The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-11-01
HE SCORED LIND
Continued from First Page.

the Northern Pacific offered to Gov.
ernor Lind a compromise: He replied
that the question should be settled IN
the courts, on it's merits.
The week after he left the capitol,
said Governor Lind, the case was com
promised. The state really had moth
Ing to compromise. If man contracts
to build thirty feet of wall and only
builds twenty-seven, he cannot eollecf
report Mr.. Dunn calls the compromise
satisfactory. The compromise con-
sisted of letting the company keep the
$4,000 acres already decided and g1V,
ing it enough more to make 35,OOo
State Clerks Get the Land.
at wish the record ended there,'
said Mr.. Lind, "but there is, unfor-
tunately, more to be said. I have
learned some things in connection with
that grant, partly by accident and
partly by Investigation. When in Ait
kin county last week / went to the
office of the register Of deeds and
looked up certain tracts that were con-
veyed by this grant. | found that one
piece was Immediately conveyed by
the railroad company to Charles H.
Warner, a former clerk in Mr.. Dunn g
M. w. Hill, friend of Mr.. Dunn IS.
Two other tracts, in Martin and Pipe
stone counties, were conveyed to George
A. Finn, who was then chief land
clerk in the auditors Office
Mr.. Lind then read from letter
written by Fl. G.. Hangar, controller
of the Milwaukee road. In this letter
in Martin county, the NEA of the
NWA of section 31-101-31, as part of
the Southern Minnesota s land grant
The state got patent to it as swamp
l>o do 70 hn
railroad company, which Governor Lind
refused to sign. The attorney general,
: however, decided that the company was
entitled to the grant. A new deed
was prepared, but, as Mr.. Hangar tells
the story in his letter:
Threw Down. the Milwaukee.
meanwhile, owing to conspiracy
between the state land clerk and the
agent of the Northern Pacific Railroad
company, this tract and others were
included in deed to the Northern Pa
cifc Railroad company as the successor
or owner of the Little Falls & Dakota
Railroad company, and George A. Finn,
as pay for his work, received deed from
the Northern Pacific Railroad compa-
ny for this tract and one or two 9TH
ers. He again conveyed this tract to
a man by the name of George Gould.
"Tne matter is now before the state
landoffce, and ! cannot tell what the
results will be. 1t is about as bare
faced an act as / have ever seen. The
most ungrateful part of the whole thing
is that I have supplied Mr.. Finn with
transportation for the last three year!
for the purpose of keeping me posteG
and looking after our interests in the
state land department. The only ques
ton is whether it is worth while tt
prosecute the claim to finish, as tn
value Of the property is not grea
1pOuUh for such r. DurDOSe.' ~
The audience howled it's approval o.
this home thrust, and Mr.. Finn, who sa
on the platform, was the cynosure O.
all eyes.
Audience Calls It "Graft.''
The record of the Martin count
transaction is peculiar. 1t shows tina
Finn to J. W. Gould on a warrant
deed, Dec. 2, 1901, before the stat
decided the land to the railroad com
pany. December %, the state deed wa
fled and the same day, another wal
$4S7.84. This made good the dee
from Finn to Gould, consideration $500
The Pipestone county transaction wa
conducted in the same way, bearing on
the Milwaukee officials charge, of co
the railroad. Commenting on this LEI
ter and record, Mr. Lind said:
Now, my friends, I cannot say tina
I sympathize very much with the COZ
ttroll,er. 1t appears to have been a g9l(
supposing these things had occurred
the city of Minneapolis, when the lat
Mr.. Ames was mayor: Gaughter0 Whs
would you have called them9 Whe
would you have called these transa
audience -" Crafty
Dunn Said He Got Big Fee.
Mr.. Lind then took up the Berma
deed, where Mr.. Dunn claims credit fl
forcing the company to accept the Ian
and placing it on the tax roll. He rea
from Mr.. Dunn 8 pamphlet, rehearsir
HYou notice. said Mr.. Lind, "th
he claims great credit for the transa
ton, for finding the company a pu
chaser
Mr.. Lind said that this was not
itself reprehensible, tho it was rath
ticklish business for the state audit
to be in the land business. Howeve
there were circumstances connected wi
the case. He had heard it on the a
thority Of Alvah Eastman Of st. Clou
that in q conversation with Mr.. Dun
the auditor had told him that he r
ceived handsome fee for negotiati1
the deal.
The railroad company had labored f
years to have the old deed set asid
and give them new selection. Tn
had been refused by Governor Nelso
and the attorney general declared til
action proper. Mr.. Dunn in letter
Mr.. Grover Of the Great Northern
clared that he had no authority to S
aside deed or patent, signed by-Go
ernor Nelson.
"He changed his views later,' SO
Mr.. Lind. "You have been led to /
lieve that Mr.. Dunn compelled or
duoed the company to accept the c
deed. This was not true. You can
to the state auditors office tomorrt
morning and discover the old Bierma1
Nelson deed, still on file, bearing tt
Endorsement, which I will now read yc
Dated Sept. &c. 1894, state land off
st. Paul, Mimi This deed was ney
accepted by the Great Northern Rs
way company. The said company
fused to accept when it was rendered
the state. By mutual agreement
tween the state of Minnesota and
Great Northern Railway company t
deed is regarded as Cancelled.
Mr.. Lind then explained that n
deed was issued, conveying the sa
lands with the exception of one tract
GA acres.
New Deed Cancelled Taxes.
''Now why this new deal9' he ask
"Why did he change the position VIII
ba had taken so firmly unOn the adv