Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-02


| talk the matter over with him. So to
Cleveland went Immediately. Wearing the
trousers tucked into the tops of my boots.
l registered at the Weddel House under
still another name.
| could afford to take no chances of hav-
ing my identity discovered by Van HiSe.
and therefore at every turn covered my
tracks as well l knew how. In line with
this policy even took a roundabout course
to Van Hse's Office in Superior street. /
introduced myself as the Erie party who
had written to him
Our conversation was of the pleasant
Kind that marks deal about to be closed.
Van HiSe showed me elaborate maps of the
Missouri districts in which he had lands for
sale, and marked off the tract he proposed
to sell me, But l did not close the deal
then, pleading that wanted little time
to decide on the style of mill to use and to
arrange for other details. l told him l
would so to Missouri to look at the lands,
and asked for descriptions. which he cheer
FULLY gave me.
He went further instructing me to make
myself known to the clerk of the Missouri
county TO which l was supposed to be going.
This clerk, he said, would be glad to show
me the land at his, Van Hise's, expense,
and would give me all the information rela-
tive to this and other points / might desire.
This bit of accommodation on Van Hise's
part indicated clearly the hold the leaguers
mad on certain county officials and the part
the latter played in the marketing of the
stolen goods
My plan was to conduct negotiations with
Lindsay and Van Hise in such a way that
they would have the deeds to the land they
Were to sell Stedman and me in their re-
spective offices on the day the arrests were
TO be made thereby providing fresh evil
dence TO be used against them in the courts
Ihere was no hitch in this plan. Lindsay
followed up the negotia tons opened by
Stedman with the celebrity ordinarily dis
played by man of business anxious to
close deal in which there was big profit
van Itlse was just as eager and ulsuspect-
ing III his efforts to unload 5000 stolen
acres on James Hail. saw mill operator
The plan was working smoothly and prom
lSed great results
The amount of detailed work, which at
this late date would be of no interest to
my readers was enormous. l spent six
weeks alone in the Washington land office
withdrawing papers for examination and
comparison. Frequent trips were made to
southeast Missouri Ohio and Pennsylvania
the network of evidence being filled in with
| a patch here and patch there.
In Cleveland George Linn after whom
was named a suburb, Linndale. was found
TO be almost as important a Lacquer as Van
Hlse John X. Corwin, the notary used by
van Hfse and Linn, was a member of one
OF the most prominent families in Ohio but
through his oyerindulgence In whisky was
a pliable tool in the hands of others John
r. Gardner was a banker and a man of
nigh business standing. In the work of
producing false titles the notarial work was
not the least item, as all the papers had
TO be sworn to, and 1t was necessary to
ind notaries who not only would consent
to take Acknowledgements they knew to be
false, but who could be trusted to maintain
the utmost secrecy. Two more Of these no.
taries were Herman E. Schuster and John
j. Brady, jr., of st. Louis. In all twenty
two men had been dragged into our net for
completely In one form or another in this
great conspiracy.
At last the time came to strike / be-
lieved that the evidence in all the cases
was strong enough to convict. Warrants
were sworn out and placed in the hands
of deputy United States marshals In the
various cities where the arrests were to be
made. The greatest secrecy was observed
IN getting out the papers and arranging
other preliminaries. With Lindsay and Van
Hise, Stedman and 1 arranged to have all
the papers in deals with them in their
respective offices on the day the arrests
were planned. 1t was on the 18th day of
March In the year after the investigation
was begun that entered the private office
of Robert L. Lindsay in ST. Louis with
Deputy Marshal Soest.
Lindsay, jaunty and busy, was at his
desk. 1 quietly told him he was under
arrest.
"Who are you and what am under ar
rest for7" he demanded.
I told him who I was and, briefly. what
he was wanted for
AN right" he said coolly, reaching for
his hat, but you came Just in time to
spoil big trade for me-.
Then he became indignant.
This Is an outrage" he said angrily; "a
plot put up by Carl Schurz to ruin me-
Its the work of the id reformers in the
republican party. and is going to hurt the
party"
AS nearly at the same instant as was
physically possible the arrest of a score
n ia q do IN
and other cities. All were placed under
bond. the furnishing of bail being a COM
paratlvely easy matter for men Of such
prominence and means as most of them
were.
Then began a most desperate fight for
freedom on the part of the land leaguers-
fight in which was employed every agency
from the influence of the highest dignitaries
in the republican party to the intimidation
of even minor witnesses by threats of
lynching.
1t was in high political places that the
most telling fight was made by the Ieaguers
to escape the penalty of their crimes. To
explain this fight 1 must revert for mo-
ment to the national political situation of
that year. Grant had completed his globe
circling tour and was being urged for a
third presidential term. Among the 300
delegates to the Chicago convention that
stood by him to the last were James Lind
say and Carroll r. Peck. Grant was de-
feated for the nomination by the unexpect-
ed launching of the name of James A. Gar
field, around whom the anti-Grant forces
rallied. The schism in the party preceding
the convention widened by the nomi-
nation and election of Garfield, and the
bitterness of feeling was nowhere more in
tense than In Missouri
Robert Lindsay was prominent in the
Grant faction of that state. being an Of
ficer in large political organization with
such stanch republicans Chauncey l.
Filley and others of equal prominence His
e ther WA GRANTS DerSOnal friend and no