The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1903-12-18
DEWEY METHODS UNCOVERED
HITCHCOCKs REPORT SAYS NEITHER
LFE MOB PROPERTY SPARED.
Fenced Thousands OF Acres Public Lands,
and with Violent Threats Drove
HOmesteaders from Claims
and Removed Houses


and Removed Houses.
The annual report Of the secretary Of
the interior, Mr.. Hitchcock, was made
public this week. It deals largely with
the abuse Of existing laws, such as those
in regard to hOmesteads and the fencing
Of public lands
So gross and high handed have been
the oppressive practices Of the Dewey
Cattle company in northwest Kansas,
that conspicuous place is given to the
exposure Of their methods. After deal
ing with New Mexico case Of fencing
Of public lands, the report takes up the
Dewey matter and says:
Zone Of the most celebrated cases Of
this character brought to the attention
OF the department during the past year
was that Of the West End ranch in
Cheyenne county, Kansas, owned by the
Dewey Cattle company and managed by
Chauncey Dewey, the latter being a son
Of G. P. Dewey, said to be the principal
stockholder in the Dewey Cattle CON-
pany. Within the last three years %
miles Of fence have been erected by said
company in townships 1 and south
ranges 35, So and 81 west, which, con-
Meeting with IS miles Of fence owned by
others, makes a total length Of so miles.
This fence enclosed an area, all told, Of
81, O4O acres, OF which 3,24O acres are
state lands, 1900 are embraced in eight
homestead entries, and 7,44O acres are
vacant public lands subject to entry
under public land laws.
"Ihe Enclosure Of hOmesteads by the
unlawful fences OF that company was
the primary cause of the trouble which
resulted il the killing, on or about June
3 last, by Chauncey Dewey and his EN-
ployes, Of three members Of the Berry
family, at the home Ct Alpheus Berry,
near the Dewey ranch.
at appears to have been the policy Of
Dewey and his agents and employees to
gain complete and exclusive control of
all the lands inclOsed by their fences,
and to adopt whatever measures were
found necessary to accomplish that pur-
pose, sparing neither life nor property.
/ Their attitude toward settlers and home
steaders without. as well as within, their
inclOsure is shown by reports Of agents
Of this department and by individual
complaints to have been extremely hos
tile and oppressive. Not only have the
crops Of these bona fide homesteaders
and settlers been destroyed by this com
pany's cattle, but the people themselves
hsrassed and intimidsted by threats Of
violence made by its agents and en-
ployes, their fences cut and dwellings
deliberately moved of their homesteads,
and a number Of them have been com
PEELED by outlawry to abandon their en-
tries and seek residence elsewhere.
Promptly upon hearing Of these IN
lawful acts the department instituted an
Investigation, as a result of which pro
ceediDgs were begun, through the de
Partment Of justice, under the act of
February %, 1885 (supral, to cause the
removal of these illegal fences and to
punish those guilty Of erecting and main
tanning them. At the October, 1909,
term Of the United States district court
at LeavenwOrth, Kan, the grand jury,
then and there in session, indicted Q. P.
Dewey, Chauncey Dewey, W. J. Rat
cliffe, William J. Mcbride and Louis
Mcbride for violations Of sections $40
and sos Of the revised statutes, in con
spring TO threaten, intimidate and in.
iurs Alpheus Berry, a bona fde home
hOmesteader settler upon lands uDlaw-
fully inclOsed by their fences, and for
taking the life of said Berry. Six other
counts were found against the defend
ants for their molestatior Of other set
tiers. An Indictment was also founC
against Chauncey Dewey, as the agent
Of Q. P. Dewey, for erecting and main
tanning an unlawful Enclosure Of publit
lands in violation Of the act OF F'ebruar1
>, 1885 (supra).7