The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-08-19
FAMOUS DODGE LAND SUITS.
EXAMINER TALLEY HAS BEEN TAX
ING TESTIMONY.

VIII Report to Judge Speer ana the
Litigation May soon BE Wound Up.
Titles TO Half Million Acres of
Land in Dispute-This is the Liti-
cation That Caused SO Many
Homicides in Dodge County.
Dublin. Ga, Aug Especial Examiner
). y. Talley, who has been in Dublin
since Monday taking testimony in the last
batch of 225 cases filed by Norman W.
Dodge in his celebrated Bill of Peace
suit against various and sundry citizens
of Iowndes Dodge Montgomery and Tel
fair counties. yesterday adjourned the
hearing until next Wednesday. The or
iginaI number of suits filed was 400, but
175 have been compromised, leaving 225 yet
undisposed of
When Examiner Talley finishes his work
and makes his final report TO Judge Speer
IT is believed that this litigation, which
has extended over many years and cost
a number of lives, will come TO an end.
A number of years ago William f.
Dodge of New York purchased large tracts
of timber lands in this state. He erected
large sawmills and extensively engaged
in the lumber business. His headquarters
were al Eastman, and through his efforts
a new county was formed and named
Dodge. From the first trouble was had
over the lands bought by Dodge. Almost
every lot was claimed by other parties,
In a number of instances a compromise
was effected, Dodge taking The timber
and the other claimant the land.
Most Of the cases, however
were holly contested For twenty
years past it is highly probable that
Dodge was either the plaintiff or defend
ant in most of the civil cases tried by
the courts in Dodge, Telfair, Montgomery
and Laurens counties.
A few years ago Mr.. Dodge died, his
son, Norman w. Dodge of New York,
coming into possession of the property.
At this time the person giving the most
trouble was Luther A. Hall, a shrewd but
constituencies lawyer, who lived at East
man. Hall at some time previous had
charge of Dodge's legal affairs, and,
therefore, knew the weak points in his
claims. After leaving Dodse's employ he
began the manufacture of land titles, and
was very successful in having his claims
passed upon favorably in the state courts
as against Dodge Norman Dodge car
ried the matter to the federal courts, and
secured restraining order, preventing
Hall from interfering with the lands Hall
disregarded this injunction, and was sent
to the Chatham county jail for three
months by Judge Speer for contempt. He
was released from Jail but a few days
before the case against him was to be
finally disposed of.
Just day or two before court Capt.
John c. Forsyth, the main witness
against Hall, was murdered at his home,
al Normandale. Suspicion pointed to
Hall as the insugator. and ne was arrest
ed and tried for conspiracy. Along with
half dozen or more others he was con-
victed and sentenced to the Ohio
penitentiary for. life. where he
died year or two ago.
On the morning after the assassination
of Capt Forsyth, Andrew ]. Reneau,
who was supposed 20 have hand in the
murder, was killed by the posse that was
endeavoring to track the murderer. Later
Lucius l.. Williams, who was wanted for
refusing to obey the mandates OF Judge
Speer's court was killed while resisting
arrest.
Several other homicides can be traced
to the Dodge litigation directly or indi-
rectly In some instances it is highly
probable that the real owner of the land
is not Dodge, but there is no doubt but
that his claim to most of ID is Just.
Examiner Talley conducts his court
very informally He uses one of the
rooms on the lower floors of the Court
House, and a casual observer would not
dream that the titles to more than half
a million acres of land were being passed
upon in the room. quietly is the inves-
tigation being held.
he fn he will
probably continue several weeks longer,
and then the last chapter of the bloodlest
civil suit ever filed in Georgia will be
reached.