Omaha daily bee., 1908-10-08
BAIRD SHOWN TO Be CHIEF
Proven by Evidence as Leader in Chi
cago Ranch Affairs.
PEACE DID NOT ALWAYS REIGN
Repeated Change of Foremen Ind
Gates that Harmony Was Not
the Ruling spirit of the
Company.

-
Evidence in the land trial in which Fred
erick s. Baird OF Chicago is defendant be-
fore Judge w. H.. Munger Of the federal
court showed Wednesday that Baird was
most prominent In the corporation dealing
in land matters in Nebraska and most
active in its organization and subsequent
operations.
Peace did not at all times prevail on the
Chicago ranch, as was demonstrated by
the frequent change of foremen. Neither
was the enterprise enthusiastically profit
able in a financial way, as 1t appears that
the regular monthly stipend of Foreman
William Brown was so dilatory In arriving
that he finally brought suit\ against the
ranch company for his deferred salary and
attached some of its property. Then there
was some trouble about contests In which
the much known Allen q. Fisher figured
as attorney for some of the eontestors,
During one Of these contests Foreman
William Brown made an affidavit that the
Chicago Ranch company was a foreign
company and then some more trouble en-
sued. This was probably one of the be-
~ginnings Of Foreman Browns troubles. +,
S. Baird visited at the ranch house and
wanted Brown to recall that affidavit,
charging Brown with being drunk when he
made the affidavit. Brown denied he was
drunk. In any event, Brown did not re-
main in the service Of the company much
longer. The financial differences between
him and the company were finally adjusted
through Baird and Foreman Brown packed
up his lares and p~enates and hied him
back to dear old Chicago.
wife Says He was sober.
Mrs. Brown, wife Of Foreman Brown,
testified that her husband was not drunk
at the time charged by Baird and stated
that she was present at the conversation
between her husband and Baird.
Allen g., Fisher testified as to some OF
the contests against the claims included in
the Chicago ranch enclosure and also told
of the preliminary organization Of the
Chicago ranch concern at Alliance or Craw-
ford about the time the first filings were
made, as developed from a hearing had
before the land office in the contest mat
ters, in which he acted for the contestors.
The remainder of the morning session of
the court was devoted to reading from the
records Of the Chicago Ranch company re-
lating to its regular meetings In the city of
Chicago and in which Mr.. Baird almost in
varably figured with more or less promi-
hence. The purpose of this record testi-
mony is to show Mr.. Baird's connection
with the Chicago Ranch company and that
he was one Of the active officers of the
concern.
J. N. Hostetter, a real estate dealer of
Chicago and treasurer of the Chicago
Ranch company was called to the stand at
noon. .
Two Glasses of Entrymen.
The testimony of several witnesses In
the afternoon developed the fact there were
A-uA -, - N,an N,r0rNz L. NI.n
Chicago ranch enterprise. One class in
cluded those who put up $50 to become
stockholders in the concern and the other
class consisted of old soldiers who had
long terms of military service that they
could apply on the time they were sup
posed to remain on the land before max
ing final proof. In the first class the
entrymen paid their own filing fees and
other expenses, while the old soldiers had
all of their expenses paid and we're to re-
ceive SO and expenses every time they
went out on their claims to make a sort OF
a compliance with the residential require
ments once each six months. But no evil
dence has thus far developed that any of
the old soldiers ever made any more than
the first trip when they filed on the land.
The first witness of the afternoon was
j. N. Hostetter, treasurer Of the Chicago
Ranch company, who was in the $50 class.
His testimony related to certain payments
made for improvements by him as treas
urer and also relative to the improve
ments he had made en- his own claim
which, he stated, amounted to some RGC
or $500. He also testified that the only
relations Mr.. Baird had with the Chicago
Ranch company was as its attorney, and
that he was paid for such services from
the funds Of the cOrDoratiOn.
Chicago Dentist on stand.
Gerrit Lightfoot, a Chicago dentist. was
another witness of the $50 group. He made
a filing on a claim. paid all of his own ex,
penses and was for a time a member Of
the Chicago ranch Corporation. He pail
his $50 to Baird, Afterwards learning
from w. r. Coleman that he would have
to live on the land in order to make fina
proof, he relinquished his claim to a MI
Lang, and withdrew from the affair al
together.
William Marvin, an old soldier and sec
ond hand dealer Of Chicago, belonged Il
} the free OF expense" class. He state
| positively that he had made the filing IL
( December. 1904, for and at the Instance o.
Mr.. Baird, and he understood that wheI
) he got his final papers he was to turn
them oyer to Mr.. Baird and receive $500
} He went to Alliance. made his filing, tn,
4 money for which was advanced 10 hin
by Baird, and was given a round tril
ticket from Chicago to Alliance, and 81
in cash for expenses. He insisted that h
had a written contract with Mr.. Bairr
I about the $500 proposition and that he hal
given the contract back to Mr.. Baird an,
! had not seen 1t since. Subsequently tn
.nrfa0 - 1o05 Ngawtip mani ~ e. .