The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1907-06-16
FREE AMERICA
ArdmoreIte Special

'''''''i'iir0'''Ai - N.'f "aiA' '' - 'ehiN
Of the razing of once prosperous
village and the oppression Of an hum.
bic citizen by the mere power Of mon
cy 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 occurred in
free America 1t is reminiscent of
feudal times and Of the power Of an
autocracy.
In Franklin county, New York. Will
liam Rockefeller. one OF the Standard
oil magnates, owns an estate of 52,-
GOO acres. In one corner Of the estate
lies the site OF the little village of
Brandon. Several years ago, Rocke-
feller, IN order to round out his es-
tate. set about to acquire the site Of
Brandon lie was successful Or the
most part but he failed to obtain a
piece Of property in the village owned
by Oliver Lamora, a veteran Of the
Civil war and a longtime 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 razed
to the ground and the rubbish burned.
Not a stick OF the timber from any of
the buildings was granted to the for
mer occupants even for kndling
wood.
IL was Rockefeller's design to CON
vert the village into 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 estate
to keep off trespassers, drove Lamora
away from the river. although he was
pn roads which had been public high
ways for more than a generation La
mora was not the only sufferer. Wo-
men 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 public highways
without restraint, despite the remon-
strances of the people Lamora, one
day, caught some trout in the st. Re
gis 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 liti-
cation upon the veteran. The costs
were paid by popular subscription and
his lawyers served him without cost.
His lawyers were offered consider
able sum OF money to throw up the
case, but they refused.
Finally, the postoffice that former
ly was located at Brandon, was moved
TO Bay Pond, three miles within the
confines OF Rockefellers estate. The
people who received their mail at
Brandon protested, but their protests
went unheeded Those who now re-
ceive their mail at Bay Pond do 80
merely by the grace Of William Rookie
fellcr, as they have to pass over his
land in order to reach the office.
Lamora is not permitted to 20 TO
Bay Pond office to obtain his mail, as
an injunction has been obtained by
Rockefeller prohibiting him from set
ting nDot on the estate. lie is pen
sioner and there Is lying in the Bay
Pond postoffice AT this time, II It has
not been returned to the pension Of
fce--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 recently has been
called to the attention Of the postal
and perhaps something soon
will be done in protection of lsmoras
rights as an American citizen.