The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-05-29
TWO WHO DIDN'T ESCAPE.

TWO WHO DIDN'T ESCAPE.
Sioux Falls Argus-Leader: The
Deadwood Pioneer-Times relates the
details OF a ase which the federal
governor lad against Mr.. Alanson
Giles, u prominent man at Belle
F0urche, In the Black Hills region.
Mr.. Giles was accused of doing
precisely what Mr.. Crawford did in
Walworth county, except that his
0hense was not as great as that
charged against Mr.. Crawford. He
merely fenced in . part of the public
domain and used III for his private
purposes. Is vas not even inuinated
shat &c ever sought to become the
owner in fee simple, or otherwise, Of
lands adjacent to his stock range
through the use Of personal friends
he merely enclosed a part OF the gov.
ernment lands within a fence and
turned his stock loose to Craze there
ON
A government inspector came along
and reported Mr.. Giles act. Not
withstanding, according to reports,
Nj. Giles promised to remove the
fence promptly, he was prosecuted
and was recently convicted In federal
court.
In passing sentence, the court took
into consideration the advanced age
OF the man, stating that owing to
his Ill health and ape the defendant
would not be imprisoned, but that
he must pay q heavy fine.
Mr.. Crawford fenced a part of the
public domain In .Walworth county.
The enclosure was about three and
. half miles long by q mile vide,
and included the land filed on by Mr..
Crawford's boy friends Blount, Val.
entine, Thompson and Lampe. 1t
also included the Crawford ranch and
Che state lands held under lease. 1t
likewise included portions Of the
public domain, just as Mr.. Giles
fence enclosed . part Of such lands.
Mr.. Crawford closed up section lines.
lust 10 M. Giles closed them up.
But Crawford went scot free
through, as the special agent said
and 40 the attorney general Of the
United States stated In an o6aclal
report, the peculiar political compli.
cation exlsting in this state.
Nj. Giles doesn't appear to have
had . federal attorney interested In
himself 10 the DEFENDANTS behalf.
Perhaps that may have made some
diRerencel.
The other notable case has hitherto
teen exploited In the press dis.
catches. 1t 10 that Of Rev. Mr..
Ware, convicted Of conspiring with
certain young men for the purpose Of
d~efauding the government. Ware,
. resident Of South Dakota, it APP
pears. owned a ranch in Nebraska,
Just as Crawford owned-one in Wal
worth county. Ware had In his en-
ploy, according to the evidence,
certain young met who actually
lvsd on the ranch. Mr.. Ware looked
loDRingly on certain adjacent lands.
He finally suggested to these young
mon that u they would Tile on these
tracts, 30 as to retain them for his
nsc. he would pay all their expenses
and maintain such improvements as
would be essential to hold the lands.
Crawford, ~ readers will remem-
her. didn't have the same advantage
- Ware had. Crawford's young
friends lived at Huron, where Mr..
Crawford q p~racticing law, many
miles distant fror his ranch. Craw.
ford and bis young friends made Two
Or three trips to the ranch and
viswad the landscape DER and then
hastened back to Huron. Crawford
pai6 al the expenses incident to
these Visits. He also paid the young
msn, @ two Of them state upon.
oath, the sums agreed upon between
them and him for their services
20 flinR on the land. Before they got
around to perfect title the govern
ment got after Mr.. Crawford The
Crawford homestead transaction
came to an Immediate s~landstill.
Ware had his trial, was convicted.
was sentenced to two years In the
psnItentiary and Is now serving that.
sentence.
Crawford escaped Indictment. de-
clared that the whole scheme was the
work OF his "political enemies"
and be Is now a candidate for the
United States senatorship!
Ware and Giles made the mistake
of not becoming great Performers,
before the United States government
got after them!
xrrTREDoE ALL RIGHT.