The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-12-04
MRS. LYDECK WAS FIRST.
e 49,. - - F"f. =
An Indian Woman, Wins Title to a
Large Section Of the Present VA
Cass Lake Site. -: s' ..4:.. &

T. Washington, iDec.g44. The, government
mas given woman and her two children
title to aslarge portion ,of a. town in Min
nesota. The secretary Of the interior de-
.cided the contest involving q portion of
section r6, which inciudes a: portion Of the
town OF Cass Lake, MINI. 49, 49,,
Nellie %Lydeck; and her two children. AS
Chippewa Indians, applied, for allotments.
on the section. before the establishment
of the town OF Cass Lake. AT that time
Fsupreme court to determine whether the
section. had 0passedsto the state uhder-the
school law act or belonged to the Indians.
Because of the pendency Of this suit,
While he otherwise sustained the applica-
tons of Mrs. LydecfS and children for al q
lotmentss Secretary Hitchcock at that
time deferred action upon lher legal res
quest. He proposed to wait until the
highest court determined whether this;
section belonged to the state.
+ Later the United States Supreme court
decided the issue against, the state and
Mrs. Lydeck pressed her *applica ton for
the allotn1ents> -H-; =
In the meantime many4of the Cass Lake
people, disregarding the notice given. by.
the Indian bureau, went upon the section
and erected improvements. This work
was done after the filing of the Lydeck
applications and after they were shown
upon the public.records 49,. - ..
vThe townspeople recently protested
against the allowance Of allotments and
asked to take the land under the townsite
law. I. =. ..y..>:1- 49,. - .; .,., I.
Secretary Hitchcock sustained the In
dian allotment applications as. being first
In point OF time. Mrs. Lydeck and her
children have the rightAto e.land.. r..
"A part OF the town Of Cass lake which;
was sold a couple of years ago at public
auction for the purpose Of a TOWNSHIP oc-
cupies section Is. This is not affected
by the decision! 81: 500 - -. s., ;
The remaining portion ;of the town
passes to the ownership Of Mrs Lydeck
and her children. , u: =. .
Nearly 1000 persons who "sauatted'' on the
prived Of homes. and buildings which cost in
the ne1ghborhood Of $1OO, 900, according to State
Auditor r. G. Dunn, viii have to be abandoned
unless the occupants make. terms with the sue
ccssful litigants. ~,
The decision Of the secretary Of the interior
is not final, but should the squatters conclude to
continue the fight, they must appeal to the
courts. '.--......-. =
A dozen or more years ago the state of Min
nesota claimed that 1t was. entitled to sections 16
and &c. Of every township on Indian reservations
as soon as they We're opened to settlement. =
The laws OF the United States apportion two
sections Of public lands in every township to:
school purposes, and the state claimed that as
soon as the Indian. reservations were opened it
should be given title to, the lands. :, 81,
The matter slumbered for many years, and
finally Auditor DUNN took it up and enlisted the
support of the late United States Senator c. X.
Davis, and suit was instituted. ~ :''..}'>''
Instead of granting The state title to these
sections. the court held that it should be allowed
to select other lands in: lieu of them. ,,;t
This protited the! state little for most Of the
good land had been appropriated by honesteaders
and only: practically worthless lands remained
for the state to appr0prfate. 7'''. ~ d.. -.