The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-03-09
DEFIED BY Mr.. LAM0REUx
During Francis Last Week as
Secretary Of Interior.
TANGLED MCKEE SCRIP CASE
Immensely Valuable Chicago Tract
Invoived-The Land Commission
er's Decision i'm Direct Violation
of the Orders of His Chief-Bliss
to Take the Matter Up.

The last few days of Secretary Francis
administration of the Interior Department
were, it is intimated, marred by a most
heated passage at arms with his land COM
missioner, Mr.. S. W. Lamoreux.
The trouble arose over Commissioner
Lamoreaux's decision in the terribly tan
gled case ofthe Mckee scrip holders. This
decision gave to Matthias Benner, former
chief OF the Chicago fire department, and
Harvey NJ. La Foliette, former superntend-
ent of instruction in Indiana, the present
holders OF the Mckee scrip, the right to
ask for patents On an enormously valuable
tract Of land ON the north side, Chicago.
The decision, IL is said, was made i'll
direct defiance OF the orders OF Secretary
Francis.
The land involved includes Lake Shore
Drive and runs from the Chicago River
to Lincoln Park and from st. Ciair street
to Lake Michigan. The Mckee scrip was
bought by Benner and La Toilette, a year
ago from Louisville bankers for S37 200.
1t was issued to a Mexican war veteran
and has heirs disposed OF it to the bankers.
Senator Blackburn in 1889 secured the
passag &c 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 the United States"
Bonner and La Toilette decided to so
cate on the North Side fChicagol land,
which had never been surveyed by the
government The title OF the land is new
held by the Lincoln Park Board, MI. Kirk.
the soap manufacturer; Potter Palmer, \.
X Fairbanks, John V. Farwcll a nd others.
Lamoreux's finding was signed after the
Commissioner OF the Land Office had held
a heated personal controversy with Sec
rotary Francis. The Secretary OF the lIl-
terror issued an order prohibiting the pro-
mitigation Of the finding. Secretary OF the
Treasury Carlisle, it is claimed, was re-
taine1 by the winning side. Two decisions
were written, one on each side OF the case.
Finally the commissioner himself made the
finding public through one OF the attorneys
on the successful side, who lives in Mil
waukee.
The new Secretary OF tie Interior, Mr.
Bliss, VIII have the case roopened for in
vestigation. The case is one OF tie most
badly tangled that has ever come out OF the
Inter or Department. The powers OF the
general land commissioner, OF the Secretary
OF the Interior, and the right of a govern
ment Official TO be retained III case
where rovernmeft issues are at stake, are
all to he settled.
After the hearings last fail the case was
turned over to the regular attorneys in
the commissioners office, and February 20
the attorney having the papers in Charge
presented his report to Judge Lamoreux,
finding or the present occupants OF the
land. This decision did not suit the com
missioner He said SO plainly, and started
to write an opinion Of his own finding for
the scrip eople Secretary Francis heard
OF this, and then the trouble began.
Judge LamoreuX 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 50. Judge Lamoreux had scarcely
REACHED bis office before he was told that
the Secretary would issue an order which
would keep the Commissioner from promul
eating his decision. No sooner did Com
missioner Lamoreux hear this than he at
tached his signature to the finding he had
written himself and gave it to Assistant
Commissioner Best, with instructions to
promulgate it.
Then he iefs the office, after making a
CODY G1 Tie utClSlDu. anu IlttS iOO bSti StCH
there since. He refused TO return to the
office, and March took train for his
home in wisconsin.
He stopped off at Milwaukee and gave a
COPY of the decision to ex-Congressman
Somers, of that city, who is one OF the at
torneys for the scrip holders.
Secretary Francis, on February %, went
to his office IN the Interior Department. and
issued an order directing the General Land
Office to withhold.the decision from pro-
mitigation. 1t is said he argued that its
being kept within the office would keep the
finding of Judge Lamoreux from becoming
a law. 1t is probable that Commissioner
Lamoreux heard OF this, and blocked the
Secretary's plans by giving out copy OF
the decision to the attorneys for the scrip
holders.
II is held by persons thoroughly familiar
with the workings OF the department that
the findings now binding as far as any de-
cision or the Commissioner could be. The
Secretary Of the Interior, it is held, could
DOT stop the workings Of the Land Office.
rt no hax-a tr> ha sptt1ed nv the rnurta nf