The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1907-08-29
SELLS BARREN
'HOMESTEADS"
TO HIS DUPES
Federal Agents Run Down
Dealer in Uncle Sans
Realty
VICTIMS ARE MANY
Pay for Agricultural Land
Located on Mountain
Submits
SWINDLER IN PRISON
Grant c. Smith Accused OF
Extensive Operations
in California
SWINDLER IN PRISON

Extensive swindling in govern
ment lands has been uncovered
by agents of the United States
land Office, who have been work
ing quietly in this vicinity for
some time. AS one result of their
labors Grant c. Smith, printer,
who was arrested Tuesday night
by Detective Hodgkins of the
Oakland police department, has
Desn charged with participation in a
series Of daring frauds.
snlftn-s victims are said 20 be nu-
nerous. some Of them have come for
ward and the special agents OF the
land department are working to dis
cover Just how far Smith has been
involved in the swindling game, as ex-
posed in complaints to the land office
detectives.
Smith was arrested on the com
plant Of P. A. Mcfarland, who lives
st I117 Twenty-sixth avenue, East
Oakland. The police had been look
ing for Smith for a month or more.
Behind them were the officials Of the
land department., who had kept in the
background purposely- Their connec-
ton with the case was not suggested
in oakland yesterday when Smith ap-
pesred in the police court to answer
to z charge Of having obtained money
by false pretenses-
Mcfarland. the first of Smiths al
legged victims to emerge from under
cover. met Smith last June. Smith
announced that he was a homestead
locator. According to Mcfarland, he
explained that he had access to fine
farming lands in Napa county, which
could be transferred under the United
states homestead laws to Mcfarland
on payment of 500. The money was
paid. Mcfarland went to Nsps county
with a surveyor 10 stake of the land
and found that the homestead he had
purchased was nothing but barren.
rocky slopes at the top Of almost in
accessible mountains.
The land once was put in touch with
Smiths operations and a number Of his
customers were brought to light
Charles NovaIk. living at 171s Van Ness
avenue, complained to the United
states authorities that he had been
rnulcted Of several hundred dollars in
his dealings with the pretended home
stead locator" Antoine Mora, who lives
at Eleventh and Market streets, had
been inveigled into the scheme for
winning a fine farm at small price
merely the cost OF transferring title
from one lomesteader 10 another.
Alfred Hopkinson of $40 Montgomery
street had been deluded into the belief
that a few hundred dollars would gain
for him an exceptional bargain in some
Of the nations realty. So had Chris
fopher Juny also lost some of his saw
fngs by reason Of the glib story Smith
nsrrstal. Such is the partial record
which the United States agents have
pieced together.
whether the prosecution of Smith in
the Oakland courts viii be followed by
independent action by the land Office
has not been decided Those who have
charged that Smith swindled them with
his fraudulent representations have been
advised that the land department had
the entire matter under investigation
statements have been taken by the
United States agents as to all Of
smiths operations. Whether he has
been handling the scheme on his own
account or has been working with con-
rederates has not been determined.
So far as the land Office inquiry has
gone Napa county appears TO have
been the principal seat OF operations
After parting with their cash the vic
Tins invariably have found that their
exDected wealth Of rich agricultural
holdings was nothing but the serried
side Of a mountain peak, where eagles
made their aeries and the dismal owl
hooted from the tree tops.