The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1900-06-07
MERRY WAR.
ARMED POLICE CAPTURE THE FORT
OF CHICAGO soUATTERs.
NOVEL FIGHT OVER LAND.

Captain strceter, who Claims owner
ship, Defled the Authorities with n Lit
tie Army OF Seventy Men and Two Cat
ling Guns-Park Police Fired Upon by
His Pickets.
Chicago, Especial. Three hundred police
officers OF the city OF Chicago. headed by
Chief kipley, and every man bearing re-
peating rife, marched from the East Chicago
Avenue Station, on the North Side. TO the
foot OF Superior street, where Captain George
Streeter had fortified himself on a strip OF
land created by the washing up Of soil from
the bed OF Lake Michigan, and which Street
er claims as his property by right OF discov
cry. In the entrencbments we're about sew
enty men, armed with rifles and two oatling
guns. Earlier In the day party OF Lincoln
Park officials had been fred upon by pickets
around the improvised fort. and a boy, four
teen years old, had been wounded severely
in the right leg. A horse driven by the park
officials had been killed.
At $50 o'clock "Brigadier General" Niles
and four OF his men, perceiving the over
whelming force OF police approaching,
climbed over the emplacements Of their i'm
provised fort and offered to surrender to the
park police, providing they were protected.
The surrender was accepted. and the park
policemen started on foot toward the police
station, followed by an immense crowd.
Those In the crowd pushed and jostled Niles
roughly, aud he suddenly whirled around
and tried to bayonet one OF his prosecutors.
A ugh-and-tumble fight ensued in which
Niles rifle was wrenched from his hands
and clubs were freely used on the erstwhile
"brigadier generals" head He was Knocked
down and was about to draw revolver
when he was manacled and dragged of by
the officers. The four men with him were
also roughly handled IN the melee.
The remainder of Streeter's force, seeing
the fate OF their leaders, deserted their guns
and escaped in the thronV. The police at
once took charge OF the fort, with its entire
store Of arms and ammunition.
Captain Streeter was not found In the
fort.
The shooting resulted in call upon the
city officials for the arrest OF the occupants
OF Streeter's Fort, but the city authorities
declined to take the initiative, owing to the
fact that the Supreme Court of the United
States once declared the land to be Il part Of
the territory of Illinois.
1t was finally decided to mobilize 800 police
officers, under tho leadership OF Chief Kip
demand their surrender.
Sheriff Magerstadt went with tho chief of
police, and it was planned that in case OF re-
fusal to surrender that the sheriff should
Immediately swear in the 800 police officers
as deputy sheriffs, again demand the surren-
der OF Streeter's force on the ground of riot
and disorderly conduct, and proceed to ar
rest the occupants Of the fort, regardless OF
cost.
flreboat, With Calling gun aboard was
dispatched up Lake Michigan to make
demonstration from that side. and to cut off
the escape Of Streeter's men by means of
their yacht.
1t had been determined early in the day,
at conference between the acting mayor
and corporation counsel. that In view of the
decision Of the Supreme Court of the United
States that the land claimed by Streeter is
territory of the State OF Illinois, the city
police forces could not legally precipitate
a battle with Streeter's forces. Counsel ex-
pressed the opinion that the matter could
only be settled by the State authorities who
control the park police, a large number of
whom are stationed In Lincoln Park
Captain Streeter claims to own the land.
which. were the title clear, would be worth
between thirty and fifty millions of dollars.
In 1885 Captain Streeter and his wife were
stranded on n little sandbar q few yards
from the shore at the foot of Superior street.
The spot was not down on the maps, and
the doughty navigator laid claim to tho
land and declared his right, being the whole
population. to elect himself to all the offices.
which he, in framing constitution, deemed
the territory in need Of As the years passed
by the dumping OF all sorts OF refuse and
earth washed up by the lake formed n large
tract, now 1S0 acres in extent, and Captain
Streeter became a man OF Importance.
With his importance and the increased
value OF the lands his troubles began. The
tract became connected with the shore and
owners Of adjoining property resented the
presence OF Captain Streeter and the re-
tainers he had gathered about him. They
carried the matter into court. The Supreme
/ Court of the United States decided that the
land was within the jurisdiction OF the
State OF Illinois. Streeter thereupon offered
the district to the federal government.
year ago he organized, under the name
District of Lake Michigan" n territorial
government, and elected himself chief jus
tice and to other offices of Importance. The
police, however. descended on him and his
army of fifty men, and since then up to the
present time the captain had lived in
another part of the town.
The preparations TO retake possession
were made with great secrecy, and It was
not until dawn that the police were aware
of the invasion. Patrolman 0'Malcy saw Il
small schooner anchored off the shore when
daylight broke. From the boat Captain
| Streeter landed his men, who had hoisted
the United States flag. The patrolman telc-
| phoned Inspector Heidelheimer Of the oc-
| currence. The inspector resolved TO make
no move in the matter until after n confer
ence with the law department OF the city
and in consequence the invaders, or right
ful owners ns they claim TO be, were left
unmolested, while tho police figured out n
campaign.
Fatal Explosion of Mine.
| Clifton. w. Va, Especial. Am explosion
of hrsdamp in the Camden-Sp -Spilman mine