Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1905-05-25
GBAND JURY HAS
LOTS OF BUSINESS
INVESTIGATING FENCING OF GOV.
EMINENT BY CATTLE COM.
PANlES. ..,
TAKING UP BEEF TRUST MAT.
TIERS IN CONNECTION WITH
STATE INSTITUTIONS.

STATE INSTITUTIONS.
Fargo Forum: A charge that the
Little Missouri Horse Co., mas not
obeyed the governments order to re-
move fences erected on government
land is being Investigated by the
federal grand jury.
1t was in 1900 that the horse COM
pany was first ordered by the land
Office officials to remove fences around
about 10000 acres of government land
and, after Attorney Seth Newman of
thtis city had given his opinion that
the government was within it's right,
the company gave notice that the
order would be complied with at once.
1t is now claimed that but a small
part of the fence has been removed
and that the prospective settlers are
prohibited from making settlements
by reason of the gigantic operations
of the horse company and fences.
For years the stock of the Little
Missouri company has roamed over
the lrairie south of Dickinson. In
1893 and 1894 nearly $4,000 acres OF
land was fenced. OF that, about half
was railroad land, several thousand
acres was leased state land and about
10000 acres was government land.
After undisputed possession for sew
eral years, the horse company's oper-
atoms were called to the attention of
the officials of the land office and the
result was that the fence around the
government land was ordered taken
down at once.
That indictments may be returned
against the officials of the horse COM
pany, residents of Pennsylvania, is a
possibility and the case is attracting
great interest in the western part of
the state.
Another land matter which the
grand jury will investigate is the
fencing of between 10000 and $4,000
acres OF government land south of the
holdings of the Little Missouri COM
pany. The facts of this case could
not be learned today but it is re-
ported that score of witnesses have
been summoned to appear before the
grand jury to testify in regard to this
violation of the federal laws. The
case will probably be taken up before
the end of the week.
State Officials Called In.
The operations of the beef trust in
North Dakota are being inquired into
by the federal grand jury which is now
in session in Fargo. The investiga-
ton was started at the request of the
United States district attorneys in
Chicago, who attacked the trust some
time ago and from whose investiga-
lions some startling facts have been
adduced.
The fact that the heads of all of the
state institutions have been sub
poenaed to appear before the grand
jury leads to the belief that the
federal authorities suspect that there
has been collision between the COM
panies forming the trust in bidding on
supplies for the state institutions.
Warden Boucher of the state peni-
Tertiary, L. B. Baldwin of the home
for feeble minded at Grafton, D. F.
Bangs OF the school for the deaf and
dumb at Devils Lake and ]. l.. Brown
OF the reform school at Mandan were
before the grand jury this morning.
DR.. Moore of the state insane asylum
is expected to arrive in the city to-
night and he will probably be before
the jury tomorrow. Pursuant to the
subpoenas with which they were serv.
ed, each witness brought with him the
contracts and other papers relating to
the letting Of contracts of meat food
supplies for the institutions.
1t Is not generally believed that the
investigations of the grand jury will
result in any startling Developments
for the reason that not since 1902, the
time from which the federal investi.
cations date, have many of the North
Dakota pa institutions transacted bust
ness with any Of the companies form
Ing the trust. <s .,.. ,t.....
The meat for the penitentiary: is
butchered by the prisoners and most
OF the other institutions contract with
local butchers. The soldiers home at
Lisbon is supplied by the trust but the
commandant was not among those
summoned to appear before the jury.
2. 8. Attorney Rourke, who resides at
Lisbon, is familiar with the transac.
lions at the home and did not deem
his presence necessary.
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