The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-03-12
INDICTMENTS
FOR WESTERN
CAFFEINE EN-
Government VIII Prosecute
Men Who Fenced Land
IN SCOTT COUNTY KANSAS
When HomesteadS Were
Abandoned 10 Years Ago.
TWO OTHER IN0ICT MENTS
Returned Against Men Who
MiSuSed the Mails,
IN SCOTT COUNTY KANSAS
TWO OTHER lNOIC TMENTS

MiSuSed the Mails,
Fred shultz q Kansas City. was in
dicted BY the United States grand jury
in session in the Federal building. The
charge against him is that OF fencing
Up government land IN Scott county. The
Indictment is simply The government in
terfering IN the condlct between the far
ners Of western Kansas and the cattle
men. The latter, Il IS alleged, have
fenced IN large tracts Of land and now
refuse TO take them down when the far
rners wish TO settle upon the property.
The Indictments were asked for by a. II.
Burus. special agent OF the United
States land Office who has spent consid-
cradle tine working on the cases and
this one IS not the last Indictment that
VIII De asked for, as he is ready with
evidence in a number Of others.
Fifteen years ago there were 10 vacant
tracts OF any great area in the western
part Of the state. Hundreds Of people
homesteaded IN the short grass country
IN the early SOS hundreds OF these
homesteads were abandoned, and or
course reverted 20 the government This
general abandonment gave the cattlemen
q great opportunity. They had eyeTy-
thing their own way for awhile and they
fenced in immense tracts Of land and
did not pay q cent OF rent. especially 70
the government ATr. Shulrz IS charged
with having 1850 acres OF pasture land
in Scott county fenced. After fencing
UP the country in large pastures, each
cattlenan took II upOn himself to pro-
tect the land he had fenced and when
the homesteaders began 70 drift in and
look Tor claims, they found all the pub
JIG lands fenced Up. when one would
so into the pastures and settle on r
quarter section of government land the
cattleman and his cowboys would brow
beat and harass the settler until he was
glad % pick up and leave The federal
authorities were notified. and the in
terror department issued an order Iequir-
ing al fences around government land ID
come down The cattlemen put Up q big
FIGHT 20 have the order modified, but the
department stood by IL and special
agents were appointed 70 see that tha or
der was enforced. Then the catIer1an
began 70 tear down fences some kept
them down. but others have rebuilt
them and are keeping them in violation
Of law.
James SIcGarrsh was also indicted bv
the jury for receiving mail that did nor
belong 70 him. il IS alleged that Afc-
Garrah took a letter out OF the postof-
fee at Hazleton addressed To a person
with q name similar 10 his own. There
was a check for q considerable sum in
the letter NcEarrah opened the letter
but did not use the check. He went %
PLAYING poker and lost heavily ana
finally did not have amy ready cash 20
he flashed the check IN the faces OF
the other men and told them that he
had cash 10 burn. one az the men took
the check and had il cashed and they
proceeded with the game. The man who
csshed the check has been arrested and
a few weeks ago Mr.. MoGarrah was also
arrested.
James H AfcCarty was indicted for
impersonaung his brother and using the
mails 70 defraud the government and
also on the charge of defrauding the
government NcCarty lives at Dodge
CITY He is alleged 20 be the scapeEoat
Of a large family. one OF his brothers
served 81 she war Of the Rebellion and
about twenty years ago moved 20 the
neIghborhood OF Dodge City. His name
was John McCarty.
James AcCarty enlisted IN the regular
army but deserted and about hfteen
years ago he landed in Dodge CITY and
found hrs brother dead. james AIcCarty
Immediately made application for n pen
sion Up 20 1895 ha drew this pension
as tho soldier brother at s. per month
Their he received an increase 90 Sto Per
month ana up to last August De re-
ceived the pension. when it was stopped
by rhe government ard be WAS arrested.
IL " Freeman plead e-lIItv tr using