The sun. (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1905-1908, 1906-07-21
: The Trail of the Serpent
Being the TRUE and Astonishing Story of john A. Gra-
ham's Rascates 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, tho
clerk he SUBORNED AND RUINED, WERE THE
BENEFlTTED 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 ORIGl-
NAILS GONE, his claims had but one weak spot,
the fact that Blocker's deeds would not stand
the tests OF the courts.
Gates finding himself 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 con-
tract with Granam In which he promised to pay
him commission to sell the lands ri
Graham succeeded in selling 100000 acres for
Gates for 100000, and sued Gates for his com.
mission. Col. Robert w. Williams represented
Graham. 4ta 3N@E34 ttM
During the trial Judge Walker said from tho
bench that he knew Graham to be q scoundrl
and 1t was his duty to protect Gates, who was NOT
represented by counsel, from MIN. Notwithstand
Ing this attitude Graham secured Judgment for
$23O27.95, not because ne had title to the lands
because 1t was proven In another case that Ora.
hams title to a 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 NtF lh
Under this judgment part Of the lands sold to
Gates by Graham were levied on by the sheriff.
Graham thereby obtained sheriff's deed to 9856O
acres for which he paid, under the judgment.
$23O27.95. This deed was recorded Sept. i3
1890, Book y, pages 10O-101. Records OF Liberty
County. WIN nm 4 80
This deed laid the foundation for a new steal
by Graham. He subsequently sold to David q.
Wilson, his father.inaw, for the alleged consd-
Grafton or $4,000, under warranty deed. a large
pody OF land including the lands conveyed by the
snerins deed. An examination of the records
lbook II, pages 1915, Liberty County, shows
that to part OF the lands conveyed by Graham
TO David Wilson, he had absolutely no title hay.
Ing conveyed them by warranty deed to James u.
Sa.e ~ previously and they WE'RE NOT INCLun
sections IL, II, 49, IA. "a, rs, 26, 81, a. as 3I,
Township 3. South r. 8, West shown by abstract
70 Non nave been Conveyed to Gates THEY A
SHERIFFs DEED, but are conveyed by him %
David Q. 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
20 properly or other people that seems unpro-
tected These lands were afterwards mortearad
10 the Land Mortgage Bank OF Jacksonville by
wilson for $4,000, as 10 shown by the records Of
LIBERTY ,SI'y County, Book H. Pages 13S-136, dated
FeD. "a. 1893 Examination of the records turthcr
snow that Graham continued to sell giving war.
ranty and quit claim deeds, various tracts OF Lib
erTy county lands formerly sold by him to Gates.
WI, WHICH NEVER HAD BEEN REUONvEYED TO
HIM BY THE SHERIFFS DEhD. 9-.. ,r3s-I
instances like these could be multiplied. TIM
trai OF the serpent Ii all over the county The loss
OF the records threw land matters into hopeless
middle. NV M. - " opo'os'
Nine out Of every ten men who knew Graham
IN Liberty County when asked about him viii
say He ID grand rascal and almost ruined
tnis county" There are o number of men at Rris
tol, Mr. l. w. Revells, Mr. Roberts. Mr. Franr
n f: Mr.. Frank Edwards, Mr.. G. r. Warren a.
Blountstown, and others. not one of whom dis.
sented from the general verdict that Graham IL
so plausible and pleasant that the men he robheS
confess 70 certain admiration for him. Az one
man ne had cheated by selling him land under =
S %or.nless TUE expressed It: HE was the incest
damned scoundrel ever saw 80 N-o n'0eo'
:. AFTER Harrel abandoned the clerks Office M i
Soloman was appointed ad interim Wiiliam
nen.z was candidate for the once al the nexr
e'ec'lon Graham took an active part In the cans
Continued an pava So Ni4f3