Omaha daily bee., 1908-10-06
BAIRD LAND CASE ON TRIAL
Defendant Jointly Indicted with pol
icy" King of Chicago.
SENATOR MASON Is IN THE CASE
Former Illinois Statesman Comes out
as one OF the Attorneys for the
Chicago Men Accused OF
Fraud.

hliekeu Inspire Cg III StNullhh AaiSNt
lent and fictitious filings in Dawes county,
cago ranch" case, was begun in the United
States district court Monday morning be-
fore Judge w. H. Munger.
Baird was Jointly indicted with Patrick
]. King, better known as Policy" King of
Chicago, and Lawrence E.. King, under two
indictments which, for the purpose OF the
present trial, have been consolidated. These
consolidated Indictments charge severally
conspiracy to defraud the United States out
of title to public lands in Dawes county and
also conspiracy to suborn perjury. The
date of the conspiracy is fixed at october
q, 1904, the entries being made at Alliance,
Neb., under Bruce Wilcox. the register.
The consolidated indictments embrace
seven counts and allege twenty-five overt
acts and name w. r. Coleman, Charles A.
Hay ward, Joseph Wolf, George Lightfoot,
Alfred @, Grinwald, H.. L. Coxey, Carl
Leonhart, Roy Bare. f. r. Mason, G. A.
Hildebrand, J. N. Hostetter and 8. Worlsy
as entrymen.
BY agreement Of the attorneys 1t was de-
cided TO make separate trials Of the cases
as pertains to each defendant, The trial
of F. S. Baird is the first Of the series. Mr..
Baird is represented by Harry c. Bronze Of
Olhold anu eA-OulIeu States 6eudlOT VIII
liam Mason of Illinois.
The interests OF the government are being
represented by Assistant Attorney General
S. r. Rush add United States District At
torney Goss.
The entire forenoon Of Monday was de-
voted to the selection of a Jury to try the
case. Senator BILLY" Mason arrived In
Omaha Monday morning.
These jurors were selected to try the
case: Joseph Dimery of Beaver Crossing.
Taylor Cameron OF McCook, Cliff Gay of
Orleans, John T. Logan of Morrill,, John H..
Bartell Of Harrison, Samuel Harpham of
Holstein, John H. Davidson OF Franklin, p.
A. Walton Of Broken Bow, Conrad Beisner
of Hebron, James A. Thompson of Cedar
Rapids, Frank II. Sohainoist of Gilead and
]. r. Garnforth Of Elmwood.
The jurors not engaged in the trial of
this case were excused until next Monday
morning.
The opening Of the jury trial terms OF the
federal courts for the Omaha division OF
the United States courts began Monday
morning with Judge T. C. Munger presiding
in the law and equity court room No. 2 and
Judge w. H. Munger presiding in the crimi-
nal court room No. l. No cases being ready
for trial by jury in the law and equity court
Judge 4. c. Munger excused the Jury until
$3.50 a. m. Tuesday.
Defense Outlined.
The proceedings In the F. S. Baird land
case Monday afternoon consisted of the
forma reading of the indictments and tho
presentation Of the case by the govern
ment and what 1t expected to prove. This
was followed by an outline Of the defense
by Mr.. Bronze. which embodied a general
denial OF any criminal acts or intents and
holding that the entire proceedings relating
to the Chicago ranch case as far as Mr..
Baird was concerned was legitimate and
honorable.
The essential features Of the defense will
be that some fifteen or more entrymen, in
Guiding w. r. Coleman, made an entry of
certain tracts OF land in Dawes county
under the Kinkaid act in June, 1904, in full
conformity with the law. Tho entrymen
knowing that there would be a big rush
for the land appeared at the Alliance land
office early in the day of the opening and
succeeded in being among the first TWEEN
ty-five that made filings. After the filings
had been made the entrymen were in
formed that there might be some trouble
with the cattlemen whose cattle ranged
over that section, and so 1t was decided to
form a corporation to be known as the
Chicago Ranch company, most of the en-
tries having been made contiguous. This
corporation was created in Chicago some
two months after the entries had been
made, the articles Of Incorporation having
been drawn up by Mr.. Baird. Mr.. Cole
man was elected president Of the corpora
ton.
Admits Fund Was Raised.
A fund was subscribed by the entrymen
or stockholders approximating $50 each for
making improvements and fencing the
tract, and II was afterward agreed that
the stockholders should pay 81. 80 per month
TO meet expenses for maintaining the ranch
and to pay a man for taking care of the
property. Mr.. Bronze further held that the
entrymen constituting the Chicago Ranch
company had a perfect right to lease the
land for grazing purposes under the law,
which constituted occupancy and improve
ment. He held that Mr.. Baird merely
acted as a locator for the entrymen, hav-
ing gone out to the lands first to look them
over and report upon them, and was paid
as was any other locator for such service.
He also denied that Mr.. Baird had entered
into any agreement or conspiracy with
Patrick ]. King or Lawrence f. King to
defraud the government, and that the Kings
were merely later stockholders in the en-
terprise. In abiding to the personal char
scter ofMr. Baird he stated that he was at
that time a resident Of Chicago, a lawyer
and was at one time a member OF the I'LL
nois legislature and also held other posi-
lions OF trust in Chicago. At present Mr..
Baird is a resident OF Dawes county, liv-
ing on and improving the land he entered
as a member OF the Chicago Ranch COM
pany, although he was not one OF the first
entrymen.
Rush Makes His Statement.
The statement Of the government was
presented by Assistant Attorney General s..
r. Rush. This was In effect that the
parties named in the indictment had en-
tered into a conspiracy to defraud and to
subOrn perjury in furtherance OF the con-
spiracy. The amounts OF land thus taken
up under this alleged fraudulent agreement
was approximately 10000 acres, and was to
revert TO other parties, notably the Hay
ward Cattle company and others. He fur
Their held that the government would show
by a number OF Witnesses. some OF them
members of the Chicago Ranch company
that they never intended to live on the
land and that they were told by Baird
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