Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1907-06-29
WILLIAM The DESpOT.
NOT AN ENGLISH RULER BUT AN
AMERICAN.
A Rockefeller That Is Anything But
a Phiianthropist--An Ugly

Washington. D. c., June 27.--A tale
of the razing Of once prosperous
village and the oppression OF an hum
BILE citizen by the mere power OF
money has developed from the files
Of the postoffice department 1t IS an
ugly story, in many of its phases, and
1t seems almost Incredible that some
Of the incidents should have occur
red in free America. It is reminiscent
of feudal times and of the power of
an autocracy
In Franklin county. New York,
William Rockefeller. one of the Stand
ard Oil magnates. owns an estate of
50 900 acres. In one corner of the es-
tate lies the site of the little village
OF Brandon. Several years ago, Rookie
Teller. in order to round out his es,
tate, set about to acquire the town OF
Brandon. He was successful. for the
most part, but he failed to obtain a
piece of property in the village of
| Brandon owned by Oliver Lamora, a
veteran of the civil war and long
time resident of the village. Lamora
declined to sell his property. That
of his neighbors had been acquired
by Rockefeller and every building
thereon had been RACED to the ground
and the rubbish burned. Not stick
of the timber was granted to any OF
the former occupants even for kin
ding wood.
/ 1t was Rockefeller's design to con
vert the. village into a part of the will
! derness surrounding his mansion ano
he attained his desire except so far
as Lamora's little dwelling was con
| cerned. The old soldier was fearless
and independent. He had resided
there practically all his lifetime and
had caught trout in the st. Regis riv
err. a stream which runs through the
Rockefeiief estases and is stocked with
fish by the state of New York The
guards, armed with rifles, maintained
by the owner of the estate to keep of
| trespassers, drove Lamora away from
| the river, although he was on roads
which had been public highways for
more than generation. Lamora was
not the only sufferer. Women and
children found picking wild berries
near the site of the village were driv.
en- away and their berries spilled upon
the ground. The owner of the estate
closed up public roads without re-
straint despite the remonstrances of
the people. Lamora, one day, caught
some trout in the ST. Regis. Rookie.
Teller sued him. Four times the case
was decided against Rockefeller. FL
nally, in one of the higher courts he
got decision against Lamora whic /
threw the costs of the litigation upon
the veteran. The costs were paid by
popular subscription and his lawyers
served him without cost His lawyers
were offered a considerable sum of
money to throw W the case, but they
refused
Finally, the postoffice that formerly
was located at Brandon, was moved
to Bay Pond, three miles within the
confines Of Rockefeller's estate. The
people who received their mail at
Brandon protested but Their protests
went unheeded Those who now re-
ceiye their mail at Bay Pond do so
merely by the grace Of William Rookie
Teller, as they have to pass over his
land in order to reach the office.
Lamora is not permitted to go to
Bay Pond Office to obtain his mail,
as an Injunction has been obtained
by Rockefeller prohibiting him from
setting foot on the estate He is a
pensioner and there is lying in Bay
Pond postoffice at this time-if it has
not been returned to the pension Of
f1ce-a check for his pension which he
cannot get, as he is not permitted
even to send an agent or representa-
tive to get his mail BY doing so he
would place himself in contempt of
court. The matter has recently been
called to the attention of the postal
officials and perhaps something soon
will be done in protection OF Lamoras
rights as an American citizens.
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