Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1907-06-25
bI6 LAND GRAB WIPED IN TIE BUD Uncle Sam Goes After Cat tie Earons in the West md They Will Pay the Penalties
THE NEBRASKA CASES
FDIi sf sensafienat Developments, Wealthy and Intiuentiai Men l1,- Yolved-G. 2. Officials Re1noveh From f}ffice.
Special to the Graphic.


 Washington D C., June 25-5ne land grab has neen niDped by tae Government froat8 Nearly q million acres of the public domain which were seized by the cattle barons of bTe West viii revert t6 gile Govern ment and some of those who were identified with ff1e fraud- 1ot only have baen given penalties in 5he forn of heavy fines, but viii be obliged to serve prison sentences
 When sentence was Dr0nGuncsi npon Thomas VI Huntington, Fred Ffoyt and Ami B Todd the most gi eantic land steal of which the Gov ernnenB eyer was the victim, vas brought to q close The cases have been pending in the federal courts Of Nebraska for long ti1ue. They have been rsplete with sensational devel- oDments The men Indicted were wealthy and influential. They ey haasted every resource that money CT influence would avail them to avert inc penalties Of their unlawful acts, but to little purpose. Six Or eight Of inc prominent eattiesaen Of Nebras- ka were fined heavily and given jail sentences after being convicted of frauds upon the Government; Unit ed States Marshal and 2 United States District Attorney were removed sum- marily from office beeause Of derelic- tion Of duty In connection with Gl1e cases: and 2 United State Judge WAS publicly reprimanded by the President for faVoring the law giolators and given fo understand ebat q repetition df his faVors would lay him iable to impeachment proceedings.
 The evidence iii the cases was most remarkable. Much Of t was given by veterans of the Civil War. who had been made innocent parties to inc Illegal transactions These Old soldiers were induced by the cats7e- men te, settle 1n the land and take t a3 lnfier 4 patent from tjle Govern nent. Subsequently, ghe ea5tlenaen serufed 5Ae lands from the soldiers fer 3 few hnnared dollars Many of the old soldiers were inmates Of Gov eranaent homes, who aad no sort Of idea of setting on the Iaads pernaa- nent1Y.
 The lands wers fenced n bg tf.e ranchmen and any attempt ID en- oroach aDors t was at 5ae fisk 1f ones life Hundreds Of cowboys foaned Over Inc greas tracts looking after tha herds cf eatf. and Keeping of wcnld@ fe. b1na fde sstt1e ers When the Gov ernnent ae6erfajned ~aat the sitpa. tion vas, they instituted 2 rigid in gssfia8fior The rssult of taat in4uiry k aow Of public feeefa. Several Of she most prominent and wealthy men of Nebraska and other states were ing65ved a 1he Illegal work and were brnpght before tl1e courts The cases were f1ueht desperately, nnth in taA courts and "a Congress. bpt the eyi- 6eYGe was clear and the roer. gniItg Of the enormous frauds haye oesn ealIa npon to suffer inc penalty fo1 their nisfeeds
 The fleg-leadefs n the conspiracy have bee6 convicted and sentenced sG pay hea0y fines and to serve terms n prison. but there rsroain yet on taa Tinted States eopft dockets forty or f1ty cases to be ttjsd
 The result of the prosecution Of tha cases, aside from She punishment of those convicted Of Inc frauds will ae that the fences illegally erected, will have fo come down and that vast tracts If the most vauaple farming lands in the West will be subject to proper entry by bonesteaders. IT. addition. 1t is expected, Tn the hn4. that the work Of the Government in this respect will restore to inc Gov efnrdent several million R acres of valuable mineral lands and timber tracts in many states The fight is yet in progress. but the principal battles hf the campaign against the graftefs have been won and it is regarded that the war soon will be terminated finally.