The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-10-16

was being built up worth more than
their entire lake front buildings. One
lone and practically friendIess man was
all that stood between them and posses
sion. True. their maps showed where
their boundary lines were located. and
there was no law which gave them pos
session OF Lake Michigan. But the land
was worth millions OF dollars, and a
means Of securing IL must be evolved.
Captain Streeter had this land sur
veyed and recorded IN the Land ONCE ar
Washington and filed a military land
warrant upon fl and requested that
patent and title be given him, and after
a number OF suits before the commits
sioners Of the General Land once he
was informed that the United States
had no land there. that it officially ex-
listed as water and that If there was
land there that ne was the disc0veTer
the Robinson Cruso of all he surveyed
and the sovereign Of the soil
District Government Formed.
Captain sreeter plated and sold lots
20 various persons, who had them re-
corded ia Cook county until about fifty
American citizens had purchased land
ia tho district OF Lake Michigan. and as
the city, county, or State never levied
any taxes on the said land. the citizens
called a meeting and drew up a constItu-
Eiou, adopted laws, and elected officers.
and declared themselves the District Of
Lake Michigan and declared the United
States Constitution their constitution.
the United States flag their flag This
was done on the 5th day OF April, A. d.
1898, and on the 18th day of April the Of
fcers $50 elected Of the district APP
/ peared before the clerk OF the United
& =. Hzr-a
Illinois and were duly sworn in by said
/ clerk 20 uphold the laws and Constitu-
/ tion of the United states in the District
/ OF Lake Michigan. and the seal OF the
/ said court was affixed to their commits
Isi0ns
The miUIouaires Of Chicago did not APP
prove Of the military government Of
/ The district and prepared to fight
The muuouaires enlisted the power OF
/ the courts, police and Federal Govern
ment. The police. as usual, were ready
: 10 fight The courts gave ambiguous
| opinions which justified anything and
| everything. The Federal Government
/ refused 90 iutercede, and each depart
ment lodged the issue by adr0itly re-
/ ferring all questions TO some other bu-
/ reau-
/ Citizens Of District Elected by Police
Military Governor Niles led the forces
I that attempted 10 defend the district
/ The police from the city of Chicago
/ frCm the Lincoln Park force. and from
/ the private detective agencies in the
I employ of the milliouaires came iu hun,
/ dreds- Shots were fired and they fed
/ Their leaders rallied them. and. 10 ths
/ overwhelming numbers. Niles and bis
! followers surrendered.
/ A number of the citizens Of the dis
/ trict were put IN Jail and held there
/ pending prosecution under indictment
/ for assault to murder For four month.
they were kept In prison, and at the ex
I piraton of that time were freed upor
! signing an agreement with the Illinois
/ State authorities not to make further
I trouble in the district.
Barring endeavors TO get the ear OF
the Federal authorities, Including Presi
dent Mckinley. no further action tool
place ia the matter until Captain Street
er and three OF his men invaded IN,
District in the fzu OF 1901 with wagons
and with shauties an built, ready a. b,
/ dropped of and set up in a few minutes
The police were on the watch. and fol
lowed tic wagons and refused to allow
I the shanties dropped on the District
/ The captain drove the wagons into The
mud and water. pulled of he wheels
and there he was with \ mob Of Dolic
/ around him.
Captain StTeeteT Again Invades Distric
Eventually he set up the shauties clos
% the wagon. after a number OF an
( rests and uiuuCtiOus IN the courts HI
wife always held the fort while he Wa