Omaha daily bee., 1906-05-23
LIKE GRAND ARMY REUNION
Hosts Of Veterans at Federal Building Il
Testify Before Jury.
CATTuH1wsATToRNEY sPEAKsFOR THEM
says They wOuId welcome settlers
and Are Going Broke Because
of Turn Affairs Have
Taken.

II isn't a reunion or Grand Army encamp-
ment that is in session at the federal build
ing, though that impression might be de-
rived from the host of old soldiers, new SOL
ders and Grand Army men gathered in the
corridors Of the federal building this week.
They are there as witnesses before the fed
eral grand jury in the land filing cases and
are summoned on various suits of various
grades of Importance, the great bulk In the
big cases, notably the Spade ranch en-
closure in Sheridan and Cherry counties
known as the Richards and Comstock cases
1t is the purpose Of the federal oficials to
get most of these smaller cases out of the
way in order that the witnesses may be
discharged and sent to their homes.
From the best information obtainable 1t
now looks as II another Of the big cases,
in which il is said that Bartlett Richards
figures, will be taken UP wednesday.
Richards is said to be in Europe at present
but his friends say he will be on hand to
answer to any indictment brought against
him.
In Defense of Cattle Men.
Attorney c. c. Barker OF Alliance, who
is here to look after the interests OF
number Of his friends among the cattle
men, said Tuesday morning:
"A wrong conception prevails regarding
the cattle country and that the cattle men
are a lawless class of people who persls-
tently defy the laws. They are a pretty
good class of people and are doing and
have done much for the development OF
that country and are vitality interested in
one of the greatest industries OF the west
in the rearing of cattle. A vast area Of the
cattle country is wholly useless for any
other purpose than cattle raising and graz
ing. Only a year or two ago some of the
cattle men in the Alliance district sent into
Wisconsin for a colony or two of thrifty
German farmers to come out and take up
lands in the cattle country and go into
the dairy business. A number OF them
came, but owing to the dryness Of the soil,
the scarcity of water and the ever prevail
ing sand hills, destitute of grass or heritage
OF any kind, the experiment has proven
failure and many of the colonists are going
back to their former homes.
want Settlers to Come.
I'VE certainly would hail with pleasure
the presence of numerous homesteaders on
every section Of land in that country. We
only wish the conditions were such that
men and their families could settle on
these ranges and become a matchmaking
people for us as farmers, and all such will
be cordially welcomed and the cattlemen
will DO everything to assist them in every
way. Many have tried 1t and have left the
country broken in purse and spirit and
their holdings have reverted to the condi-
ton Of abandoned claims, marks of I'M
fortunate and inevitable failure.
THE agitation against the cattlemen has
had the effect of casting a gloom over the
cattle country. The cattlemen are becom-
ing dsheartened and discouraged. Many
of them would sell out at once If they
could come out anywhere near even. AS
a rule the cattlemen are heavy borrowers
from the South Omaha banks and commits
sion men. OF necessity they must be bor-
rowers, and with any restriction Of the
cattle industy, even by going back INTO the
old herding plan, many of them will lose
largely and many will become bankrupt"
Todd Reported Dying.
It now begins to look as II Ami Todd Of
Plattsmouth, who is under 5000 bonds at
- It