The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-10
PEEKAMOSE WAR Is OVER.
j. O. a. WARD GETS POSSESSION OF
THE FILMING PRESERVES.

simpson Paid 100000 for tho Property at
Auction to Please Dimock, who Wished
to spite tho Sculptor Mr.. Ward Got II
for Less Money-A History OF the Fight.
John y. A. Ward. the sculptor. has at last got
possession OF the Old peekamose Fishing
Club preserve up IN the CatskillB. back OF
Kingston. and the famous Peekamose war Is
over. Before the fight began between the
sculptor and his fellow members OF the club.
he had acquired some 1000 acres in the noun
tains all about. and the eighty acre club tract
was so hemmed in 10y hts own woods and water
that the property was yalueless to anybody
else. Not garden spot or even spring hole
was on the preserve. and any woodman knows
that "A club preserve without spring- hole.
and shut In by Somebody elsos land ia good
place to steer clear OF. Having gained full con-
troll OF the forests and streams and ponds OF
his Peekumose, Mr.. Ward may spend his sum-
mer time in peace and fish and hunt to his
hearts content
Frank f. Simpson the Boston mill-owner.
well known as a sportsman and clubman.
bought the Peckamose tract two years ago for
10000. when the club property was sold by
order Of the court at public AUCTION. He paid
this big price for the little preserve. 1t was said
at the request Of Anthony W. Dimock. once the
bosom friend Of the sculptor. but ostranged
from him in the ebow-to-elbow relations OF
camp life The sculptor and tho broker fought
tooth and nail for the control OF Peekamose.
and whom Mr.. Ward won the fight in the courts
and had the club dissolved, Mr.. D!mock vowed
that the land shouldn't get into the sculptor's
hands He got Mr.. Simpson to go to the sale
and buy the club land at any price. Mr.. Ward
wanted it as badly as Mr.. DmOck That was
why it cost Mr.. Simpson 10000.
Afterwards. when the New York broker fall
Ar . 10 a
900 preserve upon his hands. The two men had
some difficulty. too about note for S25.OOO.
and so it was not an unusual thing when Mr..
simpsons lawyers suggested to Mr.. Wards
lawyers that. as Mr.. Ward had all the garden
spots and all the spring holes. he ought to be
magnanimous and relieve Mr. Simpson OF
Peekamose The sculptor wouldn't pay SlO.-
600. for the eighty acres. nor anything ike
$4,000. but he did suggest terms to his own
LAWYERS. of course. which were acceptable to
Mr. simpson. So the transfer was made. Mr..
Ward says he paid reasonable price for the
land. In.thc Office Of the County Clerk Of Ulster
County. at Kingston, where the deed was fled.
81 is recorded rs the consideration. Mr., Simp-
sons lawyers are Hartman 4 Fes4enden OF
Temple Court. Quincy Ward Boes6, the sculp-
tors nephew has engineered Mr.. Wards fight
in the courts from the beginning ofthe trouble.
No outsider ever quite understood the fight
in the Peekamosc Fishing Club. but it was quite
apparent that there were serious differences
between Mr. Ward and his fellow fishermen
when three years ago this fall. the story came
down from the mountains that Mr.. Ward had
threatened to shoot some Of Mr. Dimock's
guests. who were fishing on one OF Mr.. Ward 3
PONDS. and had later shot at Mr.. Dimock's for
ester for poachng. Mr. Ward made appica-
ton for the dissolution of the club in 1894 al
lcging that Mr. Dimock didn't know how to run
the club. and that Mr.. Ward was unwilling to
remain liable longer for the clubs debts. The
club was an exclusive one. and never had moro
than seven members. Mr.. Ward. Mr.. Dimock.
Edward A. Wilton. J. W. Lewis and William
Ferndon were its incorporators.