The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-12-01
R. R. HOLDS LAND
By FORGE OF ARMS
.ss &EE "a E,A Il ". 81
Sensational Disclosures Made Be-
fore Interstate Commerce Com
i mission at Salt Lake, 81

Dat6 Dec. li-Charges that lilet
gal methods, ranging in degree of law
lessness. from secret rebates on freight
shipments to violent seizure of lands
belonging to others, the seizure being
made and maintained by force of arms,
we're adopted by the ~Denver & Rio
Grande railroad system and it's affili-
ated coal companies were made yester.
day in the hearing before Interstate
Commerce Commissioner r. II. Clarke.
George D. Halliday of Salt Lake City
told OF his efforts tosacquire title to a
near S9nnyside. He organized the Hal
lldaay Coal company and undertook to
- Robert Forester, geologist Of the
Utah Fuel company, with J. Kipman
and 5other men, came to him, he said,
and told him that unless he got off the
land they would Jump his. claim. Later,
during his absence. armed men went in
and took possession Of his property, to
up a claim. +. syI s%s .&z + -:
Halliday testified that he attempted
to. contest Kirke 'sss claim in ,theisdis-
trlct Court Of the third ( Utah district,
but every decision was. against him
until he secured transfer Of the case
to Salt Lake City, 5 3sa II ss .s; ~; ~
Says Threats Were Made. F..
Mr.. Halliday told of several CONVEX.
satlons with Robert Clark, superin-
tendent of the Pleasant Valley Coal
company, and other 4 officials of the
companies, in which sometimes threats
were made against him and at other
times efforts were made to buy him out.
After the Pleasant Valley Coal COM
pany caused Kirke to Jump his claim,
Halliday testified, he went back to the
property, but, was driven off by seven
armed men and Kirke fired q. shot at
him. From the time. Kirke jumped the
claim, he testified, until he sold out
his rights to the Pleasant Valley com
Ranyy ,,, ne was not permitted to go upon
Claim Protested. -. s
The afternoon session was. enlivened
by story in which rifles, threats Of vio-
lenee and corporate revenge figured
Arthur A. Sweet testified that he had
protested the location of a tract Of
coal lands by Charles Austin Owen,
who filed on it as agricultural land.
The protest was upheld and Sweet
filed on it as mineral land. When he
went to take possession he encount.
cred F. M. Wheeling and Mexican
both armed with rifles.
Disregarding their statement that
there was "no coal on the land" he
v Weat on to the PROPERTY, Az A, he pro;
men followed him to his claim ana tdId
him he had to leave. They asked him
if he would go tat his pleasure'' 81
by force, He consented to 90 at s'his
1njunctionss Ignored.
Afterward, he said, he secured two
inlunctions from the district courts OF
the state restraining. the fuel company
from interfering with him, but the in.
functions were contemptuously disre.
sgarded. ~ '<.157' - -
Finding that he could secure no cap.
tia, no rates and no cash, Mr.. Sweet
said he finally disposed Of his claims
to J. H. Judson for $4,000, and they
soon. afterward passed into the hands
OF the. coal company 80,
< But this aid not end, Sweets trou
bles: H 6 .g saiq g. he had secured employ
sat Ia Rs Gsde 1--WE Msstgrn 1a
I ence of the coal company, his enemies
made during the land deal
State Senator George 3. Whitmore
who told Of the armed occupation OF
George D. Halliday''s property by Rob
!. ert Kirke and other armed men, sale
he had coal lands of his own, but die
|, not work it because the railroad com
pany, demanded So ton for hauling
it to market. ,H'.They said,' MI
/ Whitmore testified, "."that they coulc
sell me the coal cheaper in Salt Lake.
Probing for Rebates.
Charles Livingston, former chief CLERK
at Sunnyside for the Utah Fuel com
pany and the Wasatch store, both Goulc
| companies, testified that previous tt
Aug. J.: last both companies enjoyed
|, what amounted to secret tariff, of al
material shipped to the mines over the
Denver & Rio Grande lines. The com
panies also received concessions ove1
other railroad lines, he said
Warren Makes Denial.
Washington, Dec. 1.-Senator War
rem of Wyoming OH behalf OF himself
! and his colleague, Senator Clark, last
night made a detailed and specific de
| NAL Of all the allegations ,preferrec
against them in connection with the
Wyoming land frauds. Evidence was
brought out at the hearings held By
Commissioner Clarke, representing the
Interstate commerce commission at Salt
Lake City, tending to- prove that hotl
Senator Warren and Senator Clark ha6
| undertaken to influence Special Agent
| Myendorff Of the general land office
to assist, the Union Pacific railroad anG
the Union Pacific Coal company to, oh
| tain valuable coal lands in Wyoming
by fraudulent practices. It was also
alleged that Myendorff and others ha6
made affidavits to this effect.