The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-01-27

been discovered In the conveyance OF a
tract of land which had been entered by
the Honorable James Harlan Of Frankfort
KY. located in Livingston County. the IA
Their Of Justice Harlan Of the Supreme Court
Of the United States. The chain of the
title was given In the article.
We at once examined Il and found they
were the same three grantors and same
three grantees that were connected with
the conveyance OF our clients land.
This was the breaking OF the day to US
the beginning Of the End. We at once wrote
to John NJ. Harlan and were informed that
the forgeries had been discovered and de-
feated. and II we would write to Colonel
Lou Waters of Carrollton. No, we could
learn something about Kali. Laferty and
Strong. We did so and soon thereafter were
advised b. Waters:
They were all forgers Of land titles. with
notary stamps of all colors and sizes; hat
they were the d-dest set Of ~scoundrels out
Of the lower regions" and were advised to
take DISPOSITIONS OF himself and others on
that point at carroliton.
We did so in company with Herswfn q
Norman. attorneys for the plaintiff.
More light was thrown on our pathway
in unfolding the character of the business
In WHICH lDE = thSa6St
encouraged US greatly In the pursuit
We win now open q new leaf in develop
ing the fraud.
IMPORTANT FACTS SHOWN
BY A GLANCE AT H CALENDAR
Elijah Grave. of San Antonio. Tex. en-
tered the land in controversy May IL I&A
and conveyed It TO his son, Elijah n.
60 xx 80 fgrT ~hfrh ASRA nom
much carelessness, was not recorded In
Johnson County until May II. 1910. at which
! time the will heretofore spoken Of was also
presented for record. showing the title to
the land In Mann and wife.
Here at this point will be discovered how
CLOSELY those rascals watched the records
q, the various counties Of the States men
toned. The alleged deed from Elijah Graves
to John Larerty was dated January II. 1857.
lust seven months prior to that from Elijah
Graves to his son. Elijah NJ. Graves. those
men. fully believing It was time TO defeat
the honest title from the father TO the SON
Much more evidence was required than the
deed ana the will to defeat the pretended
/ title of the Shows, as they claimed. and
as the records showed. the same land had
been conveyed TO John Laferty as before
stated. seven months prior to the deed from
Elijah Graves to Elijah N. Graves. I speak
of them as the Shows. as they were virtual
" one ia acts, though they were three dis
tinct persons.
On a certain occasion. Cockrell and I were
consulting about the lawsuit and Its proba-
bilities. deeply interested in the outcome. a.
W.. considered the fifty acres decided to Us
as worth 1900. In fact. we had been Of
fered that sum as soon as the title was per-
fected. Cockreil had q century calendar
hanging on his desk. I asked him to look
at II. to see on what day of the week the
18th of January. 1857. fell. the date Of the
deed purported to have been made By Elijah
Graves TO John Laferty.
That century calendar showed that the
eleventh day Of January. 1857. was On Bun
day.
NOTARY DENIES THAT HE
TOOK THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
This gave US another clew in the pursuit
of the forgery, which we continued to follow
with as much industry. II not sasecity. a.
that displayed by Sherlock Holmes in the
pursuit Of his trade
The deed from Elijah Graves to John LAT
ferty purported to have been made and 90
knowiedged at Houston. Tex. before WI
Ham r. Baker, Commissioner of Deeds for
Missouri. The father Of william r. Baker
WA known to us as being Q celebrated
Prssbyts91an divine. residing In Texas. III