Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-09-30
Wholesale Accusations of Illegal
Land Grabbing Made Against
Utah Fuel Company.
BOOKS ORDERED INTO COURT.
General Manager Williams Said it Was
impossible, but Auditor Must APP
pear With Records.
NOW THE SCHEME WAS WORKED.
Witnesses Testify Under Cross Exami.
nation That They We're Paid $50
Each for Illegal Entries.

LdCn IOI illegal LiltliSS'
For the past few days In the contest
nom Of the United States land office in
bls city there has been some very in
ierestlng testimony on the subject Of
,ho ACQUISITION of coal beds and the
methods employed by the big coal COM
ranes In securing the necessary lands
a, he minimum Of cost incidentally
n, reason Of the delay in the building
NJ the saina CUTOFF by the Rio Grande
has been accounted for, while the pub
No generally has been treated to some
i1cdcnts not usually associated with
court procedure Unwilling witnesses
Rave become very wrathy under per-
,iytent cross-examinatlon until yester-
day afternoon It began to look as
thong free for all fight between coun-
sel and witnesses would wind up the
proceedings.
The proceedings, however eventually
terminated for the time being until oct.
(, when Auditor John f, Evans, under
subpoena, Is to appear with the books
and vouchers Of the Utah Fuel COM
pany which. witnesses swore, contain
The names OF the agents employed by
the company and the amounts paid by
a.. ht, T,,Il ,,vpnVhtf,, fop earVicov
m the alleged Illegal transactions. H.
G. Williams, general manager Of the
Utah Fuel company was subpoenaed
yesterday afternoon and on the stand
stated that he could not produce the
books as they did not belong to his
department and that furthermore, he
had no control over them.
ELEVEN CASES.
In all there are eleven cases in con-
test In the land office, involving 1850
acres Of coal lands in Salina canyon
along the direct route of the cutoff pro-
ected by the Rio Grande road. Just
as soon as the railroad Is extended an
other mile from its present terminus.
the lands will be worth $40 an acre UNI
Der the United States land laws, in
head Of $40 an acre, as Is now the case
All government coal lands within 10
miles Of a railroad are worth $40 an
acre. These lands are at present stu
tted some lG miles from the railroad
The protestants affirm that as soon as
The Utah Fuel company gets legal title
TO the lands In question that the con-
Nructon Of the CUTOFF viii be rushed
10 completion and not before,
COAL COMPANY IN 1T.
The protestants in the cases, through
their attorneys.L, II. Gray Of Salt Lake
and Frank w. Beane. an Idaho land
lawyer affirm that tho parties In the
suits all made filings for the Rio
Orande Western, or the Utah Fuel COM
pany, which is part and parcel of the
Gould railroad Under the law govern
ing the taking up Of government lands
mis- Is Illegal No one can legally
lake up land II approached by another
person or corporation and induced to
hke 1t up for them.
WHO ARE INCLUDED.
SIX OF the cases have been tried, one
still pending and there are FIVE more
10 be heard, The cases are: Title b.
Bollden VS. Frank w. Beane; Mary
swasey VS. Jesse Y Badger; Tillie b.
bouldcn W. Richard Campbell; Eliza
oe'h Seeley VS. James A. Brown; Chris
uan Grace Larsen vs w. II. Cowan:
oena swasey VS. NJ. A. Brandt; Il. j.
Dalr VS. o. L. Davis: T.. G. O'Donnell
" John Nilsson; l.. T.. Kimball VS.
James b Caldwell; +. w. Murphy VS.
'eule f. Ford, and another case in
which the party defendant has
'eeh tod Il is said to either withdraw
W else resign from his position with
CERTAIN corporation in Salt Lake 1t Is
s'a'ed that he has elected to hold on
''' JoO ana let the coal lands go,
HOW FILINGS WERE MADE.
The protestants in the above cases
snrm that the lands have been ac-
Su''ea Illegally and were flled upon for
Wv purpose Of turning over the prop
wy TO the coal company. In sub.
,,'',',auon Of this 1t is asserted that
D'''ueh' Swasey, Larsen and seeley
-, Wv, ana all reside at Castlegate In
Emery county ana are connected either
',e'''y or remotely with the Gould
{, '"uons. while James b. Caldwell
NJ, 'H'e' claim clerk OF the Denver &
WV ''ande and John Nilsson also oocu-
p.,S a clerical position with the same
\ "p'ny In Salt Lake. The others.
~ "Infm' were induced to file on
ala 'anas by the company who paid
expenses Of fees drawing up Of
rape''' etc. and then handed over a
enumeration in cash for services.
INTERESTING TESTIMONY.
"ns upon this theory end -~'''