Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-11-25

Omaha, Neb. November 24-Nebras-
ka is on the eve of the greatest scan
dal the west has ever known. A scan
dal so widespreading and far-reaching
that thousands OF people from twenty
OF more states are concerned in its
different ramifcations. The conspir-
acy extends to officers and representa-
tives of the United States and takes
in business and professional men in
many cities and states; but the suffer-
ers will be the comparatively inn0-
cent. The United States grand jury,
in session at Omaha, has had the mat
ter laid before 1t and is now probing
the scandal Thousands OF widows of
Union soldiers will probably be in
dicted for perjury and a number of the
best known business men and poll
tictans OF the west may be called upon
to plead to the charge OF conspiracy
to defraud the United States.
1t is the old story of the cattle baron
Of the west and his efforts to keep out
the small cattle raiser and the settler
who comes west with the purpose of
demonstrating" a farm for himself.
r
these cattle kings Instead CT thesusu-
sal way of running g long line OF wire,
fences across the government domain
they have hit upon the plan OF iaduc-
ing the widows of union soldiers to
take up homesteads and sell their
claims to the cattle raisers.
1t sounded all right. but when it is
taken into consideration that in order
10 1,, H. ~
comes necessary to make oath that
such lands are for the exclusive use of
the applicant it then becomes neces-
sary for the applicant to commit per-
jury In order to make the fling.
Soldiers widows were selected to
take up the claims because of the
clause in the United States laws
which permits them to make the ne
cessary entries without living on the
property.
Now these widows are being taken
before the United States grand jury
to, tell what they lsncy of the matter.
And also the land agents, cat.~,men
anG others are being summoned to
appear before the same tribunal Con-
sternation is spreading among the con-
spirators and their victims, and VIXEN
tho indictments are returned by the
grand jury it is expected that the list
will inclade thousands of people wha
have never before seen the inside Of
a court Of justice.
w. S. Summers. the United States
attorney fer Nebraska, has Issued OF.
ders to bring the frauds to the atten-
ton of the United States grand jury
and to prosecute with full vigor.
One Of these 'syndicates" is said to
have 100 agents seeking out war
widows who will accept the offers and
make entry on a Nebraska homestead,
which they agree to lease to the syn
dicate at the end of five years, after
the property has been proved upon, to
sell to the same set OF people. Their
"modus operandi" is the same in all
cases. After the widow Of union
soldier is found, she is approached
with an offer from land syndicate"
to go to Nebraska, make an entry at a
land office, sign several papers, re-
ceive SIS and all expenses and return
to her home. At the end OF five ysars
She is to receive another S75 and to
deed the property to the syndicate.
The widow sees a pleasant trip with
out expense to herself, $3.50 in money,
and nothing wrong. She is told that
everything is entirely legal and that
she is simply selling her right to
homestead. But the papers which the
applicant signs after her entry is
made is an agreement to sell the
claim after final proofs are made, and
this is where the illegality is made.
The papers are not read to them and
they do not know their action is not
according to the land laws.
Iowa has proved fruitful field for
the agents. Illinois has also furnished
a large quota, while Missouri, Indiana,
Ohio, Michigan, PENNSYLVANIA and
New York have each sent large num-
bsrs of the widows OF their soldiers
to take up homesteads OF Uncle Sans
free lands.
The penalty attached to fraud is
severe. There is the regular statute
against perjury, which is punishable
by o .erIn in the psnitentiary, in addi-
Sal to which the land entries may be
sanaaieA and no further entries he al
lsMAd ne parsen attempting the fraud.
But M mosf 81 these cases 1t w1N nrob-
ably be shpTn that the wfdows were
nus aware they were committing fraud.
f,Ishat viii lie with the court to decide.
But to those who eonspired to secure
Efhe fraudulent entries the law may not
be So lenient. A charge of conspiracy
to defraud NE United States govern
lPeat lsa 0us otfense.