The news & observer., 1897-03-11
Mckee Scrip Order Issued IN
Spite of the Secretary's
Instructions.
a ROW OVER THE MATTER
LAND COMMISSIONER AND CHlEF
OF THE INTERIOR HAD AN
MATED CONTROVERSY.
CARLISLE FIGURES ~ The CASE
Retained by Benner and la Eo'ies'e
Who Claim Enormously Valuable
Land in Chicago Bliss
to Investigate.

Land in Chicago Bliss
to Investigate.
(New York Journal)
Washington. March 9.-The decision
of s W. I.anaoreaux, Commissioner of
the General Land Office, giving to Ben
nor and La Toilette. holders Of the Me
Eee scrin. tbe RIGHT to ask for patents
on an enormously valuable tract OF lana
in ta-day's Journal. was made ia de-
6ance of the orders of Secretary Of the
Interior Francis. The land involved IN
,,l,ldes Lake Shore Drive and runs from
the Chicago River to Lincoln Park and
from st. Clair street to Lake Michigan.
The Mckee scrip was bought by
Matthias Benner, former chief OF the
Chicago Fire Department, and Harvey
NJ. La Follete, former superintendent
of instruction of Indiana. a year ago
from Louisville bankers for S31,oO0. 1t
was issued to a Mexican war veteran
and his heirs disposed of it to the bank
ers. Senator Blackburn IN 1889 Sc
cured the passage of an act authorizing
the issue of new scrip in place of the
old. and granting the holders of it the
right to locate upon any vacant land
IN Ule united SEateS
Benner and La Toilette decided to
locate on the North Side (Chieagol
land. which had never been surveyed
by the government. The title of the
land is now held by the Lincoln Park
Board, Mr.. Kirk, the soap manufac-
turer; Potter Palmer, n. X. Fairbanks,
John v. Farwell and others.
Lamoreaux's finding was signed after
the commissioner of the land office had
held a heated personal controversy with
Secretary Francis. The Secretary of
the Interior ISSUED an order prohibiting
the promulgation of the finding. John
G. Carlisle. Secretary of the Treasury,
it is claimed. was retained by the win
ming side Two decisions We're written,
one ON each side of the case. Finally
the commissioner himself makes the
finding public through one of the at
torneys on the successful side, who lives
in Milwaukee.
TO REOPEN THE CASE.
The new Secretary of the Interior, Mr..
Bliss, will have the case reopened for
investigation. The case is one of the
most badly tangled that has ever come
out of the Interior Department, and
that department has a record on tangles.
The powers of the General Land Com
missioner, of the Secretary of the In
terror, and the right of a government Of
fetal to be retained in case where
government issues are at stake, are all
to be settled.
After the hearings last fall the case
was turned over to the regular attor-
neys in the Commissioners office, and
February 20 the attorney having the
papers in charge presented his
70 1t,1f II ltraey
for the present occupants of the land.
This decision did not suit the commits
sioner. He said so plainly, and started
to write an opinion of his own finding
for the scrip people. Secretary Francis
heard of this, and then the trouble be-
gan.
Judge Iamoreaux was summoned to
the Office of the Secretary of the Interior.
The interview which followed was heated.
Mr.. Francis did not like the proceedings,
and said so. Judge Lamoreaux had
scarcely reached his office before he was
told that the Secretary would issue an
order which would keep the commissioner
from promulgating his decision. No
sooner did Commissioner Lamoreaux hear
this than he attached his signature to
the finding he had written himself, and
gave it to Assistant Commissioner Best,
with instructions to promulgate it.
HAD THE DECISION PUBLISHED.
Then he left the office, after making a
copy Of the decision, and has not been
seen there since He refused to return
to his Office and March 2 took a train
for his home in Wisconsin.
He stopped off at Milwaukee and gave
a copy of the decision to ex-Congress-
man Somers, of that city, who is one of
the attorneys for the scrip holders.
Secretary Francis, ON February %,
went to his Office in the Interior Depart
ment and issued an order directing the
General Land Office to withhold the
decision from PRONUNCIATION. 1t is said
he argued that its being kept within
the office would keep the finding of
Judge Lamoreaux from becoming law.
1t is probable that Commissioner La
moureaux heard of this, and located
the Secretary's plans by giving out a
copy Of the decision to the attorneys for
the scrip holders.
1t is held by persons thoroughly fami-
liar with the workings of the depart
ment that the finding is now binding as
far as any decision of the commissioner
could be. The Secretary of the Interior
it is said, could not stop the workings
Of the Land Office. 1t may have to be
settled by the courts of the country.
The connection of Carlisle with the
case has caused a great deal of comment
1t is claimed that as Secretary of the
Treasury he had no right to be retained
in Il suit in which the property of the
United States was in question Some
of the ex-Secretary's friends claim thai
he was retained to appear in the case
when it comes up for hearing ON an ap
peal. In that event they say his actor
was perfectly proper.
X-SENATOR DOLPH DEAD.
pnrtlarl 0rngnn. March 10-Ex.