The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-04-17
Q TERN OF COURT.
Four Cases Were Disposed Of and Only
Two Tried.

" ~
Canton, S. D., April 1.-THE regular
April term Of the district court for this
county adjourned after a session Of
less than four days. It was the short
est term Of the district court ever held
in the history of the county. Only -four
Eases were disposed of, and but two Of
these came up for trial. 1t is a note
worthy fact tina litigation of every de-
scription in this county has been con-
stantly decreasing for the last ten
years and is now at it's lowest ebb. 1t
canot decrease much more IL any en-
ployment remalns for lawyers and
court officials. One Of the cases re-
has numbered the docket for a period
Of nearly ten years. 1t is known as the
Moen Will case and involved the owner
ship of a highly valuable quarter Sec
ton of land in Norway township, which
was taken up as a homestead in the
early '70s by one John K. Moen, who
came to this county from Norway. He
died after a residence of a few years on
the land. and subsequently the title
passed to John J. Moen, a brother of
the deceased, who established the claim
as being the only heir and next of kin
to his brother. John x. About a wear
after john j. Moen la obtained title
! to his brothers fine quarter section Of
land there came owe from Norway a
young woman by the nam Of Johanna
Bertena Johnsdatter Moen, who claimed
to be the illegttimate daughter Of John
K. Moen, and there being no other chill
areG, h was the only real next Of kin
to her father and h only true heir to
his estate. The u woman's case
! "as taken into court, where she estab-
!ished her relationship to the deceased
Moen, but was bitterly contested from
year to year., until about a year ago,
when a verdict was rendered In favor Of
| III ~ oi oil n VS. a ~ T1I1E No.
The case was carried to the supreme
court, however, and that body reversed
the decision of the lower court, holding
that the plaintiff, Johanna Moen, was
entitled to the land in dispute. And
now, to avoid further litigation, all the
parties to the case have recently come
-ogather and perfected a permanent
settlement, whereby Johanna Bertena
J~ohnsdatter Moen, who is now Mrs.
Andrew Tvedt, becomes the undisputed
owner to the land on which her father
fled a homestead entry in 1874. AS the
land is now wort $50 an acre. the
amount Of the claim adjusted by the
settlement just made involved an
amount Of nearly $4,000.
Grass Has a Good Start.
Belle Fourche. S. D, April IRE
ports from at the nnual
meeting of the Northwestern associa-
i IAolA AtS lAAksS AAhS >@@A3S ca -
good condition. In most instances pre-
vious reports of losses have been over
estimated, and the cattle men will not
suffer as it was believed a month ago
they would. The snow is all gone in
the range country. the young grass is
getting a good start. The heavy SHOWS
of March We're much needed on the
range, as the water was running low
and cattle were beginning to suffer for
drink.
Governor Appoints Game Wardens.
Pierre. S. D., April Ex-Governor Her.
ried has appointed the following game
wardens:
Aurora. e: P. Andrews. Plankinton;
Readle, r. w. Bently. Huron; Brookisgs,
". L. Mccoy, Brookings; Campbell, e. b.
Jackson, Mound City; Charles Mix, C. NJ.
Loi,ken. Lake Andes; Clark. Allen T..
phelph. Bradley. w. B.. Dodson. Mitchell:
n. Herrick, Gary; Fnulk. Carroll "A. Shep-
ard, Faulkton; Gregory, Fred
Bonesteei; Hamlin, James Erickson. Bry-
ant: Hutchinson, John McLain, Trip;
Jerauld, James T. Ferguson, washington
Springs; KfnSsbury, G. NJ. Gazeley, Ar
!inston; Lake, Charles A. Angle. Madi-
I son; McCook. VIM. B~arnhart, Salem; Nc
Pherson, NJ. H. Richards, Eureka: Miner,
I T.. Fl. Gorham, Villas: N1nnehaha, John
Otto Beranek, Rapid City; Turner, N. NJ,
jefferson; Walworth. VIM. H. Payne,
ava; Yanaton. F. G. Beissel, Yankton.
&c., r~!Io~a So>~& H~44