Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-05
LAND KINGS PAY ALL BILLS
Richards, 0OmItOok & Csmpany Allow No
Bntryman to Go UnreWRrdsd.
EVIDENCE PILES UP IN BIG TRIAL
witness After witness Testiaes to
Being Subsidized 20 File on
Land He Never Intended
to Occupy.

Wholesale testimony was adduced yester-
day IN the big land trials in the federal
court to the effect that agents Of the de-
fendsnts had persuaded the witnesses to
file on land they never intended TO occupy
OF improve, took them 70 the land free OF
charge and assured them they could dis
pose Of their claims at remunerative hg-
ures Tom Huntington and Aquilla Trip
lett continue to be dragged in by witnesses
as potent factors in this crusade Of col
onisation for the big land and cattle men.
Il was paid by the Nebraska Land and
Feeding company. by check signed by Mr..
Jameson, for the livery teams furnished
by me to take the old soldiers out to their
claims from Gordon. The descriptions Of
the lands were furnished me by Tom Hunt
!ngton and he told me where to hnd the
lands. near some windmills and in certain
valleys. He also gave me the number Of
the lands"
Such was the testimony given by Ira
Trueblood. the Gordon liverymsn. who took
several old soldiers out at different inter.
walls 70 see their claims.
This witness was followed by his brother,
Ben Truehlood, who gave similar test-
mony and who was associated in the livery
business at Gordon with the first witness.
This witness said he was told by Hunting
ton TO show the old soldiers over some
fats out near the Overton ranch. He did
not know Of any particular name being
applied to the flats.
LivinEstOne's view of Law.
At the beginning Of the healing Tuesday
morning a. II. Livingstone was recalled
to the stand. He told particularly Of his
understanding Of the Kinkaid law and Of
his intent to comply with the law accord
ing 10 that understanding. The words
'for my own use and benefit" he applied
literally and assumed that It meant that
he could sell the land for $500 or any other
sum after making final proof He did not
understand that the Kinkaid law required
actual settlement on the land, but that cul-
tivation was equivalent TO settlement, and
that leasing the land to an agent for graz
ing purposes was perfectly legitimate. Had
he had any other understanding Of the law
he would not have entered the land, he
said.
Francis ] Porter a banker Of Woodbine
and an old soldier, expressed a similar un-
derstanding Of the Kinkaid law and took
up the land only on that understanding.
He had no intention OF defrauding the gov
eminent, he said, nor of making an appli-
cation for land under any other version.
He distinctly understood and believed, he
said that the offer of 800 for the land
after final proof was legitimate transac-
ton and that no one would be wronged
by the transaction. ---
Il simply wanted TO get out Of the land
what / could" said he.
New base of Operations.
In the testimony Of the last witness of
the forenoon the scene Of operations was
shifted to the Alliance land Office and at
Ellsworth. with Aquila Triplett a prem
inent figure in soliciting entrymen TO file on
lands near Ellsworth This witness was
James w. Newell OF Alliance, who was a
travelling auditor for the Burlington rail-
road He said he had been approached by
Trlplett and solicited TO enter land near
Ellsworth. and did so, selecting a piece Of
land about three-fourths Of a mile north
west OF Ellsworth. Triplett gave the wit
ness a description Of the land and the Wit
ness paid his own expenses and
filing fees, for which he had never
been reimbursed. Some minor ex-
penses at the hotel and for livery hire at
Ellsworth were paid by someone else, but
he did not know who paid them. He Wis
tied the land but twice and no improve
ments had been made on the land. He had
not seen the land since his last visit in
1906 Triplett had intimated to him that he
could find a purchaser for the land II he
. ever wanted to sell it, but no particular
person was named
Spade Ranch FiIerH.
All of Tuesday afternoon was devoted to
hearing the testimony Of witnesses who
/ made filings within the Spade ranch at the
Alliance land ONCE. Each OF these testi-
I
lett TO make the filings and all were given
10 understand by him he could hnd a buyer
for the land after they had proved up.
Various sums were suggested, running
from Ss75 TO 1900 per section. In each in
stance also the witnesses. with one ex-
/ ception, were furnished the fling fees by
Triplett as well as the land descriptions
and were provided with free entertainment
while visiting their lands. In two in
stances the entrymen did not visit the land
at all and none OF them ever intended 70
live on the land or make any kind Of set
tlenrent on II.
3 The FIRST OF the afternoon witnesses was
B Clayton F. Greene Of Alliance, a soldier Of
+ the spanish-AmeTican war. Triplett told
| him he would not have to live on the land
and that he could sell II 20 Richards and
4 Comstock when he proved up for 500. His
/ location was made within the Spade ranch.
/ some More TripIett Advice.
Walter o. Barnes. a merchant OF Al
4 lance. was told by Triplett that claims
/ like the one he had filed on at T-iolett
7 solicitation could be sold for $50. The
! witness had a claim northeast Of Alliance,
but II did not join the claim he had taken
up under the Kinkaid law within the
. Spade ranch The witness had no inten-
ton OF living on the land filed on under
i the Kinkaid law.
I George T. Gebhardt, a telegraph operator
/ Of Alliance. testified that Triplett had told
/ him he could dispose Of his land after he
I had proved up on Il.
i George Ditlein Of Alliance was told by
! Triplett that all that would be required
Of him was 10 go on the land once every
six months and stay over night. 80 he could
prove up and that the witness could ther
get 1900 for the land This section was
located about twelve miles northeast OF
/ Ellsworth within the Spade ranch.
Never Saw the Land.
John b. Kennedy. a telegraph operator
for the Burlington railway At Alliance wa
another Of Trplett'a recruits and testihel