Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-06-15
POWER OF MONEY.
How One of the Rockefellers Razed a
 Village in York State.

Washington, D. C., June 15.-A tale of the raging of once prosper ous village and the oppression of an humble citizen by the mere power of money has developed from the files of the post office department. It is an ugly story, in many of it's phases, and 1t seems almost incredible that some of the incidents should have occurred in free America. It is reminiscent of feudal times of the power of an autocracy.
 In Franklin county, New York, William Rockefeller, one of the Standard Oil magnates, owns an es- tate of 52,000 acres. In one corner of the estate lies the site of the vil- lage of Brandon. Several years ago Rockefeller in order to round out his estate set about to acquire the site of Brandon. He was successful for the most part but he failed to obtain a piece of property in the village own- ed by Oliver Lamora, veteran of the civil war and a long time resi- dent of the village Lamora declined to sell his property. That of his neighbors had been acquired by Rockefeller and every building there on had been razed to the ground and the rubbish burned. Not stick of the timber from any of the buildings was granted to the former occupants even for klndling wood.
 It was Rockefeller's design to con vert the village into a part of the wilderness surrounding his mansion and he attained his desire except so far as Lamora's little dwelling was concerned. The old soldier was fear less and independent. He had resid- ed there practically during his life time and had caught trout in the St Regis river, stream which runs through the Rockefeller estate and is stocked with fish by the state of New York. The guards. armed with rifles, maintained by the owner of the es- tate to keep of trespassers. drove Lamora away from the river, al- though he was on roads which had been public highways for more than a generation. Lamora was not the only sufferer. Women and children found picking wild berries near the. site of the village were driven away and their berries spilled upon the ground. The owner of the estate closed the public highways without restraint, despite the remonstrances of the people. Lamora one day caught some trout in the St Regis. Rockefeller sued him. Four times the case was decided against Rocke- feller. Finally. in one of the higher courts he got a decision against La mora which threw the cost of the litigation upon the veteran. The costs were paid by popular subscrip. tion and h,s lawyers served him without cost. His lawyers were of- fered considerable sum to throw up the case, but they refused.
 Finally. the postoffice that former ly was located at Brandon, was nov ed to Bay Pond. three miles away within the confines of Rockefeller's estate. The people who received their mail at Brandon protested. but their protests went unheeded. Those who now receive their mail at Bay Pond do so merely by the grace of William Rockefeller. as they have to pass over his land in order to reach the ofiee.
 Lamora is not permitted to go to Bay Pond to obtain his mail. as an injunction has been obtained by Rockefeller prohibiting him from set ting foot on the estate. He is a pen sloner and there Is lying in the Bay Pond postofice at this time-if it has not been returned to the pension ofice-a check for his pension which he cannot get. az he Is not permitted even to send an agent or representa- tive to get his mall. By doing SO hr would place himself in contempt of court. The matter recently has been called to the attention Of the postal oficials and perhaps something soon will be done In protection of La rsora,s rfrhts as an Amerfcan cfffrsn