The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1906-05-20
new MEXICO
LAND FRAUDS
HITCHCOCK WOULD lMPLIcATE
DELEGATE ANDERSON
Secretary ASKS That Title to 5000
Acres OF Timbered Lands be tet
Asde-Law Has Ben Violat.
ed in the Sale OF Land.

Washington, May 17.-Land frauds
IN New Mexico in which William
II. Andrews. delegate from that ter
W. s. Hopewell an attorney who ap-
disclosed by an official commaniea-
tion sent TO congress by Secretary
Hitchcock. Mr.. Hitchcock asks that
a deal by which the Pennsylvania De-
velopmoat company obtaired 5000
acres If timber land be set aside
and that the conditions Of the cri.
ginal grant Of vast extent Of
school lands TO that territory be ea.
forced.
The Secretary says that in 1901
Andrews made application to the
public lard board Of New Mexico
for an option on 10000 acres Of tim
Der land in Valencia county at 50
an acre. In passing upon this ap-
plication TIE board pointed out to
W. s. Hopewel. en- attorney who APP
peared as the Representative Of An.
drews, that under the law Il was not
authorized TO sell more than 100
acres to any one person, firm OF cor.
poration.
The members Of the board, how
ever. called attention 10 the fact that
in the event o. a syndicate desiring
the land each Of the stockholders
could be allotted 100 acres, all Of
which could later be transferred 20
the company. Actiag on this sig.
gestiou az the next meeting Of the
board Hopewell submitted five ap-
plications and 90 the following meet
inc fortv.four applications. This
continued until the company had Oh.
tanned 5000 acres. The land was
paid for partly In cash and the bal.
ance was represented by note for
$4,000 signed by Arthur Kennedy
president of the Pennsylvania Deyel.
opment company; Frank J. Terrence,
T. Lee Clarke and W. H. Andrews.
In the next two years two payments
Of $4,000 each were made on the
note. leaving a balance ol $4,000
unpaid.
Secretary Hitchcock says that the
law has beel violated not only in
The sale Of the land 20 the company
but also in the transferring of deeds
before the purchase price was made.
He says that the matter can be rem
edied only by congress, as the ori-
ginal grant OF the land 20 New Mex
leo was the result Of legislative en-.
actment.
Andrews said today: Il do not
know very much about the deal;
HopewelI had charge OF II and l paid
little attention TO H. The statement
Of Secretary Hitchcock shows that
the board Of public lands passed up
on the transaction and approved II,
That ought TO settle the matter
should say"
The Pennsylvania Development
company Is composed Of several
Pennsylvania Development company
ganized for the purpose of promot
ing the Santa Fe Central railroad
That road was constructed largely by
the use Of funds belonging to the
state OF Pennsylvania which were OF
deposit In the Enterprise National
bank Of Pittsburg. When Andrews
and his associates were called upor
% make good some OF their loan.
20 that bank T, Lee Clarke, the
cashier one Of the officers Of th,
Pennsylvania Development company
committed suicide and he bank clos
ed rs doors. The dep1sitors viii no
receive thirty cents on the dolla:
Nearly all Of the missing money wa
absorbed By the company named
Kennedy and florence, who are uls.
mentioned I'm connection with h'
land fraud. are prominent Pittsburl
politicians.