on
Central avenue.
Several years had elapsed when T.
]. Bryan, a brother of the dead black
smith, came upon the scene as &, c,cl-
testant of the irregular action Of the
administrator The heir was repre-
sented by four attorneys, Briggs Good
rich, Ben Goodrich, Cameron H. King
and Webster Street, an aggregation of
the highest legal talent of ijhe terri
tory, and the suit had in 1T a consider
able degree of seriousness. About all
the either attorneys of the city were
engaged by the numerous parties de-
fendant and the legal battle, from
technicality to technicality, was waged