The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-07-30
Entitled to Quarter Sections Adjoin-
ing Lawton, and the Crowd
Said They Must Marry.
GIRL WHO Welded TOO SOON
EIGHTEENTH WINNER, BUT LOST
PRIZE BY MARRYING ON SUNDAY.
:. A. HoIcomb and Leonard Lamb the
Fortunate Ones i'm the EI Reno Dis
trict-Applications Thrown Out.


great land lottery was begun here in ear
nest to-day and when the commissioners
appointed by the federal government ad-
journed the drawing for the day. one thou
sand of the choicest of the thirteen thou
sand 16O-acre claims in the Kiowa-Co-
manche country had been awarded.
The first name drawn from the wheels
was that of stephen A. Holcomb, of Paurs
Valley, l. T., for homestead In the Ell
Reno district, and the second. Leonard
| Lamb, of Augusta, o. T. These two men
selected the two choicest claims in this dis
| trict.
The capital prize winners, however,
| proved to be James r. Wood, of Weather
ford, o. T. whose name was the first to
| come from the Lawton district wheel, and
| Miss Matte II. Beals, of Wichita Kan,
| who drew the second number in that dis
trict They will have the privilege of maxi
| ing the first filings in the Lawton district
| and will undoubtedly choose the two quar-
| ter sections adjoining that town. These are
| considered the most valuable in the Terri
| tory and are. 1t Is estimated, worth from
900 to $4,000 each.
The day has been one of keen excitement
replete with interesting scenes. 1t is esti-
mated that fully twenty-five thousand per-
sons witnessed the drawing. The immense
throng was wrought up to the highest pitch.
The drawing of the first names was fol-
lowed by a mighty shout that reverberated
between the hills and must have been heard
for miles over the praries. Each succeed
ing winning. for time. was met with
shouts of applause and merriment. All was
pleasantly. Every man. though he did not
draw prize from the wheels, had stead
fast faith that next day would surely see
him the possessor of a slip reading him "a
title clear to 1t0 acres of Oklahoma land.
So, in the success of friends or relatives,
unfortunate ones to-day, instead of bewail-
ing their fate cheered Justify familiar
names were called out from the commits
sioners platform.
When the close of the drawing for the
day was announced at 6 o'clock hundreds
who had neither eaten nor drunk during
the day sank to the ground where they
stood from sheer fatigue, or dragged them
selves TO better places of rest or TO refresh
ment booths up town. The day Was re-
markably free from quarrels. and general
satisfaction with the governments method
of disposing of the land was felt.
REPEATING DONE.
1t has been found that many hundred ap-
applications are so illegible that they will
be thrown out. over this much discord has
resulted, and the outcome may be an ap-
peal to the courts
The drawing had been set for o'clock.
but the transferring Of the bundles of en-
velopes holding the applications from the
general receptacle into the wheels which
was by lot, was so slow that it was 1890
~ he
Twenty-Five names were first drawn from
the Eel Reno district and then an equal
number from the Lawton district. When
all was ready Ben Heyler placed his hand in
an aperture in the Ell Reno wheel and,
Withdrawing an envelope. handed it to Col.
Dyer It was passed to Chief Clerk Macy,
stamped. and handed back 10 Colonel Dyer.
The commissioners walked to the front of
the platform raised his hand for order. and
in a loud tone exclaimed:
stephen A. Holcomb. of Paus Valley,
l. T. draws the first number" "
The crowd yelled for three minutes, APP
parently as much delighted as II every man
had drawn prize.
and Colonel Dyer again announced: Leon
ard Lamb. Of Augusta. y. T.. born in ILL
/. In quick succession other envelopes we're
drawn and as the names were announced
each one was greeted with a voley OF
cheers.
When twenty-five names had been taken
from the FL Reno district wheel. attention
was turned TO that representing the Law
tor district The first name brought out
for this district was that OF James r.
Woods Of Weatherford, O. r.. and the
crowd again went wild. This meant that
Woods would be able 10 claim the quarter
section adjoining Lawton town. one of the
choicest in the entire country.
The second ticket was drawn and Colonel
Dyer cried out: II have the pleasure to an
nounce the name OF the first woman TO
draw prize Matte H. Beals. OF Wichita,
Kan"
Then Colonel Dyer gave her description
as twenty-three years old and five feet
three inches in height, just the height of
Woods. Instantly the crowd caught the
humor OF the situation and thousands OF
throats sent up the shout: They must get
married.
The eighteenth winner in the Lawton dis
trict was Minerva McClintock. aged TWEEN
ty-iive years. OF Oklahoma City She was
married yesterday and by this act forfeits
her right 10 file for claim. She might have
chosen 81 claim near a county seat town
worth several thousand dollars
The drawing viii be resumed Tomorrow
at O'Clock and IL is believed will be COM
pleted Thursday evening.