The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-03-29
JUDGE R. N WIDNEY REPLIES
70 the COMMUNICATION OF ZONE ,wHO
KNOWS THE RECORD"
Ne Replies In More or Less csustlc Vein
to What he Alleges to be Defeated Land
Grabbing schemes-A Characteristic Let.
ter

EDITOR HERALD:-Some one who says
he "knows the record" has tried his
hand in the attempted land .grabbin
scheme that has been so signelly de-
feated in congress-. So secretly was
the matter kept by the conspirators
that few knew that there was an or
ganized and moneyed exparte attempt
to get congress to throw into litigation
large portions OF "the richest landed
heritage on tho face of Gods EARTH"
Ihave been waiting for the irrefutable
evidence of the fact that could not be
answered and now refer the public in
California to the statement of Hon.
james Montgomery, printed in The
HERALD of March 23, 1896, in which it
10 boldly stated that there is an or
ganized league for the purpose of at
taching patented grants to heal up the
titles and let the league members and
others get the land. But it failed.
"Justice'' can add one more to his
mortuary list in The HERALD of the
18th inst. and ask Kogerio what of the
congressional attempt to heal up Uni
ted States patented grants? "Dead."
Mr.. Montgomery says of his attempt
referred to in bis report to his clients:
Gentlemen: failed to obtain either
. repeal or suspension of the act of
congress of March 3, 1884," etc.
According to his own report he pre-
sented his clients case to congress in
January, 1896, ex-parte and without
notice to the people who own farms of
oranges, lemons, olives. towns and mil
lions of dollars worth of improvements
that they have placed on the lands
hn POI 1a
10000, 600 people of the United States.
Yes. incredible as it may seem, without
notice to these bona fide owners of this
property, al ex-parte attempt was made
to deprive them of their title in viola
ton of constitutional guarantees that
no man should he deprived Of his
property without due process of law,
which means due notice to come and
defend.
This purported to be done in the
name of justice They must make
some showing and ex-parte cry frand,
thinking thus to deceive the public
and draw attention from their own
methods.
Why, in order to even make out
m ex-parte case of fraud they were
driven to make the absurd declaration
duplicating as confederates in the
fraud the lawmakers of the nation,
all the judges Of the etate and United
States courts that had passed upon
these grants, the executive department
of the nation and all of it's employees.
For if tn, proceedings are void on
their face, from the original petition
down to the patent, then all of the
above officers had knowledge of that
fact and wssa participants in the fraud.
What WI issale, absurd charge of
corruption and ignorance running
through over fifty years.
The people of California will say, is
it more probable that all these sworn
judges and officers of the law have
united in a fraud running through
forty years, or that the present out
criers are engaged in fraudulent at
tempt to break up patented titles?
1t is not to be wondered at that con-
gress sized up the job and incidentally
kicked it out OF the halls Of congress
forever. Why, with all that has been
said against congress, it would not
touch the reeking proposition or &C.
machinery of the government, includ-
ing congress and the United States SUI
preme court, had for forty years bsen
engaged in frauds that we're frauds
and void on their face.
Now Mr.. "One Who Knows the Rec
ord," come out from your skulking and
let the public know your real name, in
order that innocent people may not be
suspected of being yourself II you
are engaged in an honorable effort, in
the eyes Of the public, come out and
give the public a chance to honor you.
By concealing your identity you are
open to the suspicion that yon have
your own doubts as to the honor of the
work.
In some of the series of articles on
your side, your advocates claim TO be-
s'endeavoring to restore to the people
thousands of acres of land Of which
they have been defrauded," etc. Now
call for your authority TO represent
the 70,000,0o0 people of the United