The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-03-20
The Mckee Land Scrip.

New York, March 19.-'-The prompt ana
onsiness-like action on Saturday Of Secre-
tary Bliss In annulling the proceedings In
the Chicago lake front cases and directing
new trial Is likely to result In some pecu-
lar developments" said Lawyer Judson +.
Kelly. of Chicago, this morning. "and not
the least interesting part of them viii be
the explanation of Land Commissioner
Lamoreaux as to why his opinions became
public before It had been officially pro-
mulgated. It IS not at al surprising that
the land commissioner should have become
III as the newspapers assert. after the plain
language Of the secretary of the interior.
who says that the commissioners action
was In fragrant disregard of right and Jus
tice. and In violation of the usual and Just
rules of procedure.
II have been familiar in a professional
way with the Mckee scrip inbroglio for
twelve Of fifteen years. 1t Is of as far
reaching interest and Importance IN Ch.ca-
go as the claiming Of twenty blocks on
Riverside drive would be in New York.
II the claim was made by person with
view Of dispossess.ng the owners OF the
valuable property along your beautiful
river drive. The land to which the three
principal contestants, La Toilette. Benner
and Sayre. lay claim. Is now owned by
number OF the most prominent citizens in
Chicago-Potter Palmer. Robert T. LIN
coin, II. H. Kohlsaat. Allison v. Armour,
Mrs. NJ. D. Ogden and a dozen others.
whose names are equally well known In
the business and social worlds. and who
bought the property with the assurance
and guarantee of clear title. 1t IS only
within the last two years that the attack
hos rfa cobo ,ba
matter has been before the courts of Cook
county for quarter Of century, and
have no doubt the dockets will still be bur
dead and buried.
There is no analogy that I could make
in New York that would adequately convey
the extent, the situation or the nature OF
the claim. The mythical Anneke Jams es-
tate bears no comparison. because the heirs
of that thrifty parsonage have never es-
tabl.shed the slightest right to recognition.
The nearest that could come to It would
be as have said. to have a claim made 10
the ownership OF the land and property on
Riverside Dive, from Seventy-second 10
Tooth street. on the ground that 1t was
land and had never been held
by individuals.
John Mckee was a Kentuckian, who Or
ganized, at his own expense. a company OF
men to go to the Mexican war. He proved
TO be gallant fighter. and at the battle of
Palo Alto he was shot through the heart.
He left to his family nothing but his men,
DRY and a claim against the government
for the expenditure he had made in equip
ping the company of Kentucky rangers.
This claim was presented by three Ken
lucky senator's in succession, and in 1853
passed law authorizing the issu-
ing of scrip to the Mckee heirs, equiva-
lent IN amount to the money expended by
their patriotic ancestor. There was a Pc
culiar provision In the act. 1t authorized
the holders Of the scrip to locate upon sur
veyed lands, occupied or unoccupied. and
Il was provided that the selection Of loca-
ton was to be made by the President Of
the United States. No president was ever
called upon TO do this, and the scrip re-
NAMED in the hands of the Mckee heirs
until 1889.
Senator Blackburn, who had known the
family for many years, introduced an amen
1atory act in that year, which took from
The president the power Of locating the
scrip and placed in the hands of the Mckee
heirs II is probable that the members of
congress- who voted for the measure did
lot fully realize the power it conferred.
At all events they passed 1t unanimously
n both houses, and President Cleveland |
made It operative with his signature. The |
heirs disposed of the scrip, and the pur- |
.hasers Immediately set about finding land |
N which TO file it.
They satisfied themselves-and say they !
an satisfy the courts-that the land on |
he lake front of Chicago was government |
and. and had never been legally acquired |
" those who now hold 1t; that large |
,ortion of the territory now occupied by |
'alatial residences was filled in land, re-
laimed from the lake, and that clear title |
o II had never beeen obtained. The /!
laimants began an investigation of the |
riginal surveys Of the shore line of the
AXE, and they claim to have discovered
hat the line extended back TO the very
teps of several of the magnificent man
ions that are now far back from the
Fater's edge This involved riparian
ights of immense values. and the further
he investigation went the more the hold
rs OF the scrip were convinced that they
-ere in possession of fabulous fortune,
nd they determined TO fight for it"