Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-04
TTERPT TO DlscREDH WITNESSES
DEMAND FOR TWIN MILLS" SECTION

ing that did not take up the land in good /
faith, that is, with the intention Of living /
on It,
This statement was made on redirect !
examination in federal court Monday morn |
ing by William II. Campbell of Missouri
Valley, witness in the big land trial. 1t
fell with a dull thud 1,on the ears OF the
defense, whose attic N Nad submitted IN
evidence an afidavi o. .I. by the Same
Mr.. Campbell, in VIII, ty. " witness de-
clared he did enter the <yood faith
and with the intention Of L. ~, It.
This affidavit was written u, u, type
writer and on ;hls point MT Cat III I'd:
The affidavit was presented I, u
ready typewritten. 1 did not read
fore signing It, The paper was brouEL
me By a young man at Missouri Valley.
/ do not know his name" II
The attorneys for the government made
strenuous objections to the admission Of
the afidavit as evidence, but the court
Overruled them and let the affidavit go in.
The defense has entered more vigorously
upon the general attempt of discrediting
the testimony of witnesses for the govern
ment and this was one move in this gem
eral plan.
The affidavit further stated that the am
ant never saw Tom Huntington to talk to
lllllls inc QpCuuleuN DGhlh uaN1 VI aus NSN
II, 1906, and was sworn to before A. j.
Dole. justice of the peace of st. Johns
township, Harrison county. Iowa
Tells same OLD story.
In his general testimony the witness told
practically the same story that has been
repeated by all the soldiers who had been
solicited to ile on the lands by the Hulls
at the Iowa end or the land and Hunt
ington, Hoyt and Comstock at the Gorden
end of the line. The same general proceed
ure OF making visit to the lands, expense
free. and all filing fees paid for by Hunt
ington or Hoyt we're gone over in tire
some detail.
William II. Tuttle OF Woodbne another
old soldier, told practically the same story
of having been solicited to make the hling
by J. d. HuliJ the visH to Gordon. inter
view with Huntington. visit to the ranch,
subsequent filing at Valentine, all expense
free. and OF the leasing of the land for
$50 per year and his receipt of S25 for the
first installment OF the lease money after
his second visit to the land. Neither did
he take up the land for the purpose Of
making a home on it, but rather to make
what he could out Of the land after he had
made final proof. The witness was in
clined to much forgetfulness and his al
most invarable reply to questions in the
cross-examination was II don't remember" ."
r. S. Hall asked the court IL there was
not some way to compel this witness to
answer.
Cannot Make Him Remember.
The CourtSIf he cannot remember, the
court knows OF no way to compel him to
remember.
The witness was repeatedly asked if he
kad vryGth hat ba
was to testify to since being about. the
federal building. He stated that ne had
only talked to a few comrades in general
way and asked the court II he should be
compelled to make more explicit answer.
Mr.. Hall wanted to know. why did you
ask the court IL you should be compelled
10 answer?"
The witness did not reply. merely saying
ne had not talked to any one in particular,
and with no one at all as to what he should
testify TO.
John e. Creiger, an old soldier from Lo-
gan, Ia, told briefly why he took up the
land IN Nebraska. He said:
II was told by Hull that an old soldier
could take up GO acres Of land without
having to live on Il and that some cattle
company would put improvements on It and
pay the expenses Of fling and cultivation
and final proof and that we could sell II
after we had proved up I signed a lease
for the land IN Huntington's over the bant
at Gordon, and six months afterward
was paid s25 for the six months grazing
on the land. The money was in the form o
a check and had Il cashed at the banl
just under Hunungton's ONCE"
Witness told Of the usual visit 90 th'
lands said TO be those he iled on with
party OF four Iowa comrades. and thei
subsequent return home. He had not beer
on the land since. nor did he take It viii
the purpose Of establishing home on it.
TVin Mills Section I'm Demand.
During The early part OF last week on
John +. ONeill, a friendly entrymai
living at Gordon, testified to having pu
his hling on section on which was 10
Gated the Twin Mills" a particularly
choice section. This was one OF the mid
night hlings made at Merriman befor
Commissioner Heath, The evident purpos
OF all OF these friendly hnngs" was {
secure the choice lands against the genera
hlings and entries 20 be made during tn
hig rush. The Twin Mills" seem from th
evidence produced Monday afternoon. TO b
the general land mark around and abou
which other filings made by soldiers wer
centered. and in two or three instances IN
Twin Mills" section was the section upo
which they had hled. Harrison Yount, a
old soldier from WOodbine, Ia, testihe
Monday afternoon. that on his frst Wis
TO his claim this particular section wa
shown him by the party that drove himse
and others cut to look at his land as HI
special claim. and he was much elated owe
the fact that he had got whole ssctio
with two wind mills on IT,
Yount. apparently is the fourth perso
that has been located on that same se'
ton, though upon subsequent showing {
the land ak months after his hrst visit, f
was pointed out a piece OF land as b
special section about four miles away frO
tho Twin Mills"
This same story OF being shown dinerel
locations was told BY practically All a
cid soldier entrymen Monday aftornOo