The sun. (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1905-1908, 1906-07-21
= The Trail of the Serpent
Being the TRUE and Astonishing Story of john A. Gra
hams Rascantes i'm Liberty County, Covering Period
of Years During Which He Stole Nearly all the County

COUNTY DOUBTS, He will forever rest under
the unproven charges He and Harrell, th.
clerk he SUBORNED AND RUINED, WE'RE THE
ONLY PERSONS WHO COULD HAVE BEEN
BENEFITTED BY THEIR DISAPPEARANCE
and the fact that the second book was stolen after
Harrell abandoned his Office and the additional
fact THAT GRAHAM WAS THE ONLY PERSON
who had free access to the Office, point conclusive
~ to Graham AS THE GUILTY PARTY
With his certified abstracts AND THE ORICl
NAILS CONE his claims had but one weak spot
the fact that Blockers deeds would not stand
the tests OF the courts.
Gates finding himsef possessed of 100000 acres
OF land OF doubtful title, for which he had paid
over 100000 acknowledged himself bitten and
perhaps wisely concluding that "the hair Of the
hound Is good for the wound" entered into a cO..
tract with Granam In which he promised to pay
him commission to sell the lands.
Graham succeeded In selling 100000 acres for
Gates for 100000, and sued Gates for his com
mission. Col Robert w. Williams represented
During the trial Judge Walker said from tho
bench that he knew Graham TO be q scoundrpl
and 1t was his duty to protect Gates, who was not
represented by counsel, from MIN. Notwithstand-
Ing this attitude Graham secured Judgment for
$23.O27.95. not because ne had title to the lands
because 1t was proven In another case that Ora
hams title to large part OF them was no good:
but, because Gates had promised TO pay for
specific service and Graham proved that he had
performed the service. ##f
Under this Judgment part OF the lands sold to
Gates by Graham were levied on by the sheriff.
Graham thereby obtained sherins deed to 9S,56O
acres for which he paid under the Judgment
S23.027.95 This deed was recorded Sept. 1S.
1890 Book y, pages 1OO-1O1. Records OF Liberty
County. I.- s."- a M
This deed laid the foundation for a new steal
by Graham. He subsequently sold to David q.
Wilson. his fatherin.law. for the alleged cons,d-
Grafton OF $4,000 under warranty deed, a large
body OF land, including the lands conveyed by the
sherins deed. An examination of the records
tbook II, pages 1915, Liberty County, shows
that TO part OF the LANDS conveyed by Graham
70 David Wilson, he had absolutely no title, hav.
ing conveyed them by warranty deed to James L.
Gates previously. and they WERE NOT INCLUD-
cd IN THE sHERiFFS DEED TO GRAHAM
Township 3, South n. 8. West, shown by abstract
10 nave been conveyed to Gates THEY ARE
NOT KECONvEYED TO GRAHAM BY THO
David G. Wilson, under full warranty deed Yet
the records show that he had no title to them.
except the title that any other thief thinks he has
10 property OF other people that seems unpro
.ected. These lands were afterwards mortgaged
TO the Land Mortgage Bank of JacKsonyille l,v
wilson Tor $4,000, as Is shown by the records Of
Liberty County Book H. Pages 1876, dated
TeD. "a, 1893. Examination Of the records further
snow tnat Graham continued to SELL giving war
ranty and quit claim deeds, various tracts OF Lib
cry county lands formerly sold by him to Gates
, WHICH NEVER HAD BEEN REvONvEYED To
HIM BY THE SHERIFFS DEED
Instances like these could be multinlsed tho
trail OF the serpent IL all over the county The osa
OF the records threw land matters into a hopeless
Nine out OF every ten men who knew Graham
~ Liberty county when asked about him will
say He Is grand rascal and almost ruimed
.nis county" There are q number Of men at BrIs.
toi, Mr. !. w. Revells, Mr. Roberts. M. Franr
nents. Mr. Frank Edwards, Mr.. G. r. Warren 81
a D,vun s ana others not one Of whom dis
sented from the general verdict that Graham Il
Dold interruptions rascal Yet withal he wss
so plausible and pleasant that the men he rohhsS
confess con. 70 certain admiration for him. Az one
man ne mad cheated by selling him land under )
worthless title expressed Il: 'He was the Meet
damned scoundrel ever saw" 80 "'S0o'
oo AFTER Harrell abandoned the clerks ONCE M. !
I pDUna N was appointed ad interim William
LEM was candidate for the once al the nexr
election. Graham took an active part IN the can.
(Conttn,,ad - ~. 49, a&Ws4