Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-07-22
Many Veterans Widows of Pot
tawattamie County Induced
to Go to Nebraska
IMPORTANT TO cATTLEMEN
Many Irregularities Have Been Com.
mitted in the Matter of Proving up
Land and Making improvements
Thereon-GIittering inducements
Held Out to the Widows.

Council Bluffs, July ga number of
soldiers widows residing in Council
Bluffs. and Pottawattamie have been
during the past few months pre-empt-
direction of the big cattle ranchmen.
1t is estimated that fully forty have
gone to Nebraska, and then returned
after renting the pre-empted home
stead to the cattle man under whose
agency the presumption was made.
The question of the legality of the
proceeding has come up before the de-
partment of the interior, and Justice
George Carson, well known pension
attorney of the city, has received
communication from the department in
which it is stated that the action is
upon the further transportation of
widows by the big cattle companies.
The letter from Commissioner Finn
pie of the general land Office at Wash
ington, is as follows:
Letter From Commissioner.
Department OF the Interior. General
Land Office, Washington, d. C Mr..
George Carson, Council Bluffs, Iowa.)
Sir: l am in receipt of your letter
stating that parties are soliciting SOL
diers' widows to locate homesleads.
offering payment of all expenses, and
representing that the land laws have
IhA a
locate without entry upon the land, and
you state that their evident purpose IS
to secure leases from the widows under
the impression that they (the widows)
can prove up and obtain deed at the
expiration of the time allowed for such
person to prove up. You further stale
that those widows for whom you have
obtained pensions, have consulted you
about their right to locate under these
conditions, and you ask to be advised
in the premises.
In reply, you are advised that this
office holds that the widow of de-
ceased soldier. sailor, or marine, fling
for Il homestead under section 1907.
United States revised statutes, must,
in good faith. establish and maintain
actual residence upon her claim for
such period of time as, coupled with
her deceased husbands service in the
army, or navy, will make a full period
of five years and that under the stat
utes she cannot perfect her entry ii it
is made directly or indirectly for the
benefit of another, and not exclusively
with view of securing a home for
herself. Very respectfully,
u H. FIMPLE,
Acting Commissioned"
Glittering inducements are held out
to the widows in which they are told
that within five years the land will be
turned over to them without the cost of
paying up on the quarter section. The
expenses of the widows are
paid, and a nominal rental is paid
them. They then sign a contract IN
which for the sum Of the yearly rentals
they deed all the title in the land to
the cattle company which pays their
expenses.
Agents at Work.
In Council Bluffs number of agents
have worked among the soldiers Wild
ows, and they have been induced to
go to Nebraska to pre-empt land under
the direction of agents. Only last week
an agent of bigscattle company was
in the city getting a list of soldiers
widowss who now draw pensions from
the government.
The question has been one of con-
Importance thruout the
state and also of great deal Of mo-
ment in many of the western states.
being only secondary in the minds Of
to the right to fence the pub
lie domain. 1t was brought into prom
inence in Nebraska with the advent of
Colonel Mosby, who came under in
structions to investigate the matter of
fencing and other Irregularities in the
local administration of the land laws.
The inspector found that at the land
offices at Alliance and North Platte, a
large number of the widows of de-
ceased soldiers had made entry to land
and transferred the land to other par
ties, afterwards proving up the land
without residing thereon. the necessary
having been made by
the persons in possession of the land
thru assignment by the widows