The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1905-06-16
HAD BAD RECORD
over the STATE
Geo. Letcher, Sentenced to Pen
in Ohio, Fleeced Many
Dakotans.
HoMEsTEADERs VICTIMS
Those Who Fell Into His Clutches Were
Defrauded in Many Ways by This
Smooth FeIlow-Father
Government Official.

Chamberlain, S. D., June S.-Informn-
ton from Columbus o.. to the effect
that George Letcher. the reputed leader
of the Williams county. Ohio. ans OF
"frebugs," who was arrested in Cali
fornia last fall and taken back to Ohio,
after an absence of over twenty years,
must serve his ten-year sentence in the
Ohio penitentiary, the state supreme
court having just refused to review his.
case, is OF great interest to many of the
residents of South Dakota.
This is due to the fact that Letcher
was for some years a resident OF what
is now South Dakota. He was a resi-
dent OF Mitchell for a period of about
five years. His father, William Letch-
er-for whom the town Of Letcher, S.
D.. was naned-was prominent in Ohio
politics, and was an intimate friend OF
James A. Garfield.
Because of his high standing he Sc
cured the appointment to the position
Of register of the United States land Of
lished at Mitchell, and assumed the du-
ties Of the position in 1851, when the
present state of South Dakota formed
T. part of Dakota territory.
In 1882 n brother of George Letcher,
named Q. T. Letcher. followed the ta-
Their and secured a position as clerk in
the land office. AT that time it was re-
ported that this brother Of George
Letcher had secured a large sum of
money by the sale of several carloads
Of dairy products from a Williams
county. Ohio, factory, but had been
robbed of about $4,000.
The knowing ones said the alleged
erobbers' We're George Letcher and an
acquaintance of himself and brother.
George Letcher n the acquaintance
came to Mitchell q few months after
the arrival of O.. T. Letcher.
1t was alleged that they Immediately
embarked in the business of covering
up" government Ian by petitions. I'LL
ings and in every fraudulent manner
possible, and by this means forcing
thousands of men who were then home
stealing government land to pay them
tribute before they (the h~omesteaders)
could secure titles to h tracts m
braced in their entries.
1t was said that George Letcher and
his colnrade were able to bleed" the
holnesteaders to a finish and the reg
lister and receiver of the United States
land office, both being men who were
quite aged, were unable to protect
the settlers against this fraudulent
work of George Letcher and his fell
low conspirator.
After leaving Dakota, George Letcher
was engaged in business at Minneap-
oils for a period of about five years.
From there he went to San Jose, Cal,
where ne resided up to the time of his
arrest last fall.
His arrest and return to Ohio was
not without its sensational feature.
Upon being indicted in Ohio, officers
from that state who had located him
at San Jose. Cal, proceeded to that
place and hao Letcher arrested. The
prisoner resisted the issuance Of ex-
2 tradition papers. and was in a fair
way to defeat the purpose of the Ohio
officers. when they reSorted to desper-
ate and unusual measures to get their
prisoner out of California.
While Letcher was in San Francisco
fighting against extradition the Ohio
officers kidnapped him, placed him on a
launch and transported him by this
means to Martinez. where the triumph
ant officers and their prisoner boarded
a train for the east, soon being be-
You'd the jurisdiction of the California
courts.